Another a/c question.

[explorerey]

Hi all, I have a 2005 Explorer V6 and sometime last week it started to do an intermediate dash noise, now the a/c is not cooling as much. All levels work and air comes out, just not as cool. Any suggestions ?

Thanks.

 

[JoshMcMadMac]

It sounds like a blend door issue.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=294140

 

[explorerey]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn't the blend door actuator control the heat/cold temp? Mine works fine...Now I did notice the "max air" setting does not work.

 

[Exproblems]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn't the blend door actuator control the heat/cold temp? Mine works fine...Now I did notice the "max air" setting does not work.

Yes, on the blend door actuator motor. It controls the blending of the hot or cold air temps coming thru the dash in conjunction to the position of the temp control knob and the blend door itself. It rotates the blend door panel from side to side. If you are getting a 'clicking or thumping" noise coming from behind the dashboard when you turn the temp control knob from cold to hot, then you probably have a bad blend door actuator. If you are getting good cold and hot temps thru the dash vents when you switch the temp control knob from side to side, then your blend door actuator is working okay. On the max AC thing, what isn't working, the light for the Max AC button or how cold the AC gets?

 

[explorerey]

When i switch from regular a/c to max a/c nothing happens, basically same flow of air comes out regardless of making the switch. I am getting a clicking noise when i turn on the a/c, but my cool/heater control is working properly.

By the way, thanks for replying.

 

[Exproblems]

When i switch from regular a/c to max a/c nothing happens, basically same flow of air comes out regardless of making the switch. I am getting a clicking noise when i turn on the a/c, but my cool/heater control is working properly.

By the way, thanks for replying.

As far as I know and I rarely use the AC in my Explorer, the air flow between the Reg. AC and Max AC setting should be the "same flow" of air, other than the air temp coming thru the vents, should be a little colder when set to Max AC than Reg. AC. When set to Max AC, the air recirculation door opens to allow outside air to flow into the AC system, blending with the cold air coming from the evaporator and creating a colder air flow or Max cooling effect. There is an actuator motor that opens and closes this "air recirculation door" and yours may be bad, thus the clicking noise you hear when you turn on the AC. Try and pin point the area of the clicking noise you hear. The air recirc door and actuator is located behind the glove box(upper section) and the blend door actuator is located in the area of the center dash panel. There are plenty of repair posts in here on both actuator problems and how to remove a broken air recirculation door. I suspect you have a bad air recirc door actuator and or a failed air recirc door panel. The clicking noise points to actuator.

 

[explorerey]

Turns out I have a broken fresh air door..

Thanks guys.

 

[Exproblems]

Turns out I have a broken fresh air door..

Thanks guys.

That is the "air recirculation door" I spoke of earlier. Was it the actuator that broke or did the door panel pop off it's hinge points and fall to the bottom of the air box it is housed in?

 

[JoshMcMadMac]

Turns out I have a broken fresh air door..

Thanks guys.

 

[explorerey]

That is the "air recirculation door" I spoke of earlier. Was it the actuator that broke or did the door panel pop off it's hinge points and fall to the bottom of the air box it is housed in?

Door panel came off and fell to the bottom of the air box. Rigged it using two toggle bolts and it seems to be working fine.

 

[explorerey]

Rigged the door, but the air does not feel as cold as before.

 

[Exproblems]

Rigged the door, but the air does not feel as cold as before.

It's possible the door isn't working right and you aren't getting the outside air flow to come in like it should to give you the MAX AC cooling effect. From what others have posted, you lose MAX AC cooling when the air recirc door is removed or doesn't work right. I completely removed my air recirc door and never re-installed it and of the few times I used the AC this summer, it seemed plenty cold to me. How did you re-install the fallen down air recirc door panel? Did you pull out half of the passenger side dashboard?

 

[explorerey]

It's possible the door isn't working right and you aren't getting the outside air flow to come in like it should to give you the MAX AC cooling effect. From what others have posted, you lose MAX AC cooling when the air recirc door is removed or doesn't work right. I completely removed my air recirc door and never re-installed it and of the few times I used the AC this summer, it seemed plenty cold to me. How did you re-install the fallen down air recirc door panel? Did you pull out half of the passenger side dashboard?

I gave this a try : http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=274510 .

 

[Exproblems]

I gave this a try : http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=274510 .

I hadn't come across that type of repair back when I searched for a fix last year. Only found the one that involves removing the majority of the dash(screw that), so I just split the air box open at the 4 screws and removed the air recirc door panel. Hope it works for you and you can always pull that door panel out if it doesn't.