Clicking from Glove Box. Heater/Blend Door problem??? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Clicking from Glove Box. Heater/Blend Door problem???

Chris Harrach

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 6, 2010
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City, State
Atlanta, Ga.
Year, Model & Trim Level
'97 Eddie Bauer 4WD
Good evening everyone.

Had a loud "CLICKING" come from behind the glove box today, from what I believe to be the "Blend Door Actuaror", or the housing of said part. Heater is running at it's highest temperature setting only, even when I lower the temperature setting to it's lowest and turn it to "Vent". However I can switch it to all the different vent settings. It just blows HOT though. Anyone have an idea as to what this is?? Fuse, Blend Door Actuaror, or ETAC unit?? The truck has the automatic teperature/climate controler (ETAC system)

Thanks in advance:salute:
 



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Actuator gear for the door sounds like it is stripped of a few teeth and/or blend door itself. Most likely a new actuator is needed, but you'll need to get in there and take a look.
 






Clicking from Glove Box. Heater/Blend Door prob?

Actuator gear for the door sounds like it is stripped of a few teeth and/or blend door itself. Most likely a new actuator is needed, but you'll need to get in there and take a look.

Thanks for the quick reply chefduane. You have any idea how tough a job this will be?? Am I going to have to remove everything behind the glove box?

Thanks, Chris H.
:salute:
 






you will find it challenging to get the back bolt out that holds the actuator in place, otherwise, nothing else has to be removed, just drop the glove compartment all the way open by pushing in the tabs on the back sides of the glove compartment. You may have to "grind down" a 1/4" drive 8 mm socket to get out the back bolt. there are several threads about this if you search.
 






Good luck finding a replacement actuator for the EATC system. Dorman doesn't make one. You'll have to get it from Ford. I suggest you try Tasca Ford Parts. You'll need your VIN number when you call their 800 number.

I was hunting for one of these actuators last week, but it turned out my problem wasn't the actuator, but the EATC, which I replaced with a used one yesterday.

BTW: Getting that rear bolt out is a hard, putting back is even harder. I made a tool just for that purpose.
 






Try the local pull a part, I think they are about 8 each.
 






I have a similar issue with my '00 Mounty as well. If I use the heat setting, something is making a periodic click sound behind the glovebox. Additionally, my heater core is physically disconnected from the engine for some reason, indicating that I might have to replace it perhaps.

My plan is to pressure test the heater core with about 30 psi and see if it holds. If it does, I might just reconnect it to the engine coolant. Will then need to sort out the clicking, which is likely a stripped blend door actuator gear?

edit: I tried to run the self-test by pressing Off and Floor simultaneously and then pressing Automatic, but that didn't do anything. Maybe the EATC has gone south.
 






99% if the time people disconnect the hoses from the heater core because it has a leak. It's a huge job to change the heater core, basically requiring the dash to be removed. If it's a small leak, K-Seal might permanently seal it. I'd try that first.
 






99% if the time people disconnect the hoses from the heater core because it has a leak. It's a huge job to change the heater core, basically requiring the dash to be removed. If it's a small leak, K-Seal might permanently seal it. I'd try that first.

I wonder how it's even possible for a heater core to go bad in less than 84,000 miles. I have several older vehicles, including a '71 Mustang, '89 Mustang (with more than 400,000 miles on it), and a '79 Bronco, all of which have never had an issue with their heater cores. I'll find out tomorrow when we pressure test it.

In truth, I did replace the core in my '79 Bronco a few years back because I had to replace the fan motor; being such a time consuming job, it was easier to go ahead and replace the heater core while I was in there, but it wasn't leaking and still worked perfectly. When I found a replacement, I made sure it was a copper-brass core and not an aluminum unit as well. Perhaps that's the difference in longevity?
 






Will then need to sort out the clicking, which is likely a stripped blend door actuator gear?

Don't assume the actuator is the problem. The blend door has a "D" fitting that the actuator drive shaft fits into. It's almost guaranteed that the D will break at some point, and the clicking sound can be the actuator rotating fine but finding nothing to push against but broken plastic.
 






Don't assume the actuator is the problem. The blend door has a "D" fitting that the actuator drive shaft fits into. It's almost guaranteed that the D will break at some point, and the clicking sound can be the actuator rotating fine but finding nothing to push against but broken plastic.

Good to know, thank you. Can anyone recommend some literature I could use to tear into the dash?
 






Good to know, thank you. Can anyone recommend some literature I could use to tear into the dash?

Luckily it doesn't require much tearing unless you want to do it by the book, which is just plain crazy. You can replace the actuator in about 20 mins if you have small enough hands to get to the three bolts holding it in. The blend door takes a bit longer b/c you have to hack into the plenum, but even that's about a 45 min job once you figure it out.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183742
 






It's not the heater core, in my case. The heater core works perfectly fine and doesn't leak after pressure testing it and hooking it back up. The issue is that with the heater core connected and with whatever position the blend door must be stuck at (since it's making the clicking noise), the heater must be exposed to the ducting and now I have no functioning A/C!
 






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