Climate Control not blowing in 2000 Explorer

[ripbecki]

I have a 2000 Eddie Bauer Explorer with the Digital Climate Control. It recently started having problems, first I would have to constantly lower the temperature for it to start blowing. What I mean I could set it to 72 degrees for example it would blow cold air for about 5 secs then it would stop blowing even though it would be over 80 degrees outside and in the vehicle. It wouldn't blow again until I lowered it to under 70 degrees and it would stop again and I would have to keep lowering it until I got to 60 degrees. This also was all with the automatic setting on.

Now in the last week it will not blow any air out of the vents or floor or defrost vents up front at all now matter what setting I put it on , either using automatic or Max A/c. It won't blow even if I set it to the floor or defrost either or set the temperature to 90 degrees to try and get the heater to turn on . But the rear fan is blowing air out of it and working probably for the back seats, it's just not blowing air up front at all.

I have no experience with these digital climate control systems , and don't know if the control deck is bad, or if a fuse some where is blown or if the blower motor is bad ( is there a separate blower motor for the front and back? ) .


Can anyone please help me figure this out and get it fixed. Especially since I have been told these Climate Control Decks can cost up to $600.

 

[bobflood]

Most likely either the blower motor controller (digital version of a blower resistor) or the blower motor itself. If you set the temp so that it should cool, does the compressor kick on and stay on? Do you get cool air in the rear with that blower operating??

Rear blower has a separate motor.

If it is the main control unit, I have seen rebuilt units on the internet for $100.

Good luck.

 

[ripbecki]

yeah the rear fan blows cold or hot depending on the temp is set at. Where would the blower motor controller be located at?

 

[bobflood]

yeah the rear fan blows cold or hot depending on the temp is set at. Where would the blower motor controller be located at?

The blower motor controller is in the engine compartment, passenger side, against the firewall. A couple of bolts and an electrical connector. Good luck.

 

[ripbecki]

Are you talking about the big blower motor housing on the back firewall or the blower motor resistor?

 

[bobflood]

Are you talking about the big blower motor housing on the back firewall or the blower motor resistor?

Since you have the EATC (the digital HVAC control panel) you have a "blower motor controller" instead of a "blower resistor" (used with the manual HVAC system) - both of them do the same thing and are mounted in the same place. Only difference is that the blower motor controller is a lot more expensive!!

If the compressor cycles and you get cool air in the back, the EATC unit in the dash is fine. Now you have to figure out if the problem is with the "blower motor controller" or the blower itself. If you can get to the plug for the blower motor, put 12V directly on the wires and see if the blower motor works - if not, the motor needs replacing. If yes, likely the blower motor controller is bad. Good luck.

 

[itzbinnice]

If the compressor cycles and you get cool air in the back, the EATC unit in the dash is fine. Now you have to figure out if the problem is with the "blower motor controller" or the blower itself. If you can get to the plug for the blower motor, put 12V directly on the wires and see if the blower motor works - if not, the motor needs replacing. If yes, likely the blower motor controller is bad. Good luck.

I don't have the EATC unit, just the regular one with the resistor on my 95 XLT.
Earlier this year my fan stopped working, by doing the direct wire test to the motor confirmed a bad motor and not the resistor. The replacement motor was only 45.00 and the job was not difficult. I don't know if the EATC units use a different blower motor but just wanted to give you a ballpark price.

Here is a link for 2000 Explorers, the blower looks the same to me but may be different. There are several available including Motorcraft (most expensive). You can do a search and probably find them cheaper. Mine did not come with the fan, I used the fan from my old one that had nothing wrong with it.
For 91.48 the Motorcraft one doesn't even come with the fan. I'd go with the 52.44 one with the fan.

Edited: Sorry the link doesn't work do a Google search at Auto Parts Warehouse.

http://www.##################.com/shop_years/ford-explorer-blower-motor-2000.html

 

[J_C]

Since you have the EATC (the digital HVAC control panel) you have a "blower motor controller" instead of a "blower resistor" (used with the manual HVAC system) - both of them do the same thing and are mounted in the same place. Only difference is that the blower motor controller is a lot more expensive!!.

It can cost as little as ~ $13 to DIY the repair by replacing the transistor on that, given some soldering experience and misc. hardware. That is assuming the transistor failed which is the most common part of the controller to do so.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3278612&postcount=5
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3278864&postcount=7

 

[ripbecki]

Great My question now is where do I find the blower motor controller for the EATC? Is it inside the housing under the hood that holds the blower motor itself or is it somewhere else? Also I see where someone said something about soldering, is this something that I have to solder on or is it something I can remove and place very easily.

 

[crunchie_frog]

The blower motor controller/resistor is at the bottom right hand side of the blower motor looking from the engine compartment. There are how to threads if you search. You can order a new one from advance auto using discount codes for less than $40.

 

[bobflood]

Pretty sure the soldering remark only referred to replacing a transistor inside the blower motor controller if you wanted to try to fix the one you have. Module itself has bolts and an electrical connector that unplugs. See previous note re location - lower right corner of blower motor housing. Good luck.

 

[ripbecki]

thank you all

 

[ripbecki]

Strange thing yesterday the A/C started blowing out of the front vent just out of the blue. I didn't replace any parts yet or do anything at all, it just all of a sudden started working again.

 

[crunchie_frog]

My experience has been the resistor/controller can work intermittently. My guess is it will go on the blink again soon enough.