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Explorer Maintenance - Modifications - Performance Upgrades - Problem Solving - Off-Road - Street
Explorer Forum Covers the Explorer, ST, Sport, Sport Trac, Lincoln Aviator, Mercury Mountaineer, Mazda Navajo, Ford Ranger, Mazda Pickups, and the Ford Aerostar
I get hot air blowing from panel vents when blower switch is on OFF position. The amount of air that comes through the vents the fan motor is definitely blowing but how and why the fan switch is OFF. It only starts doing it after driving awhile when the motor has warmed up. What is kicking the fan ON when the switch is OFF
I am not sure your fan is on what might be happening is the flap in the heater box might not be shutting off the outside air . could be just leaking due to old age or it could be the flap is stuck open . Mine does it also . I am going to find out where the cold air intake is & block it off till winter . you could try the same thing . if I find it I will post it here & if you find it you do the same !
It seems like it blows pretty strong air for just venting in outside air. I feel it and it feels like the fan is blowing.. Maybe when it does it again unplug the power to the fan and see if it still blows the hot air.
I just went out and checked it your right it is outside air venting in. I looked up what to see where the vent is. I think the part is called "Air inlet duct" and I think its located under the dash near the blower motor. Its either drawing air from down in the cowl area or behind the passenger fender. I can't see where it is. Where ever it is it gets a nice flow of air. Cause as soon as I begin moving forward air starts flow in. I looked behind the glove box I think the back of it is there but how do you get the flap you might have to drop the whole dash down. Not something I want to do.. I did find a actuator to the right behind the glove box. You can move it up and down. It moves a flap I can hear it. Not sure what it controls.
OK that actuator I found behind the glove box is what controls the flap for the outside air vent. Its Vacuumed controlled so right now on mine its letting air in so if you push the rod down you can hear the flap move I assume its closing. How do we hold it in place I don't know.
that brass thing on the right is the vacuum actuator
found this in Haynes its a downward view where the flap is inside and actuator
OK ! I would put the control to panel & watch the vacuum motor to see if it is working . move the selector from panel to recirc & watch it to see if it is moving . then if possible trace the vacuum line to see if it is hooked up or attach a hand vacuum pump to the motor to see if it will work . You are on the right path though . you could just bypass the heater core during summer months to help cool the air down . I hate messing with the heater hoses any BUT finding a new heater box & replacing it makes me cringe !!! LOL But just check to see if the vacuum motor for the outside air is working . if not you might be able to use some cable ties to hold it shut . I will take a look at mine soon & see what is going on also & fill you in . It will be a few days . have a funeral to attend today , work fri & sat . I might do it sunday if I dont go out on lake . Good luck & keep me posted .
If you want it not to blow air in with the fan off, slide your vent selector (you know, the slider on top that says "panel", "floor", etc.) to "off" as well.
That just directs the air out the floor vents. That doesn't shut the flap to keep the outside air from still coming in and passing through the heater core.
Ok ! I checked mine out & when the selector is set to panel the vacuum motor is where it is supposed to be then when I move it to max a/c the vacuum motor does as it should & pulls the vent shut . the vent is in place so my problem is just air leaking past the flap . I removed the vacuum motor & tied the vent shut it still leaked air . Just old age & the seal is leaking . Might make up a bypass for the heater core to help some . I hope you get yours fixed & if I come up with a plan I will let you know . Have a happy fourth of july .
Ok ! I checked mine out & when the selector is set to panel the vacuum motor is where it is supposed to be then when I move it to max a/c the vacuum motor does as it should & pulls the vent shut . the vent is in place so my problem is just air leaking past the flap . I removed the vacuum motor & tied the vent shut it still leaked air . Just old age & the seal is leaking . Might make up a bypass for the heater core to help some . I hope you get yours fixed & if I come up with a plan I will let you know . Have a happy fourth of july .
No need to "make" a bypass. Just go to the parts store and get a heater control valve for a '95 Explorer/Ranger. You'll need to figure out how to hook it up to vacuum, for when you want the heater core bypassed.
So this outside recirc vent is "always open" position until you use your AC is the only time it closes. Seems you should be able to close this vent some other way. I can't see why ford designed this to always be in the open position.
Well my actuator doesn't move at all. I tried the panel in different modes and it does not move. So I pulled the vacuum line off the bottom and not getting any vacuum there. I moved the panel switch moved temp switch no vacuum on that line. That vacuum line is a "White hose". I can't find any white color vacuum lines inside the engine bay.
Well it is closed as long as your selector is set to max a/c the comp. does not have to be engaged . I think the reason is if it stays on recirc the inside of the vehicle will fog up . so they bring in outside air to prevent this . When you go to defrost the a/c comp comes on to dehumidify the inside of the vehicle to help clear the windows . And Carguy3j thanks for the tip might be able to tie it in to the vacuum motor line . Now vg5speed if you look above the inertia switch on the passenger sid you will see the vacuum connector with the white hose look for a small vacuum line in the area of the evap in the engine comp. I think this is the line . I will verify this give me some time . you could just have a broke fitting or a loose line . check real close & see what you find .
the first pic is the connector on the inside above the inertia switch
The second pic is where this line comes out to the engine comp. under the blower motor in this wire cover
The next pic is the line & where it hooks to a vacuum canister then goes over to the intake
I hope this gives you some direction to go in worst case take the vacuum motor out or unhook it from the flap & use cable ties to hold it shut . I would try to leave it all hooked up & tie it shut then in winter untie it .
I see where a "black" airline is coming out of a the harness down behind the airbox. But I don't see the "white" hose anywhere. If you look below the Recirc motor where the white airline attatches to it there is also a "black hose in the vecinity coming out of he harness. I don't know where that goes but I think that is the hose I see in the engine compartment.
You say when you switch your panel to Max AC the Recirc motor moves to shut the flap. So that means there is vacuum only when moving the switch to Max AC. On mine I get no Vacuum when I move my switch to Max AC. But all my vacuum lines in my engine compartment are hooked up. I need to find where the "white" hose come out..
Well I just went and zipped tied mine closed for now. I think I am going to also bypass the heater core with either a valve or just loop the hose. Mine like yours i can still feel a trickle of air come through. But for the summer I'm going to do a bypass of the heater core so at least its not hot air trickling through..
From what I can tell the white hose runs from the connector under the dash to the selector & to the vacuum motor . the white hose does not go through the firewall . Look at the last diagram I sent closely . I am thinking it could be the switch on the selector not sending the vacuum to the motor . pull out your heater controls & have a peek at them . But what you did should keep you cooler & when you bypass the heater core the air will be a lot cooler & your a/c will work a lot better . Happy motoring & hope I helped you . If you need help holler I will try to help . :roll:
Yeah I saw that on the diagram. The white hose goes to what they call a "Vacuum Control Valve" that's activated by the Max AC. It looks like it then changes to a black color hose. So I tried to find that part the VCV that might be what's broken with mine. But for now I tied off the flap shut and going to bypass the heater core for the summer months. I drove around today even though the door is shut and not letting air just blow in I can still feel hot air radiating out the vents. So I'm going to loop the heater hose tomorrow.
So I looped my heater core hoses together this morning. When I drove it later this evening my check engine light came on. Could that be related to me bypassing the heater core.