Is this suppose to open

[explr1]

I'm going to be taking in the X Friday to have my HVAC problem looked into. The problem is I get hot heater air in VENT and regular AC mode. AC HIGH I get cold air. I opened the glove compartment door and dropped it down by releasing the plastic side hinges to get a good look at everything. My question is, is this door/motor suppose to open at all in VENT or AC mode? Because it doesn't. What does this do? I can manually open it. Is there anything that I can look for under here? Thanks...

 

[88vert]

Looks like a blend door problem $$$$

 

[explr1]

I've been doing a little checking on Google and found a TSB.

Broken blend doors are a known problem and have been subject to much discussion on this NG before. I believe that this is not specific to the automatic climate control. HOWEVER, there is a TSB for a list of 97-98 vehicles (including Explorer/Mountaineer), which had the wrong version of the blend door installed (manual instead of automatic and vice versa). The result is a stuck door, and no temperature control. Don't know if this applies to you (and the dealer probably won't know until they get there and take a good look at the door). If it does, you should be able to negotiate a much
better deal, or possibly have Ford pay for it. In any case, this TSB specifies only 2.5 hours of labor, so it's nowhere near $1020. The TSB number is 98-23-20.


Just hope it's covered under my extended warranty.

 

[SiLenZe]

that door only opens in max AC. it takes air from inside the cabin and cools it. otherwise it take air from the outside. that door only opens on mine in max ac and my ac works fine.

 

[Robb]

Correct...........that looks like your "recycle" door, not the blend door. It should bring air from the outside (in the hood cowling) in Vent and Normal AC modes, then switch over and return air from the interior in MAX AC.

 

[BensBud]

The heaterbox blend door wedged in my '98 XLT - the heat was stuck on. It stuck last fall and I lived with it for the winter. Like you, MAX A/C would give me cool / cold air, but nothing else would reduce the heat - except to turn off the vent system. It was a very expensive fix this spring. They have to take the whole dash out and replace the whole heaterbox. I forget the exact money, but it was more than $500 to fix. Naturally, it didn't fail until after the used-car warranty elapsed.

BTW: A learned a hard lesson about used car warranties. Buy a used vehicle from a dealer with a limited warranty. If the vehicle comes up with an intermittent problem during the warranty period, take it to the dealer. If it comes up NPF (no problem found), have them write the ticket anyway and put on it the specific details of your complaint. That way, when the problem becomes constant, you can take the vehicle back and there's evidence that you brought it to their attention during the warranty period.

 

[acwent]

Blend door issues and Extended warranties

All,

Discovered the problem with the blend door too late in life, 40 K miles. I had an extended warranty but it only covered major components (fan motor, ac parts, etc.). Wasn't willing to pay $600 plus to fix it so I got a little creative. I fixed the door using a choke cable that I ran through the floor vent. Only draw back is that the bottom vent doesn't close all the way and your feet get cold on Max AC when wearing sandles and the like. Pretty extensive repair though. It involved removing the glove box, cutting two holes in the side of the plenum, and drilling a hole into the support ribs on the blend door to hold the choke cable. I sealed the holes in the plenum with heavy guage plastic sheet adn some epoxy glue. :thumbdwn: I wouldn't undertake it unless you have a good sense of what needs to be done, a great working knowledge of the inner workings of the heater plenum.

Moral of the story is ALWAYS BUY THE MOST INCLUSIVE EXTENDED WARRANTY YOU CAN! It will always pay for itself.

I took my XLT in at 94K for a rear main seal leak, had the Mech do an extrensive inter engine look over, and ended up getting a fully remanufactured long-block on the extended warranty company's dime.

 

[dmf415]

try the other blend door fix with the nail...
if that doesn't work try this
Here's a new method on fixing your blend door if you completely broke that piece that turns the door. http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~dmf/blenddoor.htm