How to: Replace Front Blend Door Actuator in 3rd Gen Ex.

[BigRondo]

hmmm... it appears that I am the only one who's original blend door actuator has not failed?

'02 w/ 122kmiles.

-mike

Lucky.

 

[BigRondo]

I've been lucky. My "02" has 202,700 miles and my actuator just now went. Vehicle has treated me very well thus far. I love Explorers!

Good luck getting it sorted.

 

[Propane]

Update for Blend door actuator install.

It is absolutely not necessary to cut the dash, remove the center panel that houses the HVAC controls and ducts and remove actuator through lower left of center panel cutout. 8mm ratcheting box wrench works great for top right and bottom left screws, 1/4" drive w/extension and u-joint for top left screw. Thanks BigRondo for the post.

 

[bowent]

Which of these 5 Blend Doors is the correct part?

Hey guys,

Thanks for all your help, especially BigRondo for the great write up. I am going to attempt this fix next week. However, I am unsure of which part to buy. I typed in my VIN and it gave me 5 different blend doors to choose from (link and results posted below), all different part numbers and prices. Any help in discerning which one is correct? Thank you!

http://www.fordparts.com/Commerce/CatalogResults.aspx?v=4M2ZU86KX3UJ04747#Search

18A318
(YH-589)
HVAC Blend Door Motor
Manual Air Conditioning All Left Hand Drive Territories ; Defrost Airflow
$53.52

18A318A
(YH-1654)
HVAC Blend Door Motor
Manual Air Conditioning All Left Hand Drive Territories ; Floor Airflow
$61.10

18A318B
(YH-1537)
HVAC Blend Door Motor
Manual Air Conditioning All Left Hand Drive Territories ; Air Inlet Mode Door
$55.96

18A361
HVAC Heater Blend Door
Manual Air Conditioning All Left Hand Drive Territories ; Manual Air Conditioning
$22.42

19E616
(YH-1744)
HVAC Blend Door Motor
Manual Air Conditioning All Left Hand Drive Territories
$96.22

 

[Propane]

Napa part #s

Bowent, Napa part numbers as follows: Auto temp control: NOE 6551971
Manual temp control: NOE 6551973
Auto control price between $28.00 - $35.00
Manual control price between $40.00 - $45.00

 

[chrisnin]

Thank you!

I'm not sure if you're still following this thread Big Rondo, but if you are, thank you! What a great write up! I know others have already stated it, but I had to say thank you. Just finished the job, (without cutting the dash), and it took just under 2 hours. My problem was a bit different in that I only had hot air blowing even when set on Max AC. But I also had the tell-tale clicking noise. I'm assuming that the actuator just broke when the blend door was stuck in the heat position instead of the AC position??? It seems like everyone else on the thread had the opposite problem of AC and no heat. Anyway, sure enough, when I opened up the old actuator, it had several broken teeth on the gear. It looked identical to the picture of the broken actuator in the thread. Everything seems to be working great now. The dealership quoted me 6-8 hours of labor on this job and it was REALLY easy thanks to your write up and pictorial. I can't imagine how many people have saved a ton of money as a result of your efforts. Great job and thanks again!!!!

 

[bowent]

Thanks! But...

Bowent, Napa part numbers as follows: Auto temp control: NOE 6551971
Manual temp control: NOE 6551973
Auto control price between $28.00 - $35.00
Manual control price between $40.00 - $45.00

Thank you for your reply! BigRondo did say it would be best to go to the dealer to get an OEM. With such a grueling process that takes a long time, I rather stick with a dealership OEM. I know I have a manual control, Do you know which part from my original post would be the equivalent to NAPA's?

 

[turborich]

Thank you for your reply! BigRondo did say it would be best to go to the dealer to get an OEM. With such a grueling process that takes a long time, I rather stick with a dealership OEM. I know I have a manual control, Do you know which part from my original post would be the equivalent to NAPA's?

"With such a grueling process that takes a long time"

There is no grueling process that takes a long time. It's a 1.5 hour job at most guys. Some people just make it much more difficult than it really needs to be.:scratch:

 

[Soylent_Joe]

Hello! Yesterday I replaced the blend door actuator in my Ex, the old one had the clicking thing going on when you changed the temperature dial. By following this guide the operation was a success - I didn't break anything and now I can change the temp! However, what I thought was a single issue turns out to have two parts. The other problem that I thought was going to be fixed by changing out this actuator is with the air direction. The air always blows the same ways, not responding to moving the dial (the far right dial) to floor, head and floor, defrost, or anything. The fan speed responds fine. But, at full blast it's real loud but not a whole lot of air is coming out of anywhere. At low speed the amount of air coming out of the face vents is pitiful.

Does anyone have any idea where the problem may lie with this? I'm trying to get the truck ready for a road trip out west beginning in a couple weeks so it would be awesome to have proper A/C airflow.

 

[ThnxSVT]

Thanks to Big Rondo for the excellent write up, as well as all the other people that have contributed the great tips!

I just completed this job recently. I totally agree that this job can absolutely be done without having to cut the dash.

I also wanted to post the part number of the actuator that I used, as like some others I also had some uncertainty with which part I needed. I actually narrowed it down to 2 different part numbers, and ordered both/returned the other on Amazon.

I have an '03 Explorer XLT with rear A/C and manual temperature controls. The correct part number for the front actuator is YH-1744. Hopefully this helps others.

 

[k1w1t1m]

'07 Sport Trac XLT

Thanks for the great write up. This worked great for my Sport Trac. No cutting involved. The only tools required were a 1/4" drive ratchet with various extensions, sockets in 7mm, 8mm, and 10mm, and a 1/2" drive ratchet and 10mm socket (for the depth for the nuts on the brace at the floor), and a putty knife for prying the plastic. No cutting of anything was required. The hardest screw to get was the rearmost (of the vehicle) and I was able to get that out and back in by touch. Getting the splines lined up was a little time consuming but I found by getting them lined up and the actuator inserted before plugging the electrical connector back in made it easier.

Once again thank you. Total time including coffee and a late breakfast and smoke stops was less than three hours.

 

[Reklaw]

There are more than 30 pages on this thread so forgive me if I didn't read all of them and this has already been asked.

I Replaced the blend door motor within 2 weeks after getting my 2004 XLS. (September 2014) Now when the car is running and nothing else is on and the HVAC is off I swear I can hear the blend door motor turning. Has anyone else run into this and how did you solve it?

 

[rlgdguy]

Thanks BigRondo and everyone else who contributed to this thread! It took me about an hour and I did not have to cut anything. So nice to have have heat and ac at the turn of a dial again!

 

[eddisgetti]

thanks for the great write up. saved me loads of time.

 

[mr.badwrench]

Thank most of you who have posted in this thread, especially the original poster. I have 3 pics here of how I cut the dash to perform this repair. I paid cash for this vehicle and I don't expect to sell it when I'm done with it except maybe to a scrap yard. If your one negative poster ever comes back you can tell him your cutting of the panel wasn't a hack job, mine is a hack job. But mine makes the repair faster and easier and a piece of tape covers the cut nicely. If no one else uses my method, at least my pics will help to visualize what you can't see from the other pics here. The red dot in the first pic indicates where one screw is removed that is not removed with the other method. That screw takes an 8mm socket and the head is toward the front of the vehicle. The screw also helps to hold in the part I cut out.

 

[Geminiee]

A woman's perspective. I stopped at 3c and went behind the AC panel and under the steering column with a 5/16 ratchet and got it out. I want to note I couldn't see while I pulled out the connector or screws. I was upside down under the steering column. Then I looked at the actuator from behind the AC panel, grabbed it, moved it left and pulled it up and out. To get the new one in I felt for the hole first, then put it in. I had to go back upside down to reconnect the connector. getting the screws back in was the hardest part but still pretty easy.

 

[weshag]

Up until you cut the dash this is a great post. I replaced this in my 03 without cutting anything. with the right tools and a little patience you can get the screws out.

 

[Kirka]

Thanks for the great write-up. I just did a 2005 explorer and didnt have to cut the dash. I took the old actuator out through the front panel (the one that is around the radio). The biggest problem I had was getting the top screw started on the re-install. Took about 1.5 hrs. 30min of that was getting the third screw back in.

 

[Fahrenheit]

Just did this on an 04, didn't have to cut the dash. Did use a doorman part but I couldn't find a ford one locally at a good price and being it was my sisters truck she didn't want to wait. I bet i'm gonna be doing this job again soon. I did leave out the top bolt though. Struggled with it for about 45mins before I gave up. I'll keep the 3rd bolt handy in case an issue ever pops up.

 

[p38fln]

Just replaced mine, no cutting required. Took about 2 hours