Hello, I am a pretty decent machanic (when pointed in the right direction) and Iwas hoping that you could lend me an ear for this issue that I am having. the problem is with the heat. it's a 96 explorer limited and it only blows consistantly with the air outside. example, this summer it only blowed hot air, I rechagred the ac thinking it was low, but never had any luck, so we just stuck to using the power windows (whenever they wanted to work). but now that its winter in michigan, it oly blows cold air, and I mean cold. the heat worked okay last winter, it's just not getting hot. and get this , it only blows on the winsheild? I tried to test the climate control by holding hown "off, floor, and auto" at the same time, but it didnt show anything. not an okay message or error code. I'm lost . can anybody help me?

 

Hi, when you tried to test the climate control, did you exactly press OFF and FLOOR and then within 2 seconds you pressed AUTOMATIC ? It is normal to have a blank display for over 20 seconds. Any 3 digits code appearing after that procedure?. When you try to select any outputposition for the air, except defrost, do you hear any hiss? Does it work? Can you control the speed of the blower motor?

Nic.

 

okay, i checked the actuator that controls the door, and it is moving. i
didn't physically verify that the door is opening and closing, but ifelt it move then stop. i tested the climate control just the way that you described and still nothing. I tried holding all 3 buttons down at the same time and holding floor and off, then pressing automatic within two seconds and I still got nothing. it would either turn off or kick into auto mode. but i was unable to pull any codes from it. I am able to control the blower speed,
when i try to change blower positions (vent, floor, panel) nothing happens
, no vacume noise at all. it's stuck on the windshield. I dropped the glove box to look around in there (that's how i saw and felt the door moving) and I noticed that their was a vacuum controlled actuator all the way by the passenger wall. it had a long arm that controlled another door that opened the cabin . it never moved either. i can physically move the
arm to open it, but nothing controls it. i also removed the vacuum plug
lines (blue, yellow, red, white,) and their was no vacuum on either side. I guess you can tell by now that i am suspicious of a vacuum problem. but I'm not the teech, whats your thoughts from this point? what tube shoud have vacuum

 

Hi, when you said that you "checked the actuator that controls the door", which actuator are talkin' about? I joined a pictures to help you identify it and to checked for the vacuum controls and routing. I also include the chart for the vacuum for each selected position and the application. When you tried the auto diagnostic you have to hold the two buttons at the same tune then you release them and within 2 secondes you press AUTOMATIC (I'm just repeating to make sure). You might have a stuck control door. It is normal to have defroster operation when you have a vacuum problem, as a safety precaution. I also seen in the past a damage plenum or as I told a stuck or strip control door for the temperature. You can remove the motor that drives the door and checked if the door can easily moves and make sure that notch on the shaft of the drive motor to the door are not damage.

Nic.

 

Sorry I forgot something





Vacuum Port
Function (Hose Color)
Detent Position

Max A/C
A/C
Panel
Off
Panel Floor
Floor
Floor Defrost
Def.

1
Outside/
Recirc. (White)
V
NV
NV
V
NV
NV
NV
NV

2
Full Floor (Yellow)
NV
NV
NV
V
NV
V
NV
NV

3
Source (Black)
V
V
V
V
V
V
V
V

4
Plugged
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—

5
Floor/Def. (Blue)
NV
NV
NV
V
V
V
V
NV

6
Panel/Def. (Red)
V
V
V
NV
V
NV
NV
NV