Just wanted to say THANK YOU! After receiving a quote of over $600 to fix this issue, I now have a fully functional vent switch. I went a slightly different route, basically reattaching the actuator to what was left of the plastic arm with some wire. Total cost: $0. Thank you for sharing this video!
OMG! A BIG Texas THANK YOU from a 65 year old widow who WAS having air flow problems in a 2000 Mercury Mountaineer! I watched your video and went out in the 99 degree weather...uggghhh...and prayed I could get the A/C working again. I lowered the glove box and the components were not the same as the above 2004 HVAC, but I found the red wire and fooled around with it and then whacked the housing from underneath, like my mechanic showed me four days ago when the blower was first pooping out. I turned on the engine and turned on the switch to A/C, and OUT CAME THE COLD AIR IN FORCE!! May God RICHLY bless you, motoYam82, for helping all of us to get our vehicles back in running order!! I am now a subscriber, and I'm going to tell all my family and friends to watch your videos when they're having any problems with their vehicles. You da bomb!! ;~D
In my opinion drilling a hole in the plastic control arm (in the exact spot where the pin was) and then hook a little 6mm screw with 2 nuts bolted together would fix it with a better outcome, Thank you for the video Ivan.
I just went to my car and pushed the door flap open like you did. Now i have air. Thank you for your informative video saving me from giving a repair shop hundreds if not thousands of dollars. 😀
With the Texas heat I couldn’t bear yesterday picking up my kids from school I was super soaked in sweat. Watched your video and let me tell you! “ Your a sweet angel sent from above”. I zipped tied it so quick man my air vents blows nice cold air. Thank you thank you thank you.
Hey man.I took my Ford in to a shop for this and they said some panel in the blower fell and covered a vent hole preventing air flow.They said there were 2 options one that cost $900 or one that cost $50 to fix.You would think a mechanic/"honest mechanic" would know about this issue.Not sure If I will be going to this guy anymore.Thanks so much for posting this. You saved me some cash either way!You are the man!
thats 100% a problem that happens and probably is the case, my 05 explorer had the door fall i had jerry rig it back in place but i was also having this guys problem also
He was completely honest. Other shops said 800 bucks . And he gave u a 50 dollar option to fix the broken one. So I'm eyes he was more than honest...things like this have made me not even care about explaining. Waste of time. 1t the end people will think what they want.
The Ford Dealership quoted me $2500 to fix this same exact issue you showed how to fix on a 2010 Ford Exporer XLT. Thanks to this video I fixed it in < 1 minute for free!! And I didn't have to take the entire dash apart to repair 'Bad Duct Work' As they claimed. Shame on them and thank you so much for posting this video!!
I fixed mine in my Jeep with a small aluminum pop-rivet instead of the Chrysler POS plastic one and has been working like new for over 5 years now. Love the Videos Ivan, thanks.
THANK YOU so much for this! Was driving one day and heard a loud pop sound and shortly after my air stopped working in my sport trac. Drove me crazy digging around trying to find the cause. I found this video and sure enough the plastic arm was snapped on mine.
At about 11 mins, you gave the best quick tip there is, which applies to nearly every vac actuated system there is, and has ever been... If you lose the vac source, it will default to defrost and some floor vent flow. The switched modes will not change. If you can change the modes but lose them will driving, IE the flow goes to def/floor under accel, the vac canister is leaking or the check valve has gone bad.
Thanks for the information. I had looked at videos for a couple days and wasn't able to find the information that I needed. After watching your video I was able to locate the problem, which was the same as with this explorer . I was able to get airflow out the vents by pushing it open manually . When you change to defrost the front vent closes. When you want the front vent to blow push it open . Works until I have time to do a more in depth repair. Thanks again.
MANY THANKS for this video. Saw it last night and fixed my '03 this morning in about 45 minutes (only took that long because I considered other solutions). The plastic piece attached to the door was broken at the hole. Instead of just prying the handle in the open position, my first thought was to epoxy a metal repair piece to the plastic on the door flap and reattach the actuator to it. I decided that would be more difficult than necessary (there is a darn metal piece that really gets in the way of working on this) so instead I drilled an additional hole into the plastic arm and ran a zip tie through it and the actuator's hole. Seems to work fine for the time being with full functionality. I suppose the zip tie could wear out but I basically only flip it back and forth between summer and winter so it won't get a lot of use, and it is easy enough to reinstall another zip tie. I'm guessing it will be good for a hundred cycles at least.
Thanks a lot for posting this video! I had a quote of $1200 to fix this issue. I have been searching this issue for a few months and could not find anything on the web. My wife will be happy, living in TX-it gets hot. Thanks!!!
I simply tuned in to your video to find out how to fix my main vents. I am not a mechanic, I’m a female and believe it or not. I can do some of the repairs myself simply by watching UA-cam videos. I have no my it still has the original paint that looks great. It truly is a good looking truck. I did not need a diatribe on what a piece of junk you think that my truck is can I tell you that I have 271,000 miles on my 2003 Ford Explorer, I have never put a transmission in it, it’s the original engine and the only repairs that i’ve had to do are just standard routine fixes. I’ve never had a check engine light on and the Ford Explorer up until 2005 was built on the Ranger chassis after 2005. It was built on a car chassis so if you have a Ford Explorer older than a 2005 you actually have a real truck, check back with me in a year or two when I’ve hit 300,000 miles and I’m still trucking.
Woohoo! I have cold air blowing out of my AC vents again in my '05 Ford Explorer. I recently bought it from a friend and when it was colder weather I didn't really notice it. But, as the Texas heat is starting to creep up it is becoming more noticeable. Mine is the exact same problem as you showed. Now to rig it so that it stays open :-)
I have fixed this problem in the past by just "drilling" a small hole ,with a hot 90* angle pick tool .I then reconnected the solenoid with a locking nuts & bolt .
I had the same problem on my 2003 Ford Explorer. I did use a zip tie to hold the door open so I had air through the front vents. The plastic piece broke clear off on mine. I didn't see a way to reconnect it with out it costing a lot of money.. There is not much room to work without tearing into the dash. Air works great and once winter hits I will just remove the zip tie if I need to.. This has been a great truck for me. Normal wear and tear. They don't run forever with out having problems.
Icemule for the *WIN.* I aas about to find another video because of the dork's prepuberty voice and all of the is-he-having-a-stroke "uh" and "um" bullshit every few seconds.
Nice Explanation / Diagnosis of the Ford Exploder's Air Conditioning Vacuum door system. Going to the garage right now to fix the defective Ford AC panel door actuator. Will use your foam idea, pin or safety wire. Many sad Ford owners also experience the clicking of their striped out temperature control actuator in the rear of the truck. Good call.
Thanks for the video... I had the exact same problem. I drilled a hole in what was left of the door arm and tied actuator together with a zip tie. Will see how long it lasts. BTW I replaced the blend door actuator at the same time. That was not fun. Thanks again.
Totally just fixed mine!!! Great video. Mechanic told me between $300 and $500 to fix it! cost me NOTHING. Did i mention i'm a girl ....but i am quite handy :-)
So while looking for information on "2003 explorer rattling noise on passenger side" I ran across this video, which I have a problem with. Super easy, now I have airflow😊 also i think noise is from shocks. Thanks so much
I got a 2002 exolorer., 250,000 on mine. No problems. Had a 1998 with 159,000. No problems. Had a 1991 ford explorer. 200,000 . No problems. X wife had a 1996. No.problems
Thank you, thank you, thank you! GREAT video! I wonder if a cable tie would work... After the rain, I am going to go attempt to fix mine. Ignore all of the people that complained about your video, you at least told them WHY the AC was doing what it was doing, more than they knew or they would have never searched for this video to begin with! Thank you so much for the WHY, you probably saved me at least $1K and a lot of sweat in lower Alabama!
We appreciate your video on this quick fix it's hot down here in the south and you saved us a lot of time and money and death by heat keep up the good work and thanks again ours was the same problem
Ivan good fix, I ran into this about a month ago same year exploder. I used a drill extension on a right angle drill and drilled a small hole into what was left of the arm. it had broken in half. then threaded a piece of mechanics wire thru it and thru the hole in the actuator and twisted it ,cut off the excess. I explained to the customer that the wire would eventually cut thru the plastic but for now it all works.
George Heri Yeah that was my concern too, since the actuator extends and retracts with significant force past the range of the plastic arm...maybe something more elastic like a piece of heater hose? Just a poorly engineered design.
+motoYam82 It may be a poorly engineered design to make the customer poor but it brings in money for the engineers, manufacturers, parts sellers and repairmen like yourself. lol
thanks man. really helped me a lot. i was ready to start tearing up the dash. it's 110 here in vegas and it just crapped out on me but this was the problem and solved with a simple zip tie.
Came here years later with a 99 exploder 345,000 miles. Tried vacuum lines to no avail. After seeing this it helped however my vacuum control vents was above the gas pedal took off a few arms and stereo dash and ac panel to access two vacs. The one with the red line it did open manually upon pushing the arm. My quik fix came shoved a long screwdriver into it it made a hole lol but works. Back in morning to permanent it in there. Texas is hot in May. Thanks for the video May 2023. Go Brandon
You forgot to mention the famous rear tailgate panel crack. LOL. I could see it in your video. They fixed that problem in 2006, by eliminating it. I just bought a 2005 Mountaineer with the modular V8. I really love it. I just hope it doesn't cause too many headaches. It's just a second vehicle, but still. Seems like the best ones of these to get are the 2006-2010's with the V8, because they came with the 6 speed auto. Still they are decent SUV's.
That was amazing 🤩 sir!! I have the exact problem on my 2005 Ford Explorer 4.6L. I’m so excited to take the glove box off and put the flap in the open position!! You are the best!!
perfect for showing the problem, mine was completely broken off, so I used a broken phone charger cord, put it through the metal hole, and through the hole in the round part and tied it tight in the vent open position with blower on, fixed it right up
Nice fix - the info is a must for you since you work on everything . Not sure where I would start on that one, hey Ivan my first thought was a plugged in cab air filter LOL
STEVE ROB I have a problem with my 2009 Expedition my back AC vents are blowing but the front vents are not can you or anyone help me with this problem?
thx I have a Ford van with the same problem air flow on defrost vents only, going to see if I get just as lucky as your customer here. Thanks for the info
I'm having the same issue in my 2002 Expedition... Now I think I'll give it a look and see if there is anything like this in it... Was having an issue in my Subaru but simply removing the cabin air filter fixed it. Can't seem to locate the cabin air filter in the expedition if there is one... Thanks for the help. Hopefully I can figure out the air flow issue in the Expedition now.
Followup, Your vacuum schematic helped me find the problem. You talk to much but your video totally helped me find and fix the problem thanks. Problem was it was missing about 10" of vacuum hose under the hood, where it went I don't know.
Hey just watched this video and earlier I bought (because the guy at the auto parts store said it was this part) the air door actuator and now i know it is like this problem is the vacuum arm is broken from the air vent door. I hope i can replace that part with no difficulty. Thanks for the information!
BTW: That little black plastic tank under the blower is a vacuum reservoir. It has a hose fitting on the back near the firewall which looks like a tee. If you knock it off while messing around your fresh air door vacuum actuator will cease working. Guess how I know. Just put the tee fitting back on.
hey guys, good video often times its the blend door that is broken in your car when no air/hot air only comes out. its heater treater dot net so check it if this video doesn't help.
Back when I was growing up my parents owned Chevy’s. During my life I have owned Chevy’s, Volkswagen’s, Datsuns, Nissan’s, Honda’s, Buick’s and Fords. The situation is that over the years, I have had to do the repairs on all of my vehicles. Back about 20 years ago Ford had an advertisement commercial that stated…. “Ford Has A Better Idea”. In my opinion, and no matter what Ford or you yourself have to say about it….“Absolutely Not”. Ford Did Not Have A Better Idea”. Most repairs on Ford’s are nothing more than a pain in the Butt. - If you have any doubts then feel free to try to repair or replace the Heater/AC Blend Door on a Ford Explore (they are plastic with a plastic actuator swivel shaft and are located inside the Heater box assembly). There has been many, many customer complaints upon this item (look it up on the internet). Even the Ford dealerships will tell you it takes about 10 hours to repair (replace), this item. It involves disassembling and removing the whole dash assembly just to get to the heater box assembly, then the Heater box assembly must be removed and disassembled to get to the blend door assembly. And that does not cover the time to reassemble everything again. The dealer will tell you the cost of repairs (replacement), of that part will run the customer approximately $800 to $1500 dollars. I know from experience, I just talked to two different Ford Dealership Service Managers in my area. - So, once again, “Ford Did Not Have A Better Idea” !
freaking thank you. was told repeatedly it was the filter, it wasn't. going to use a cotter pin though. And yes all those issue do happen at once it's a mess.
same thing happened to me. except i used a zip tie, didnt tighten all the way but just enough slack so it can move back in forth, havent had an issue since, been over a year.
Mine isn’t broken but it doesn’t move whatsoever. In or out. I checked for cracked vacuum lines and nothing. Also replaced blend door actuator and nothing. Not sure if replacing this actuator will fix my problem. Any pointers?
Btw, when a 2000 Excursion with a 7.3L engine does similar after running for a while, go up in the engine bay on the passenger side and tap on the vacuum canister. It will then actuate the doors. You're welcome 😉
This video helped me find the problem, but my issue isn't exactly the same. The control arm is still connected to the vacuum motor/actuator, but the contol arm connnected to the vacuum motor/actuator doesn't move at all when I turn the vent selector knob on the dashboard. Any thoughts on why the control arm doesn't move the control arm? Any comments are greatly appreciated!
EXPLORERS are good vehicles if you follow the maintenance, this includes maintaining the exterior; like waxing and removing debris that gets under the seals or weatherstrip. as in all vehicles parts do wear out, I have owned 4 of these and put high miles on all 200,000+ with no major problems with me maintaining all of them myself..
I've noticed on fords and dodges (atleast the trucks), without the a/c on and you have the temp dial turned to cold, the air always seems to come out somewhat warmer than the outdoor temp. My old caprice does not do this. it is like the fords/dodges dont seal off from the hot coolant or something...also, our '07 dodge trucks at work had the issue with the plastic being stripped and the air direction thing wasnt vacuum...they had to take it all apart to get it to work. what a pain. the vacuum on my caprice works just fine...29 years old with 300 000kms...cant complain.
oh wow you actually could have used a cotter pin its actually stronger then the factory way of attachment + the customer could use all the functions of the HVAC and it would last the life time of the truck i did this a long time ago it never came back for that issue.
K Interesting...how would you attach the cotter pin to the existing plastic piece? Drill a hole? This truck will be back for plugs and wires next week so I'll have a chance to play with it a bit more...
Ok you have to drill out a small hole in the "white" or where the original attachment location i do this kinda stuff with a power tool it takes less than 10 seconds for the hole you cant mess that up. imagine this put you left index finger behind the plastic arm above the hole to support it and with you power tool just drill it and attach a cotter pin and either bend it like a U and loop the ends or any way you like :) hope this help ... much cheaper fix
motoYam82 another idea poped up in my mind today and i thought i would share it. I saw eric from ericthecarguy use a product called Q Bond its very strong have a go at it
K Hi Ivan...the Q-Bond works pretty well and it's strong. I couldn't tell for sure what material the arm is, but if it's nylon or any type of polypro plastic, that stuff won't work. I've tried it on these type of plastics and its a no go. The glue itself looks like crazy glue. But for other types of plastics and with its binder powder, it does a pretty good job.
K Thats the first thing I thought of when I saw the problem. Cotter Pin. Would be much simpler & easier & should last for years like you said. My 03 Explorer is doing this. So "IF" this is the problem , its being fixed with a Cotter Pin like you said.
I have the same complaints about not being able to easily check the transmission fluid. I have a 2008 Ford Explorer but with the 4.6L V8, there's a dipstick for the transmission but you better be wearing heat resistant gloves because its right by the front catalytic converter and you have about 3 inches of space to get to it...stupid idea. B&M makes a dipstick tube and dipstick, but they want almost $300 for it of course. One of the blend doors for the HVAC on my Explorer decided it didn't want to work anymore as well this past summer, and of course when we had straight 100 degree plus temps for over a month. I think the shop replaced the blend door. Its the automatic dual zone HVAC system which makes it even more complicated. I wish they still used the old cable type systems like my old Ranger and Bronco 2 have, much less prone to failures LOL.
Just wanted to say THANK YOU! After receiving a quote of over $600 to fix this issue, I now have a fully functional vent switch. I went a slightly different route, basically reattaching the actuator to what was left of the plastic arm with some wire. Total cost: $0. Thank you for sharing this video!
OMG! A BIG Texas THANK YOU from a 65 year old widow who WAS having air flow problems in a 2000 Mercury Mountaineer! I watched your video and went out in the 99 degree weather...uggghhh...and prayed I could get the A/C working again. I lowered the glove box and the components were not the same as the above 2004 HVAC, but I found the red wire and fooled around with it and then whacked the housing from underneath, like my mechanic showed me four days ago when the blower was first pooping out. I turned on the engine and turned on the switch to A/C, and OUT CAME THE COLD AIR IN FORCE!! May God RICHLY bless you, motoYam82, for helping all of us to get our vehicles back in running order!! I am now a subscriber, and I'm going to tell all my family and friends to watch your videos when they're having any problems with their vehicles. You da bomb!! ;~D
In my opinion drilling a hole in the plastic control arm (in the exact spot where the pin was) and then hook a little 6mm screw with 2 nuts bolted together would fix it with a better outcome, Thank you for the video Ivan.
That's kinda what I did in a 2010 Explorer.
exactly what i was thinking.
Definitely what I would have done. He even used a screw to cap the vacuum hose.
I just went to my car and pushed the door flap open like you did. Now i have air. Thank you for your informative video saving me from giving a repair shop hundreds if not thousands of dollars. 😀
Good deal, glad I could help!
With the Texas heat I couldn’t bear yesterday picking up my kids from school I was super soaked in sweat. Watched your video and let me tell you! “ Your a sweet angel sent from above”. I zipped tied it so quick man my air vents blows nice cold air. Thank you thank you thank you.
Hey man.I took my Ford in to a shop for this and they said some panel in the blower fell and covered a vent hole preventing air flow.They said there were 2 options one that cost $900 or one that cost $50 to fix.You would think a mechanic/"honest mechanic" would know about this issue.Not sure If I will be going to this guy anymore.Thanks so much for posting this. You saved me some cash either way!You are the man!
thats 100% a problem that happens and probably is the case, my 05 explorer had the door fall i had jerry rig it back in place but i was also having this guys problem also
He was completely honest. Other shops said 800 bucks . And he gave u a 50 dollar option to fix the broken one. So I'm eyes he was more than honest...things like this have made me not even care about explaining. Waste of time. 1t the end people will think what they want.
The Ford Dealership quoted me $2500 to fix this same exact issue you showed how to fix on a 2010 Ford Exporer XLT. Thanks to this video I fixed it in < 1 minute for free!! And I didn't have to take the entire dash apart to repair 'Bad Duct Work' As they claimed. Shame on them and thank you so much for posting this video!!
I fixed mine in my Jeep with a small aluminum pop-rivet instead of the Chrysler POS plastic one and has been working like new for over 5 years now. Love the Videos Ivan, thanks.
You are the greatest human being alive, ive been riding round no windows no AC but just fixed my AC wit this video, thank you
THANKS BRO! I JUST USED YOUR QUICK FIX..I'M IN EL PASO TX..I WAS DYING!!
+Joseph Craggett haha no problem man! I only had to use the A/C once this summer up here in PA...can't imagine how hot it is down South. Stay cool!
THANK YOU so much for this! Was driving one day and heard a loud pop sound and shortly after my air stopped working in my sport trac. Drove me crazy digging around trying to find the cause. I found this video and sure enough the plastic arm was snapped on mine.
At about 11 mins, you gave the best quick tip there is, which applies to nearly every vac actuated system there is, and has ever been... If you lose the vac source, it will default to defrost and some floor vent flow. The switched modes will not change. If you can change the modes but lose them will driving, IE the flow goes to def/floor under accel, the vac canister is leaking or the check valve has gone bad.
saw another fellow here on youtube drill a hole in the plastic and connect the two via a zip tie.
Thanks for the information. I had looked at videos for a couple days and wasn't able to find the information that I needed. After watching your video I was able to locate the problem, which was the same as with this explorer . I was able to get airflow out the vents by pushing it open manually . When you change to defrost the front vent closes. When you want the front vent to blow push it open . Works until I have time to do a more in depth repair. Thanks again.
MANY THANKS for this video. Saw it last night and fixed my '03 this morning in about 45 minutes (only took that long because I considered other solutions). The plastic piece attached to the door was broken at the hole. Instead of just prying the handle in the open position, my first thought was to epoxy a metal repair piece to the plastic on the door flap and reattach the actuator to it. I decided that would be more difficult than necessary (there is a darn metal piece that really gets in the way of working on this) so instead I drilled an additional hole into the plastic arm and ran a zip tie through it and the actuator's hole. Seems to work fine for the time being with full functionality. I suppose the zip tie could wear out but I basically only flip it back and forth between summer and winter so it won't get a lot of use, and it is easy enough to reinstall another zip tie. I'm guessing it will be good for a hundred cycles at least.
+bedmac2 Great fix! Hope it lasts a long while!
00
Kid's these days?
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In the old days we used bailing wire to fix problems like this and we were happy.
Thanks a lot for posting this video! I had a quote of $1200 to fix this issue. I have been searching this issue for a few months and could not find anything on the web. My wife will be happy, living in TX-it gets hot. Thanks!!!
Matthew Anderson Sure man glad I could help! Hey as long as the wife is happy, everything else will be OK :)
I simply tuned in to your video to find out how to fix my main vents. I am not a mechanic, I’m a female and believe it or not. I can do some of the repairs myself simply by watching UA-cam videos. I have no my it still has the original paint that looks great. It truly is a good looking truck. I did not need a diatribe on what a piece of junk you think that my truck is can I tell you that I have 271,000 miles on my 2003 Ford Explorer, I have never put a transmission in it, it’s the original engine and the only repairs that i’ve had to do are just standard routine fixes. I’ve never had a check engine light on and the Ford Explorer up until 2005 was built on the Ranger chassis after 2005. It was built on a car chassis so if you have a Ford Explorer older than a 2005 you actually have a real truck, check back with me in a year or two when I’ve hit 300,000 miles and I’m still trucking.
Thanks for the quick fix, I'm going to check out my friends explorer and see if that's her problem!!! Thank you!!!
Woohoo! I have cold air blowing out of my AC vents again in my '05 Ford Explorer. I recently bought it from a friend and when it was colder weather I didn't really notice it. But, as the Texas heat is starting to creep up it is becoming more noticeable. Mine is the exact same problem as you showed. Now to rig it so that it stays open :-)
Don't know if this will be the problem I have, but thanks for the looks at the stuff and set me on a path forward!
I have fixed this problem in the past by just "drilling" a small hole ,with a hot 90* angle pick tool .I then reconnected the solenoid with a locking nuts & bolt .
thats what i would have done too that way u can make it like new,, i was with him until he jerry rigged.. so easy drill a hole and wire back..
I would have done the same, and easy fix.
I like your hot pick solution.
Can u show how to do that I need to get my vents working
I had the same problem on my 2003 Ford Explorer. I did use a zip tie to hold the door open so I had air through the front vents. The plastic piece broke clear off on mine. I didn't see a way to reconnect it with out it costing a lot of money.. There is not much room to work without tearing into the dash. Air works great and once winter hits I will just remove the zip tie if I need to.. This has been a great truck for me. Normal wear and tear. They don't run forever with out having problems.
16 minute video that could literally be 4 minutes long. Skip to 12:30 to get down to business.
😂
Were you forced to watch ???
Icemule for the *WIN.*
I aas about to find another video because of the dork's prepuberty voice and all of the is-he-having-a-stroke "uh" and "um" bullshit every few seconds.
Thank you!!!!
Nice Explanation / Diagnosis of the Ford Exploder's Air Conditioning Vacuum door system. Going to the garage right now to fix the defective Ford AC panel door actuator. Will use your foam idea, pin or safety wire. Many sad Ford owners also experience the clicking of their striped out temperature control actuator in the rear of the truck. Good call.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP I AM USING THIS CAR WITHOUT FRONT VENTS FOR MORE THAN 6 MONTHS AND HERE ALL MECHANIC ARE DUMP.
Thanks for the video... I had the exact same problem. I drilled a hole in what was left of the door arm and tied actuator together with a zip tie. Will see how long it lasts. BTW I replaced the blend door actuator at the same time. That was not fun. Thanks again.
Totally just fixed mine!!! Great video. Mechanic told me between $300 and $500 to fix it! cost me NOTHING. Did i mention i'm a girl ....but i am quite handy :-)
Haha that's how Fords are meant to be fixed! Nice job Susanne!
Out all the videos I seem. this is the one who hit the jackpot. Thank you! Easy fix
I made a hole and used a very small cotter pin for a complete fix.
So while looking for information on "2003 explorer rattling noise on passenger side" I ran across this video, which I have a problem with. Super easy, now I have airflow😊 also i think noise is from shocks. Thanks so much
I got a 2002 exolorer., 250,000 on mine. No problems. Had a 1998 with 159,000. No problems. Had a 1991 ford explorer. 200,000 . No problems. X wife had a 1996. No.problems
Great video saved me lots of time to diagnose the problem. Very grateful you posted this
I have this same truck and your absolutely right about everything you said about this truck. You really know ur stuff!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! GREAT video! I wonder if a cable tie would work... After the rain, I am going to go attempt to fix mine. Ignore all of the people that complained about your video, you at least told them WHY the AC was doing what it was doing, more than they knew or they would have never searched for this video to begin with! Thank you so much for the WHY, you probably saved me at least $1K and a lot of sweat in lower Alabama!
Start the video at 4:42 to skip all the unnecessary intro.
Omg thank u
THANK YOU!
@Engineer Eagan haha
He should've renamed it something along the lines of why you shouldn't get a Ford Explorer. This guy wastes so much time.
I almost didn't make it to the substantial part... Lol
We appreciate your video on this quick fix it's hot down here in the south and you saved us a lot of time and money and death by heat keep up the good work and thanks again ours was the same problem
Ivan good fix, I ran into this about a month ago same year exploder. I used a drill extension on a right angle drill and drilled a small hole into what was left of the arm. it had broken in half. then threaded a piece of mechanics wire thru it and thru the hole in the actuator and twisted it ,cut off the excess. I explained to the customer that the wire would eventually cut thru the plastic but for now it all works.
George Heri Yeah that was my concern too, since the actuator extends and retracts with significant force past the range of the plastic arm...maybe something more elastic like a piece of heater hose? Just a poorly engineered design.
+motoYam82 It may be a poorly engineered design to make the customer poor but it brings in money for the engineers, manufacturers, parts sellers and repairmen like yourself. lol
thanks man. really helped me a lot. i was ready to start tearing up the dash. it's 110 here in vegas and it just crapped out on me but this was the problem and solved with a simple zip tie.
Win! Let me know how the zip tie method holds up long-term!
Thank you so very much
Came here years later with a 99 exploder 345,000 miles. Tried vacuum lines to no avail. After seeing this it helped however my vacuum control vents was above the gas pedal took off a few arms and stereo dash and ac panel to access two vacs. The one with the red line it did open manually upon pushing the arm. My quik fix came shoved a long screwdriver into it it made a hole lol but works. Back in morning to permanent it in there. Texas is hot in May. Thanks for the video May 2023. Go Brandon
BINGO! 2003 XLT Vacuum door link damage was EXACTLY my problem! Great video! Low cost fix!
thanks so much for the video!! Your a life saver!!! Turns out I had the same exact problem... easy fix wedging the door open.
much appreciated!!
Fixed my car in 5 minutes. Great Job!!! Thanks man.
You forgot to mention the famous rear tailgate panel crack. LOL. I could see it in your video. They fixed that problem in 2006, by eliminating it. I just bought a 2005 Mountaineer with the modular V8. I really love it. I just hope it doesn't cause too many headaches. It's just a second vehicle, but still. Seems like the best ones of these to get are the 2006-2010's with the V8, because they came with the 6 speed auto. Still they are decent SUV's.
EVERY Ford Explorer has that crack!!! I mean I pass em all day and I take a look at the back and they all have cracks in the same spot
I’ve owned two, a 1996 and 2003. They both had the crack. What’s up with that? You’d think they would have figured that out by now.
Mine is an 04 and has the crack too
Hahaha!!! Spot on dude. Mine has that crack too. And every one I have seen since noticing it has had it as well!! Lmfao!
It’s so common it could be Fords new emblem....
I would have knocked the pin out and installed a small machine screw with a nut.
Or the famous zip tie
Or drill out where the broken pin was and attach a zip tie to the vacuum actuator
That was amazing 🤩 sir!! I have the exact problem on my 2005 Ford Explorer 4.6L. I’m so excited to take the glove box off and put the flap in the open position!! You are the best!!
Just fixed ours with the help of your video . Thanks dude
perfect for showing the problem, mine was completely broken off, so I used a broken phone charger cord, put it through the metal hole, and through the hole in the round part and tied it tight in the vent open position with blower on, fixed it right up
That's great! Good fix!
dude hell yeah i have 04 fordnexplorer and thanks tonyou i fixed my ac problem. yeeesss!!! from the las vegas desert. Thank you great video
Wow must be 120 F down there right now...stay cool!
+motoYam82 highest was 118. so far but August is coming oh boy!
This was exactly my problem thanks so much for posting this
Nice fix - the info is a must for you since you work on everything . Not sure where I would start on that one, hey Ivan my first thought was a plugged in cab air filter LOL
Steve Rob That thought crossed my mind too...until I read that "this vehicle cannot be equipped with a cabin air filter" haha
STEVE ROB I have a problem with my 2009 Expedition my back AC vents are blowing but the front vents are not can you or anyone help me with this problem?
That’s great. This is the second video
On the same fix and it worked . 03👍
thx I have a Ford van with the same problem air flow on defrost vents only, going to see if I get just as lucky as your customer here. Thanks for the info
Thanks for your post. It precisely diagnosed my issue and I was able to repair it myself!!
No problem! Great job!
I'm having the same issue in my 2002 Expedition... Now I think I'll give it a look and see if there is anything like this in it... Was having an issue in my Subaru but simply removing the cabin air filter fixed it. Can't seem to locate the cabin air filter in the expedition if there is one... Thanks for the help. Hopefully I can figure out the air flow issue in the Expedition now.
thank you for a understanding of what i could only guess.tomorrow i will hope to fix. thanks again, saving big $$$$
Followup, Your vacuum schematic helped me find the problem. You talk to much but your video totally helped me find and fix the problem thanks. Problem was it was missing about 10" of vacuum hose under the hood, where it went I don't know.
Skip to 12:30 to fix air not coming thru your vents
Thanks Yvonne I was about to swipe this dude off. Sorry you had to endure
But your defroster wont work now, that door switches it from panel to defrost
Thanks for this video. I had this exact problem. Crazy LOL.
Hey just watched this video and earlier I bought (because the guy at the auto parts store said it was this part) the air door actuator and now i know it is like this problem is the vacuum arm is broken from the air vent door. I hope i can replace that part with no difficulty. Thanks for the information!
Thanks man! Sincere appreciation for the video. Saved me from doing a bunch of crazy stuff
This video was so good i fixed my same problem to day thanks to this video by my self
Thanks so much bro. Kind from you sharing info. since you paid for that program. We should be thankful.
Thanks Ivan - Awesome Video! Gotta love AllData
Eric O. didnt sleep for weeks after watching this video lol
Video starts at 12:42
BTW: That little black plastic tank under the blower is a vacuum reservoir. It has a hose fitting on the back near the firewall which looks like a tee. If you knock it off while messing around your fresh air door vacuum actuator will cease working. Guess how I know. Just put the tee fitting back on.
BTW, my explorer is an 02. Same exact issue. Thank you again!
hey guys, good video often times its the blend door that is broken in your car when no air/hot air only comes out. its heater treater dot net so check it if this video doesn't help.
Thanks for the good tip. It's very helpful.
Great work man. I always love and appreciate your work man.
Back when I was growing up my parents owned Chevy’s. During my life I have owned Chevy’s, Volkswagen’s, Datsuns, Nissan’s, Honda’s, Buick’s and Fords. The situation is that over the years, I have had to do the repairs on all of my vehicles. Back about 20 years ago Ford had an advertisement commercial that stated…. “Ford Has A Better Idea”. In my opinion, and no matter what Ford or you yourself have to say about it….“Absolutely Not”. Ford Did Not Have A Better Idea”. Most repairs on Ford’s are nothing more than a pain in the Butt. - If you have any doubts then feel free to try to repair or replace the Heater/AC Blend Door on a Ford Explore (they are plastic with a plastic actuator swivel shaft and are located inside the Heater box assembly). There has been many, many customer complaints upon this item (look it up on the internet). Even the Ford dealerships will tell you it takes about 10 hours to repair (replace), this item. It involves disassembling and removing the whole dash assembly just to get to the heater box assembly, then the Heater box assembly must be removed and disassembled to get to the blend door assembly. And that does not cover the time to reassemble everything again. The dealer will tell you the cost of repairs (replacement), of that part will run the customer approximately $800 to $1500 dollars. I know from experience, I just talked to two different Ford Dealership Service Managers in my area. - So, once again, “Ford Did Not Have A Better Idea” !
how about an ac evaporator? you have to cut it out to replace it or pay $800 for a whole new hvac housing
Thanks for the vid helped me get and idea of wats wrong overall was useful ppl now a days are just negative man good job
Thanks it really works.. you tube videos gotten love it
freaking thank you. was told repeatedly it was the filter, it wasn't. going to use a cotter pin though. And yes all those issue do happen at once it's a mess.
same thing happened to me. except i used a zip tie, didnt tighten all the way but just enough slack so it can move back in forth, havent had an issue since, been over a year.
Mine isn’t broken but it doesn’t move whatsoever. In or out. I checked for cracked vacuum lines and nothing. Also replaced blend door actuator and nothing. Not sure if replacing this actuator will fix my problem. Any pointers?
Btw, when a 2000 Excursion with a 7.3L engine does similar after running for a while, go up in the engine bay on the passenger side and tap on the vacuum canister. It will then actuate the doors.
You're welcome 😉
I have a 04 230 thousand miles bad transmission but still go's good I found it's great for towing.
I drove a tiny hole in the plastic arm where the piece broke off. Then I used a small wire from a twist tie to tie those two together.
Same here...great minds.
Mine is 2005 with 318000 miles and runs like a champ
This video helped me find the problem, but my issue isn't exactly the same. The control arm is still connected to the vacuum motor/actuator, but the contol arm connnected to the vacuum motor/actuator doesn't move at all when I turn the vent selector knob on the dashboard. Any thoughts on why the control arm doesn't move the control arm? Any comments are greatly appreciated!
Excellent video! Thanks for your detail. Liked & Subscribed.
Thank you Bill! Welcome to the channel! :)
@@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics You are very welcome!
EXPLORERS are good vehicles if you follow the maintenance, this includes maintaining the exterior; like waxing and removing debris that gets under the seals or weatherstrip. as in all vehicles parts do wear out, I have owned 4 of these and put high miles on all 200,000+ with no major problems with me maintaining all of them myself..
thank you very much, very useful
Great video keep it up
Drill a hole where the little pin was and threat a zip tie through the actuator and the hole. Fixed.
Your right but dipstick is in the left side under the motor
Awesome thanks both my parents explorers have this issue
I've noticed on fords and dodges (atleast the trucks), without the a/c on and you have the temp dial turned to cold, the air always seems to come out somewhat warmer than the outdoor temp. My old caprice does not do this. it is like the fords/dodges dont seal off from the hot coolant or something...also, our '07 dodge trucks at work had the issue with the plastic being stripped and the air direction thing wasnt vacuum...they had to take it all apart to get it to work. what a pain. the vacuum on my caprice works just fine...29 years old with 300 000kms...cant complain.
Awesome! Thank you so much!
oh wow you actually could have used a cotter pin its actually stronger then the factory way of attachment + the customer could use all the functions of the HVAC and it would last the life time of the truck i did this a long time ago it never came back for that issue.
K Interesting...how would you attach the cotter pin to the existing plastic piece? Drill a hole? This truck will be back for plugs and wires next week so I'll have a chance to play with it a bit more...
Ok you have to drill out a small hole in the "white" or where the original attachment location i do this kinda stuff with a power tool it takes less than 10 seconds for the hole you cant mess that up. imagine this put you left index finger behind the plastic arm above the hole to support it and with you power tool just drill it and attach a cotter pin and either bend it like a U and loop the ends or any way you like :) hope this help ... much cheaper fix
motoYam82 another idea poped up in my mind today and i thought i would share it. I saw eric from ericthecarguy use a product called Q Bond its very strong have a go at it
K Hi Ivan...the Q-Bond works pretty well and it's strong. I couldn't tell for sure what material the arm is, but if it's nylon or any type of polypro plastic, that stuff won't work. I've tried it on these type of plastics and its a no go. The glue itself looks like crazy glue. But for other types of plastics and with its binder powder, it does a pretty good job.
K Thats the first thing I thought of when I saw the problem. Cotter Pin. Would be much simpler & easier & should last for years like you said. My 03 Explorer is doing this. So "IF" this is the problem , its being fixed with a Cotter Pin like you said.
Always start with the check valve (17) near the firewall on the passenger side behind engine.
Exactly what I needed, thumbs up
I have the same complaints about not being able to easily check the transmission fluid. I have a 2008 Ford Explorer but with the 4.6L V8, there's a dipstick for the transmission but you better be wearing heat resistant gloves because its right by the front catalytic converter and you have about 3 inches of space to get to it...stupid idea. B&M makes a dipstick tube and dipstick, but they want almost $300 for it of course.
One of the blend doors for the HVAC on my Explorer decided it didn't want to work anymore as well this past summer, and of course when we had straight 100 degree plus temps for over a month. I think the shop replaced the blend door. Its the automatic dual zone HVAC system which makes it even more complicated. I wish they still used the old cable type systems like my old Ranger and Bronco 2 have, much less prone to failures LOL.
You're my next to New 98 explorer back in the day the therm door broke and it cost them over $5,000 at the dealership to change a little $20 part
This was my exact problem. Also mine lost overdrive planetary and windshield leaks horribly. Still gets me to work everyday
A simple Bread twist tie , tying the door back to actuator arm would have allowed it to properly function as if it was when it left the factory.
Thanks for helping me