Additional Notes:
I priced this job at a dealer and it came in for around $300!
Here are the steps/procedures for doing this repair yourself in about 30 minutes:
Located directly behind the radio, the blend-door actuator is a small plastic box, roughly 3" x 4" X ¾" in size, and quite often is white.
With the radio out, the replacement procedure is very straight forward using a 5/16th nutdriver tool.
This is a really simple repair, a great choice for the do-it-yourselfer.
Here are the steps/procedures for doing this repair yourself in about 30 minutes:
* Tools to do the job:
** Ford radio removal tools
** 5/16 nut-driver
** Flashlight
** Small hands or band-aids
* Remove the radio -
** Insert the U-shaped 'handles' into the vertical pair of holes on each side of the front of the radio until you feel it hit an indent / click .
** With both tools inserted, push outward on the top of the tools while pulling the radio out & away from the dash.
** Disconnect the 2 wire harness connectors & the antenna.
* (Optional) Remove A/C & Radio control dash panel * Removing the A/C & Radio control dash panel gives you additional access to the actuator to help with removal and installation. This is not a difficult option.
* Loosen and remove two screws revealed just above radio when radio was removed.
* Loosen and remove two screws inside (one on each side) the drink holder & ash tray drawer.
* Gently pull the loosened section of the dash panel forward.
* Do not remove connectors for A/C control panel. You'll need the A/C control panel active to align the driver post of the actuator with the blend door drive hole.
* You might want a helper to hold the panel off to the right while you work.
* Reassembly is exactly reverse.
* Remove / replace the blend door actuator -
** Looking in through the radio opening, locate the actuator module - a white plastic unit about the size of a pack of cigarettes.
** Use the nut-driver to remove the three 5/16ths mounting screws.
** Disconnect the wiring harness located on the side
** Reverse steps to re-install
** In order to line up the shaft I had to crank the car and move the temp selector. Note: You do not have to turn on the A/C system for the temp selector to control the actuator, but you must have the actuator control cable re-connected. * Reassemble the dash panel. * Reinstall the radio (watch that no cables bind during the reinstallation. * What the actuator is / does: * Inside this unit is a circuit board, motor and small plastic round gears. The gears then rotate the actuator, which in turn opens and closes the damper allowing the air to pass through the heater core.
* What happens is some of the little teeth break off creating a gap on the gear wheel. This gap prevents the gears from driving the actuator shaft.
* The unit may be known as a heater damper module by the dealer. Should cost around $60-$75. (One reader acquired the actuator for $34 from O'Reilly.)
This unit was purchased from Advanced Auto for $ 45 and the flat rate is .4 hours. I did mine in around thirty minutes with the hardest part being getting the radio out ( it seemed stuck ).
Probably a faulty blend door actuator. Remove the glove box to gain access to the actuator. Replace the actuator with a new one.
The Blend Door actuator on the Ford Windstar can be found by removing the glovebox. A broken blend door actuator is almost as common as a broken blend door itself. Typically, the fix requires disassembling the entire dash and replacing the whole plenum box, which can be a costly repair. Linked here is a video from www.heatertreater.net demonstrating how to access components of the plenum box for repair without disassembling the entire dash. heatertreater.net/Windstar%20Video.html This details the best DIY option on how to replace a broken blend door or actuator.
Remove the dash assembly to gain access to the blend door actuator.
how to replace a blend door actuator on a 1999 ford ranger
How do i replace blend door motor
You have a faulty temperature blend door actuator located directly behind the radio. Remove the radio and remove the blend door actuator held to the heater case with three 8mm screws, and replace it.
Disconnect the battery supply. Remove the inside driver side dashboard under cover. Remove the actuator and screws. Reverse to install.............
The blend door actuator is located behind the glove box, and a sign of failure is an audible "clicking" sound when you adjust your climate controls. The most common issue with heat or A/C in the late model Ford windstar is a broken blend door. A broken blend door actuator is almost as common as a broken blend door itself. Typically, the fix requires disassembling the entire dash and replacing the whole plenum box, which can be a costly repair.This details the best DIY option on how to replace a broken blend door or actuator, accessing the plenum box by removing the glove box rather than the entire dash.
locate blend door actuator for 1997 pontiac bonneville se
Before replacing the thermostat or any other component of your Windstar's HVAC system, be sure to check your blend door for functionality FIRST. The most common issue with heat or A/C in the late model Ford windstar is a broken blend door. A broken blend door actuator is almost as common as a broken blend door itself. Typically, the fix requires disassembling the entire dash and replacing the whole plenum box, which can be a costly repair.
If by "heater box" you're referring to the heater core, we've got you covered with the "Related Questions" below.Be sure to review the questions regarding the blend door and blend door actuator motor - other very popular heating/cooling parts in the Windstar
Can't say for positive sure, but I would expect the Freestar/Monterey blend door actuator motor to be much like the Windstar. Common failure, easy replacement - about $40 See "Related Questions" below for links to the Windstar related blend door discussions