If the panel is that loose cant you just pull it out a bit and reach in from the rear passenger side door or through the opening where the change tray is and get the actuator out? You don't need a whole lot of space to do it.

 

I read the whole string twice and am still slightly (but importantly) confused:
It seems there are three actuators and several difft nomenclatures to the type of AC systems installed in the truck. I have a 2004 Expedition Eddie Bauer, Loaded. The rear thumping is caused by the top (easy) motor gear being stripped. The truck cant control the flow of air to the top or bottom of the vents in the back, but temp of rear air is controlled.
It has a front Digital (fancy) climate control system and the rear system is what I'd consider pretty simple as it has two dials that control fan speed and temp, and a push button to select ceiling or floor vents, the rear controls are in the center ceiling above the driver and also on the back of the center console if rear control has been selected.
Several posts have made a discrimination of manual vs digital controls, and whether or not the Dorman 213 or 209 actuator should be used. Not sure if the reference to digital is for the front system and this somehow matters to the rear diverter actuator? Unsure if there was some option for rear digital controls or not.
I need the Dorman 209? for the rear air diverter (air to ceiling vents or floor) door, its the same on all of them? yes?

Confused in China Lake

 

The digital talk is about troubleshooting the front. The two actuators in the back are different. To make sure you get the right one, pop the old one out and take it to the store, since it is the easy one it only takes a few minutes to do. You can actually do the whole repair in the parking lot.

 

I've owned my '03 since new and find the doors last about 3-4 years and the two back ones will fail within a few months of each other. If you are replacing one think about doing both. The only difference I can tell between the two is the drive shaft cross-section and it's always the same little $0.02/100 (cheap) plastic gear that has failed.

 

Bump to the top because I get to do this again. This time I bought a Motorcraft part rather than the Dorman. Hopefully it lasts longer than a year this time around.

 

Just did this today... let me tell you its a pain in the nuts the first time around. I pulled the panel back just enough to get to do both since both had failed. Having done it, it would be easier the second time around. I just REALLY wish that the motors would stop in the right location instead of going past where you need them to go for a clean install. After trying to loosely plug in each actuator and pull the plug out at the exact right moment to get the prong lined up without going too far I took each box apart, moved the gear to where I needed it, put it back together and installed. Both work fine and hopefully the plastic gears hold up until I sell it.

I will also say that my rear lower interior panel is not going back in all the way so I'll have to pull that completely out and see what the issue is but it is nice to have working rear controls again.

I did have to go through 2 dorman units for the ceiling to floor control and honestly if I had a third one go out I was going to get 2 units, make 1 working one in the stock housing and then return both units for a "free" fix... they are limited lifetime warranty at advance auto parts anyway.

 

I think I would've sprung for the OEM one at that point.

 

The parts place is 5 minutes away literally and they had a few in stock. Been a week and everything is working fine.

 

I know this is old thread but....ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? TWO actuators... JUST for the rear??!! rrrrrrrrrrr Glad I stumbled upon this. I was assuming that the "easy" one was the ONLY one and was just going to replace that. PLUS I need to do the front. Only blows to defrost. rrrrrrrrrrrrr I guess i'll be messing with this tonight in 100° heat.

 

The front may be a vacuum leak. And it could be an actuator leaking however it is typically a line or connection leak.


>>>>>>>>>>>Action

 

Not sure how you would expect the get hot cold and floor and ceiling by without two actuators. I agree on the vacuum leak, you are barking up the wrong tree.

 

so you're saying the front is vacuum operated and not like the two rears? on YouTube video the front looks like the rears.

well, if you don't have experience with automotive hvac you really WOULDN'T know how that happens.

but i pulled both the rears. pretty simple....1/2 hour. top (easy) one i can turn the stud with my fingers with no resistance. btm (hard) one i cannot turn at all which leads me to believe it's still good.

part #s for 2003 Expedition manual rear a/c if they haven't been posted
top (easy): 2L2H-19E616-AA

btm (hard): YL5H-19E616-AC

 

The tip off is blowing defrost only. Yes front door is vacuum operated. If there is a leak the system defaults to defrost. The vacuum door motor is working against a spring. No vacuum the spring holds the door in defrost.

I have a '06 Navigator with an EATC system controlling both front and rear. The front system has 3 vacuum motors. One of which is a floor/defrost motor. Not sure if this is exactly how your assumed '03 Expedition is controlled and again the defrost only is typically a vacuum leak in a control circuit for a vacuum motor.

>>>>>>>>Action

 

Typical spot for a vac leak is around the battery tray.

 

Very frustrated autozone doesn't carry motorcraft only doorman brand on rear blend door accurator .. Doorman doesn't fit in my 04 expedition .. Any advise