Hello,
I have a 2003 Explorer and my wife was complaning about cold air comming in through the firewall on the passenger side. I didn't realize how bad this actually was until I rode on that side and wow it will freeze you out of the vehicle. I looked up under there and from under the hood but can't figure out why this is hapening? Anyone got any sugestions?

 

If it is anything like our mountaineer, there is a couple rubber plugs up on the firwall well behind the glovebox and one of them may be missing. We had some water come in and after a bunch of looking I found one missing. Of course that isn't something most people have lying around in their garage so I just put some aluminum tape over the hole. That was over a year ago and its still holding.

 

YEP... I can tell you exactly what is going on. The heater/ AC system has an "outside air" duct behind the glove box. There is a louver that closes when you go to "max air cond" and is open most of the rest of the time. There is a small vacuum cylinder that pushes on a plastic crank that pushes the door open and closed. THe crank is broken and the door falls open........ First unbolt the glove box door and remove. THen look at the glove box itself. I forget exactly how it comes out, seems like you tip in the sides and pull forward. Anyway, after the glove box is out. look right in front of it and you will see a plastic grill in the duct and the door is behind it. Not much room to get inside and "fix" I had a spare hour so what i did was cut a small wooden dowel that looks like a TEE. The main rod is maybe 3/8 x 3/8 square and 3-4 inches long. The TEE leg is just a small bump maybe 1/8 inch or 1/4 inch long. You poke the rod thru the grill and push the door closed with the TEE bump on the inside of the grill, then push the wood rod down so the TEE gets caught on the inside of the grill. I put a couple spots of RTV on the grill and wood area so it wont fall off. Now the door is constantly closed and no outisde leak.. THis is basically what you want when you set it to "max AC" or "max heat"... you dont need the outside air, forget it.............. Lay on the floor and look up behind the glove box. I think you can see it, but not sure you can work without the glove box out. I had it out before i figured out what the problem was.

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...-please-2.html

 

ok at the drawing in this post... you #7 door arm is broken and air comes from outside #8 and leaks around the door onto the floor. It is suppose to be "open" or "closed", not flopping around in the middle.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...-please-2.html