Well here I am again! I have had my 97 Eddie Bauer Edition in the shop 4 times for the same AC prolem. He is my sad story. I just got my new Exploere about 3 weeks ago and the AC was cool but not cold. I live in Phoenix Arizona so cold AC is a must. I took it to the shop right next to my work and they told me it needed a AC accumlator an AC orifice tube and then more freon. Well I said ok becasue I have never had a Ford Explorer and I needed my AC. SO $347.77 later I get in my new toy and start driving and the AC is just the same as it was. Well I was none to happy. I took it back the next day and this time I was told it was teh heater control valve, a common problem I was told by the shop. Okay so another $74.83 I am back on the raod. It seemed much better, not as cold as I would like but doable. So I desice to go on a littl trip to Payson a small mountain town about 2 hourd form Phoenix. THis was last Saturday. Well I get going with my friend and it is a bit warm. I tried every compination of automatic and max AC and nothing made a differance. It was just cool enough to not sweat too much the whole trip. Then on the way down it was raining and on my display it was 73 out. Well that was cooled than the AC was making it so I went to vent, big mistake. It was so hot I could not stand it. Now the next day I put a digital temp gage in my vent the AC was blowing at about 56 and when I put on the vent it got to 120 before I had to stop it or die of the heat. I took it back to the shop and they said they had found a small freon leek fomr a bad o-ring they put in the last time. Okay no big deal, things happen. So then I get in and it's okay but still not as good as I would like. I geton the freeway and it gets warmer again. I had to drive about 0 20 miles and it was a bit too warm. Not hot but not cold. THen on the way home it was fine again. Last nihgt it was the same thing. too warm then fine then too warm. I have it in the shop again today, getting a new frount wheel bearing and told them to ge it fixed once and for all. So my question after this long lettr is can anyone tell me what the problem is and what temp should the AC be putting out? Please help it is way too hot for this in July/ August. Oh just heard on the news this is the hotest July in history. GREAT!!!

Thanks,
James

 

mmmm
I just got my 94 XL sunday and it is also cool. not cold.
I checked the AC Pressure and it was in the yellow, same as my 99 Sebring, and my sibring gets COLD!
I guess that it was retrofided for 113a (or what ever the thing is)
So, same question. what could it be?
I do notice that after the thing is parked for a while and I start the fan (no AC) the air comes out HOT! for about 5 or 10 secs and then to normal.

George.

 

I have 97EB too and have the same problem with the vent putting out only hot air. Does anyone know if this is supposed to operate this way?

Thanks,
Hank

 

More questions no answers yet. I guess we all need to cool off. One more thing in my 97 Explorer. when I start it up there is no air blowing for a few seconds. The rear air come right on but the front has a delay. Is that normal? I hope someone can help all us hot people.

 

a good working AC system will run from 25-35 degrees colder at the vents then the outside temp.

i just retroed my 1990 to 134a I put a new orifice tube in place , changed a few O rings , it was 86 outside today in michigan and the temp at the vent was 37 degrees!!!!!!!!!

 

Might be the blend door is broken. Very common on these. Do a search on this site for lots of info.

 

It's not the blend door in my 97EB. Blend door was replaced and works fine. I guess my question is - should the vent always put out hot air?

 

An Update. The shop is still working on my Exploere. They said they had two guys on it all day. What I was told last night was that there was a code, not sure what yet but there is a miss in my engine and when I give it gas the AC cuts out to give more to the engine, then it should come back on, well mine is not coming back on at times. They are going to pull the codes and see what the ptoblem it. So basicly the computer is not letting the AC come back on. I am not too happy with my first FORD at this time. Will update once more is know.
Thanks,
James

 

No Answers/Just Sympathy

I had the same problem with my '97 Explorer and Lou Grubb did the same fix--accumulator and freon for some three hundred odd dollars. For me the fix worked, and living in Phoenix I know what you must be going through.

Maybe the fix is something as easy as some sensor or door blend, and I hope you don't have to retrofit the A/C to a 134a just to get to a comfortable ride. Also, it is not normal for the A/C to kick on in the back and then a delay before the front comes on as well. When working properly, it comes on immediately and within a few seconds it starts blowing cool air, even with the outside temp at 121 and the parts of the truck burn you like a hot iron.

You have a great truck and you were smart to find this forum. Within a week, the vast knowledge here has helped me with two nagging problems and both fixes worked!

 

I saw the topic about this but I do not understatnd what its for, what does it fix?

Thanks...
George.

 

The blend door mixes cold and hot air to get the desired temperature. On some model years the door breaks where the actuator shaft engages the door, usually resulting in hot air on all settings except Max A/C. Not sure if 94s are prone to this or not, but if yours gets cold when set on normal A/C, yours is probably OK.

 

Cold? I would say cool
Is there a way I can check?

 

If you can adjust the output temp, your blend door is probably OK. Does it blow colder on Max A/C than on normal? If there is a really big difference, could be the blend door, otherwise, it's something else.