I bought my Moms 03 Expedition that she bought new and the drivers heated seat only stays on for a minute or so. Sometimes not even that long. Well I say stays on when I really mean the light on the console stays on for that time. Don't feel any heat from the seat. Where do I start looking? Also the rear blend doors or whatever it has back there are out of time or something. Every time full heat I get a popping from the rear. I can get close to full hot on the dial but not quite make it. Only sometimes on full cold. Otherwise I get the same popping. Then of course I have the memory mirror issue. Beyond that It's a 2003 Eddie Bauer 4x4 Expedition with 83,000 miles. Thank you in advance for any help.

 

The rear A/C blend door motors are notorious weak points in the Expedition/Navigator vehicles. When they fail you hear the drive gears clicking. You can buy new replacement assemblies from Rock Auto.

Here's a good how-to video on the repair process:

Ford Blend Door Actuators at Rock Auto




This is your rear AUX a/c unit. The actuator circled in red is the temp control actuator. The actuator circled in green is the vent airflow actuator (floor or roof vents...).

 

You need a code reader that can read MS CAN modules/codes and an app that can interpret them. I have an OBDLink MX Bluetooth reader and use FORScan to retrieve these type codes. The 2006 Navigator I purchased this time last year had a similar issue with the driver seat. I had a code that led me to a faulty lower Electro-thermal device. I verified with a meter the device had an open circuit. I got a new one from Blue Springs Ford (online) late last summer. Works like a charm now.

 

I think both of the actuators are bad. When I switch from floor to vent I get a different popping noise as well. My mom never used any of that stuff. I will look into getting them both. Thank you.

 

I have a scanner from Harbor Freight but I'm not sure what its limitations are but I will find out. It has worked for me on everything else I have needed it for. This morning on my way to work it was on just a little over 3 minutes. I didn't notice any significant heat from the seats. It felt like it might have been warming up but not enough to say it just wasn't from my body heat. I also turned the passenger seat on and it stayed on and I did notice a little heat coming from it. Both were set on 4. Thanks for the info. I will keep digging into it as I get time.

 

I doubt those scanners/readers from Harbor Freight can communicate to the other modules in the vehicle. They are usually limited to Engine & Transmission systems. Could be wrong, but I do know it would have been a bear to diagnose mine without the reader and app I mentioned before.