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Hello,
I've got a 1997 Explorer 5.0L (84,000) and the only way I can get cool/cold air is when I use the "Max AC" setting on my climate controls. Any other setting blows HOT air out the vents no matter what the Temperature Control is set too. I've also noticed my power side mirrors don't work, the power lumbar support doesn't seem to work. The outside temperature guage reading seems to warm up as the engine warms up and will max out at 130 degrees.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. The HOT air problem is my main concern, the others things are inconviences.
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 13-Jul-01 AT 03:12 PM (EST)[/font][p]I am not sure how your explorer is setup, maybe vent/blender door is not working, might be a vacum hose off that controls the doors or something of that nature?
When using the "Max AC" setting I get really cold air out the vents so I think the Freon level/mixture should be OK.
Something wrong with the vent/blender door sounds pretty likely. I'm not sure if the 97 models used vacuum to control this type of "blender" door or if it's a mechnical/electrical type of device.
Anyone out there know if the "blender door" is a vacuum device or not?
No, I do not have the EATC option.
I've got the standard hot/cold rotary **** to regulate the fresh air mixture with the hot air. It's like the "fresh air" vent isn't being opened. When I use the "AC" mode, it seems to be using the "hot air" from the heater to convert to cold air when it should be using the outside air. When I use the "max ac" setting it uses the air from inside the vehicle to convert to cold air and it works fine.
I hate to say it but it does indeed sound like your heater blend door is not working. It was somewhat common on mid to late '90s Explorers. If I remember correctly from the TSB, Ford inadvertantly got some of the doors switched. IE some of the EATC doors wound up in the manual systems and vice versa. Eventually it will lead to the door cracking which will cause it to stop functioning altogether. Sometimes it gets stuck in all heat or all cool. It depends on what mode you were in when it broke. The reason yours works in Max A/C is because there is a seperate vacume line that closes a solenoid to the engine coolant that supplies the heat for the heater. Unfortunately it is about a $900-$1000 repair. Most of the dash has to come out to get to the door.
Check your AC accumulator (receiver/drier). I'll bet if you look under the foam wrap you'll find it has rusted through. The accumulator sweats under normal use, but the foam insulation wrap traps the moisture and causes it to rust out and leak coolant/oil. Know this all too well...I just replaced mine on a 1997 V8 Explorer.
Apparently this is a common problem. I'm thinking about taking this up with Ford.
If his accumulator leaked out his freon he wouldn't get cold air in MAX A/C either. But, yes rusting accumulators are starting to pop up all over the place now on '95-'98 Explorers.