I've got a 2004 Lariat (new body style) with the auto temperature controls on the dash. For the last several months I've had a problem with the air blowing out all of the vents, even though I for example ONLY have the floor vents selected. I've done some testing and found out the following...

- With DEFROST selected, the air comes out all vents (defrost, dash vents and floor vents).

- With VENT (or dash, whatever you want to call it - just the vents there on the dash where A/C would normally blow), Air comes out all of the vents.

- With FLOOR vents only selected, the air comes out the dash vents and the floor vents, but not the defrost vents.

I'm still on the fence as far as whether I think the problem is one of the doors inside the blower box is stuck or something...but here's a new twist today.

While driving in to work today, I initiailly had the system totally off. Then I pressed the Auto button and I was going to set a temp. BUT...nothing happened! I mean nothing. Pressing buttons like I normally would do to cause the Auto Temp Control to come on did nothing this time. I even pressed the rear window defroster which is on the same control panel - nothing. Pressing the temp up and down - nothing. Press Auto or any of the other controls on that panel = nothing. It's as if it were dead/disconnected (although the dash lights for those controls was on since I did have my headlights on).

So when I got to work, I thought I would turn off the truck and then turn it back on to see what happened (banging on the dash didn't help ). When I turn the key back on, it seemed as if the lights on the temp control panel flickered just a little, but that may have been my imagination. But it DID come back to life. The blower works now, the heat works now (air gets hot) BUT now my A/C compressor doesn't seem to be activating. I'll check it again later when I get ready to go home, but as of right now I think my problems are: no A/C (compressor won't kick on even though the A/C indicator is on) and the air still doesn't blow out the vents I want it to....it still blows out all the vents except for when it's on floor only, but even then it still blows out the dash vents.

Is it possible that the auto temp control panel is bad and that is what's causing my vents to not work right and now the new problem of the A/C compressor not coming on? Anyone have a similar problem with your Lariat/Auto Temp Control panel???

Thanks. I guess I may have to finally take it to the deal for this. That sucks. I swear I've never had a car that had properly working vents or A/C. I must be cursed or something.

 

I'm no technician, but from all those problems...it definately sounds like the control panel to me.

 

Since it's out of warranty, this could get a little pricey. If the control panel IS bad, the dealer says it's about $300. Not to mention if the air blowing out the wrong vents is a totally separate problem, that's a big labor cost because of the work involved to get to the blower box.

 

If you are wanting to find a control panel check ebay. I have seen them on there for like $40-50 before.

 

In that case, definately get it tested first.....might cost, but worth it I'd say.

 

Well, the controls seem to work fine now and the A/C does kick in...but I'm still stuck with the old problem of the air not coming out the right vents. Not sure why the panel seemed dead for that one instance...but it works now.