I am hearing a clicking noise inside the plastic cover below the left rear seat window of my '02 Explorer Limited. It happens when I turn on the 3rd row seating A/C blower on the upper front ceiling console. The clicking is constant and is not affected by blower speed. I don't have a manual yet so I don't know what's in there. Any ideas?

 

i have an 02 mountaineer and i have the same problem, no idea what the noise is, hope you get some replies

 

on the drivers side of the vehicle right beside the third row seat there is a panel you can remove, i took it off and i think its something inside that blower fan but like you said the speed of the fan doesnt affect the speed of the clicking.

 

I forgot that I have a Ford Factory Service DVD that covers every model for 2002. I got it for my Sport Trac. The Explorer was recently purchased by my son. Here's what I found in the manual this morning:

"An optional auxiliary climate control assembly (18C424) is available. The system is a one-piece unit that is located on the LH side of the vehicle between the side windows and the floorpan, behind the rear wheel well. The driver has primary control of the auxiliary climate control system or can transfer control to a rear passenger control panel. All of the auxiliary climate control system components are serviceable from the inside of the vehicle except the lines"

And that clicking we hear is apparently due to low refrigerent detected by a Thermostatic Expansion Valve

"A thermostatic expansion valve automatically regulates the flow of refrigerant into the auxiliary evaporator core. It is also the dividing point in the system between low- and high-pressure sides.

The temperature sensing bulb measures the temperature of the refrigerant in the suction line and transmits it to the thermostatic expansion valve. This temperature variation regulates the refrigerant flow to the auxiliary evaporator core.

When the bulb senses a high temperature, the thermostatic expansion valve opens and floods refrigerant through the auxiliary evaporator core.
When the bulb senses a low temperature, the thermostatic expansion valve starts closing to shut off the refrigerant to the auxiliary evaporator core."

This is starting to sound really expensive. Good luck to all.

 

It's more likely one of the two actuators mounted to the back side of the rear ac assembly is broken. They are a grayish plastic cassette with a small motor and plastic gears inside. They are used to position the blend door and mode door. The gears are stripped in one of them and it's trying endlessly to move it's door. If you remove the trim panel and unbolt the assembly it will pivot enough to see which actuator is broken and replace it. I believe they are about $50 or so. Good luck.

 

i'll give her a look when i get home, hopefully i can get it fixed so the ole lady will quit naggin

 

I saw a thread on another forum where a guy was able to work through the cupholder and unplug the broken actuator. He was just wanting the nagging to stop too, and didn't care whether the aux cc worked properly or not.
If you want to fix it you're going to have to remove the whole rear quarter trim panel for access, not just the small hatch cover. Good luck, let us know how it goes.

 

well if it doesnt work right there will be more nagging. sounds like a job for a real mechanic.