Heater/Defroster Fix

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bikehauler

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This morning driving to work at 5 above was interesting with a little 6" 'hole' to look out of! Dangerous!! As I read through past postings it looks like I will have to rig up the Temperature Sub-Damper Door. I don't have any air flow out of the floor or defroster vents. If I do this, and I will have to, is there anything that won't work afterwords? Will the A/C still be cold this summer? What does this door do? Are there any pictures of this before I open things up? I like to be prepared! Thanks, Scott
 
Well, I went ahead and tried this just now. Moderate success. I have floor heat now, but still no defrost. What did I do wrong? I saw two white levers that appear to slide together and I separated them and tied the one closer to the front up, but still no defrost. Help..........:confused:
 
we have some Montana experts who usually reply but typically the doors are activated by small electric motors and these are the components that fail. I take it you do not have a Hanes or similar manual?
 
A friend of mine gave me 3 volumes of 1998 Venture/Transport Shop Manuals, but I doubt that they'll do me much good. That is all I have right now. I am starting to think that there might be other issues than the Sub-Damper door.
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well if none of the doors are working it could be the dash control
 
Bikehauler stick ur head under the dash and have someone move the selector switch from heat to dearest to dash vent and u can easily see how the doors operate and which way they move for which setting. Perhaps the plastic gears are stripped about of adjustment. You can always disconnect them and leave it in the defrost position. Also my cabin air filter was so dirty that it was restricting air flow so keep that in mind.
 
I did think to check the air filter. There were a couple leaves, but other than that the filter is just.....grey, needs changed. Nothing that I would call restrictive. If I'm getting air flow from the other vents then I would think that the filter is not the issue?
Is the defroster door motor (I know there is a more proper term for it) on the driver's side of the console? I need a Shop Manual.
 
blend door actuator is the term you want in case you need to replace it, Steelcity is one of our Montana experts
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Ur right about the air flow if it is strong every where else then it should be strong on the defrost . Off the top of my head i can't remember what servo motor does what so i would have to look and research for you. Let me know.
 
I appreciate the offer, steelcity. I will look at it again before I have you go to the trouble. It would sure help, though. Thanks, Scott
 
Steelcity, this is where I'm at now. I checked last night and this morning. There is airflow from the dash vents, floor vents and bi-level. When I turn the selector I can hear the difference in where the air is being directed. It will not come out of the defroster vent.....not a whisp. It will still blow from the floor at that point. I completed the shortcut for the Sub-Damper Door (the arms are still there so I can put it back). I have owned this vehicle since the end of October and off and on I have noticed small bits of foam working their way up from the defroster vent.
I think that the only thing it could be is an actuator that has recently gone bad? When you get time maybe you could look at yours and see where it's at and if I could get to it easy enough on my own. Thanks, Scott
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Sure, i will look at mine this evening after work. I sort of remember something going on in where the cabinar filter goes, is there a damper door or deverter in there?
 
I took my filter out this morning just in case it was dirty enough that it was decreasing the air flow. It wasn't an issue. I should look up in there and see what is or isn't going on.......Thanks!
 
ok bikehauler I have both sides of underneath the dash trim removed, and there is alot of levers moving and would be to hard to explain so shoot me a email with your phone number and we can talk about whats going on under there.
 
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I called one of our local shops to get a 'ball-park' estimate on what it would cost to replace the actuator motor for the defroster (if that is my issue). He said the whole dash has to come out and it would be $800-$900!! Tomorrow they are predicting snow and sleet. Looks like I'll have to buy one of those auxiliary defrosters till I can get under there and look at it.
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really not my kind of vehicle, just good with google
 
It works!! I don't know how or why, but It Works!! I tinkered with the linkage under the driver's side and, after I recharged the battery, (looks like I'll need a new one) I started it up and the defroster works like a charm!! Maybe stuck linkage?
Thanks everyone for all your help. Now, on to my next exciting adventure......
 
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