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Fan blowing, but air not coming out of the vents

Tiny
MELISSA LOEWER SWAIN
  • MEMBER
  • 2012 FORD FLEX
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 93,000 MILES
On a road trip with my kids, we had been in the car for a few hours when I noticed I was hot. I leave the air conditioner on a set temperature with the climate control, so I rarely even mess with it. I noticed barely any air was coming out of the dash vents, driver and passenger side. (I do have dual temperature zones, but I never turn the passenger side on since no one sits over there.)

Air was seeping out of the vents, but no matter what I did, no more air would come out. I could hear the air still blowing in the dash, and turning the fan up/down, I could hear the air speed change inside the dash. I tried changing the vents to floor, defrost, to heat, which had no effect. No air would come out anywhere else. I can still hear the air blowing, and what was seeping out of the events was still cold - ice cold.

We stopped for lunch, same issue upon startup. Stopped for gas vents were open and blowing again, but that only lasted a little while. Air flow was restricted again, though what little was coming out was still cold. Got to our destination, stopped and restarted the car a few times with the same results. Finally started up and vents seemed to be open again.

Assumed it was a blend door issue. Replaced the blend door actuator on the driver's side under the dash, near the accelerator. Played with it, starting multiple times, switching vents to floor, dash, defrost, turning heat on, etc. No problems.

Had no trouble with it over the weekend, short trips. Could run heat, A/C (still cold), switch to defrost, etc, with no issues. Started the trip home, hoping all was fixed. After about two hours on the road, the vents basically shut down again. Could still hear air blowing up in the dash, but very little air coming from the vents, though still cold. Again, adjusting temperature, fan, etc, had no effect on how much air was coming from any vent in the front. After third or fourth start, vents began blowing again, but only for a short time for the rest of the drive (ten hour drive).

(Rear A/C works just fine, I know it is a separate system.)

Please help!
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Tuesday, May 22nd, 2018 AT 7:18 PM

6 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,885 POSTS
Hi and thanks for using 2CarPros, com. Based on your description, it sounds like the mode door actuator is going bad or is bad. The first picture I have attached is of its location. Here are the directions for removing and replacing it from Alldata. Before removing it, I would recommend checking to see if it is functioning. This component is my first suspect since you mentioned when trying to change flow locations, nothing happened.

The remaining pictures correlate with these directions.

Mode Door Actuator - Defrost/Panel/Floor Door
Removal and Installation

Remove the steering column. For additional information, refer to Section 211-04 See: Steering and SuspensionSteeringSteering Column.
Remove the instrument cluster. For additional information, refer to Section 413-01 See: Instrument Panel, Gauges and Warning Indicators.
Remove the speed control deactivator switch. For additional information, refer to Fire Suppression System (SEE Fire Suppression System).
NOTE: The upper rear mode door actuator screw can be accessed through the instrument cluster opening using a swivel-type socket and extension.
Remove the 3 defrost/panel/floor mode door actuator screws.

Disconnect the defrost/panel/floor mode door actuator electrical connector.
Remove the defrost/panel/floor mode door actuator.
To install, reverse the removal procedure.

Additionally, there is an air inlet door actuator. The last 3 pictures are related to it. However, this component will not stop the air flow direction from working or stop air flow. It is for fresh and recirculated air. Here are directions for removing and replacing it.

Mode Door Actuator - Air Inlet Door
Removal and Installation
Release the 2 glove compartment bumpers and lower the glove compartment.
Disconnect the air inlet mode door actuator electrical connector.
Remove the 2 air inlet mode door actuator screws.
Remove the air inlet mode door actuator.
To install, reverse the removal procedure.

The blend air door actuator you replaced controls the air temperature entering the cabin. Thus, it did not fix this issue.

I hope this helps. Let me know what you find or if you have other questions.

Take care,
Joe
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Tuesday, May 22nd, 2018 AT 8:28 PM
Tiny
BMDOUBLE
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,139 POSTS
Another possibility, and something that I have encountered at my dealership is an evaporator freezing over due to a faulty evaporator temperature sensor. My Expedition actually did the same exact thing last summer. AG1Z-19C734-C Was the part number on the flex that I had but the part number probably has changed. The basic 19c734 should be enough to get your parts person in the ballpark for what you need. Good luck
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Tuesday, May 22nd, 2018 AT 9:26 PM
Tiny
MELISSA LOEWER SWAIN
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
So, BMDOUBLE, is there a test that would show that faulty evaporator temperature sensor? When I mentioned your suggestion to my mechanic today, he said he felt that was a strong possibility. He was not able to find anything in his diagnostics, though.

JACOBANDNICKOLAS, removing the steering column is a bit much for me, though my Dad was willing to guide me through it on FaceTime. I am not quite that repair-savvy though, so I took it to my mechanic today. Of course, the problem is not replicating during short trips, as I mentioned before. So he did not get to experience the problem first-hand. He said he ran diagnostics and the actuator checked out okay, as did all other diagnostics. He said there were no error codes in the computer for anything like that, either.

So I will be picking up the car tomorrow with no answers. It is great that the air works for in-town trips, but it is frustrating to know there is an issue that we do not know how to resolve. And that we will eventually be taking another road trip and know that if we do not figure this out beforehand, we will likely experience the same thing. I am not giving up, but with my daughter having oral surgery today, I do not have any time to focus on it for a few days. Full-time momming has to go on over here. ;)
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Thursday, May 24th, 2018 AT 6:53 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,885 POSTS
Honestly, the mention of the temperature sensor is a good one. Usually, when going bad, you will experience no cooling, erratic cooling, or even the compressor won't actuate. That is why I questioned the mode actuator. You mentioned there is no air flow through any of the vents as well as nothing changes when you change the flow direction. BMDOUBLE, help here. Is there something that I am not familiar with that will stop air flow in all modes?

Hope to hear from him. And Melissa, take care of your daughter. That is one of the most important jobs in the world!

Take care and I will keep my eye on your post.

Joe
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Thursday, May 24th, 2018 AT 7:26 PM
Tiny
MELISSA LOEWER SWAIN
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
I finally got this problem to repeat and took it in to my mechanic so he could see what was up. The only thing he could figure was the blend door actuator up in the dash. He could not get it in to repair that day, so we drove it a few more days with no problems until he could work on it.

During that time, I noticed that the air coming from the driver's side is not quite as cold as the air coming from the passenger side. Does not matter if the air is set on auto, manual, or if the passenger temperature control is turned off. I thought I might be imagining it because I was paranoid about the system, and I forgot to mention it when I dropped it off. He said the actuator by the accelerator that I had already replaced was clicking, and I gave him the go ahead to replace it again. (I will be returning that part, by the way.) I picked it up with the full understanding that the problem indeed might not be fixed, but we started in the most logical place.

As it was blazing hot the past day or so, I have noticed that the air on the passenger side is definitely cooler, for quite some time, actually. It is almost like the driver's side is blowing warm air until the interior of the car finally cools down some. So does this indicate the evaporator temperature sensor? Or is there another temperature sensor that controls the separate air temperatures? Could this be an issue with the computer? I am grasping at straws, I know. I am kind of like a dog with a bone. I have to figure this out!
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Thursday, June 7th, 2018 AT 7:37 PM
Tiny
BMDOUBLE
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,139 POSTS
Hey guys, I am back! If I remember correctly there is a PIDin the A/C module for the evaporator temperature sensor. Could be wrong because the PID is dependent on manual or auto A/C, and sometimes they hide it in the PCM data-logger section. Either way if the sensor is original, replace it. Symptoms are exact for it. As far as testing or setting a DTC, this sensor is a little liar, lol. In-spec failure is the reason it will not cause normal failure symptoms like lack of cooling etc. Bottom line; sensor is lying to the module and saying all is good so the evaporator turns into an iceberg and no air flows through it. But you could also have mode door or temperature door actuator issues as well.
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Friday, June 8th, 2018 AT 11:16 AM

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