Air/Heat Airflow Direction Control Problem

TSTACK

MEMBER
FORD WINDSTAR

Ford Windstar, 2002, 70K miles, 3.8L.
Now that we are back in the heating season, I found today that no matter what setting I place the control on, all the air comes out of the top face level vents only. If I select foot level, no change. Defrost, no change. I'm guessing that a vacuum controlled airflow direction panel is stuck. I need to know what components to look at or if I will need to do some disassembly to get at it. Oh yeah, I tried the non-tech approach of whacking and banging in some places hoping to jar it loose, but no luck.

3 Replies

BMRFIXIT

MECHANIC
19,053 POSTS

How about under the hood
did u check for a vaccum leak or a disconnected hose
around the brake booster and /or firewall area

good luck
let us know

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Wednesday, October 24th, 2007 AT 12:23 PM

TSTACK

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Ford Windstar, 2002, 70K, 3.8L.
Update from last post reply. I checked firewall area for vacuum hose/leak issues - nothing obvious - all looks normal.
I played around with heat control again - turned control to floor position setting --- after whacking around on the top of the dash a while, I had heat coming for a few minutes mostly from the floor vent with some still at the panel vents. Then tried other positions (like defrost) - wound up with airflow back at the panel vents only. It's schizophrenic.

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Friday, October 26th, 2007 AT 5:23 PM

BMRFIXIT

MECHANIC
19,053 POSTS

Know you have heat?
But you can t control the vents
If u look down to the side by the gas paddle under the dash
U see black box on the side of it links are any of it disconnected
Try to change the position of the control while watching the area for any movement

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Friday, October 26th, 2007 AT 8:07 PM