Dashboard fan gone

1st post.... great site!

I have a 2002 Taurus that I have been fighting with for the better part of a year and almost $4500 later.. still not perfect... grrrr... Go to a mechanic they guess.. go to the dealer they cost good money! :banghead:

Well -- it seems that after a year or so of a noise from the a/c fan in the dashboard, it has gone the way of the dodo bird. I only get feet or windshield (or both) but nothing through the dashboard vents. As I have yet to do really do any work on this car (but all previous cars I did) I figured I need to try and combat this myself.

Is the fan easily accessed through the glove compartment or some other point? Would anyone know what part number the fan is?

Thank you,
Tom

On my '02, is the same fan motor that powers the air thru all the vents. Have you considered that you may have a diverter door problem?
Remove the glovebox and will find the motor behind.

On my '02, is the same fan motor that powers the air thru all the vents. Have you considered that you may have a diverter door problem?
Remove the glovebox and will find the motor behind.

ahh.. no I did not... I figured they were different blowers. The dashboard and rear vents are 'dead' while the rest are seemingly ok.

Welcome to the forum!

As Willyum suggested, the blower motor will not be your problem. It sounds like you have either a vacuum issue (if manual HVAC controls) or a servo issue (if you have the electronic HVAC controls).

You may want to review the appropriate control diagram for your system to determine the likely source of the issue. We can help you out there too if you let us know which system you have.

-Rod

Welcome to the forum!

As Willyum suggested, the blower motor will not be your problem. It sounds like you have either a vacuum issue (if manual HVAC controls) or a servo issue (if you have the electronic HVAC controls).

You may want to review the appropriate control diagram for your system to determine the likely source of the issue. We can help you out there too if you let us know which system you have.

-Rod

If the dashboard is any indication of controls, it's all electronic. Push button controls as opposed to old 'lever' style.

So you have the electronic temperature set point for the desired cabin temperature? That being the case, there is a diagnostic procedure for the HVAC system that may hint to you what the issue is with your car.

The diagnostic procedure has been posted before, try using the "Search this Forum" feature from the Taurus forum main page. You may want to search for the keyword "EATC."

-Rod

So you have the electronic temperature set point for the desired cabin temperature? That being the case, there is a diagnostic procedure for the HVAC system that may hint to you what the issue is with your car.

The diagnostic procedure has been posted before, try using the "Search this Forum" feature from the Taurus forum main page. You may want to search for the keyword "EATC."

-Rod

Thanks! I did the search found the steps and performed the test. I received 053 and 051 as codes. My search on hasn't come up with those code meanings... Do you have any help on that??
Thanks again!

Thanks! I did the search found the steps and performed the test. I received 053 and 051 as codes. My search on hasn't come up with those code meanings... Do you have any help on that??
Thanks again!

Codes 051 and 053 point to the same thing. Code 051 is the self-test fault and code 053 is the run-time fault. They both indicate "solar radiaton sensor open" which is the little round CDS cell on the top of the dashboard near the base of the windshield. Also referred to as the sunload sensor.

-Rod

Codes 051 and 053 point to the same thing. Code 051 is the self-test fault and code 053 is the run-time fault. They both indicate "solar radiaton sensor open" which is the little round CDS cell on the top of the dashboard near the base of the windshield. Also referred to as the sunload sensor.

-Rod

Which would explain my lights being on all the time -- but not the dashboard vents, right?

Which would explain my lights being on all the time -- but not the dashboard vents, right?

Are you referring to your headlights? Those would either be on all the time because they are Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) or because of the light sensor for the headlights. The automatic headlights use (or at least use to use) a separate, but similar, light sensor.

-Rod

Are you referring to your headlights? Those would either be on all the time because they are Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) or because of the light sensor for the headlights. The automatic headlights use (or at least use to use) a separate, but similar, light sensor.

-Rod
yes, my headlights are on all the time (in the Automatic mode) which is a recent development. I am somehow more confused now than I was before! So the codes DO refer to the cooling system? How would I locate the sensors for both the cooling and headlights to check their physical states?

and BTW -- Thank you again....

Well, I'm going to get into semantics a bit here. "Cooling system" in this industry is the system involving the engine coolant (aka antifreeze). Heat/Ventilation/Air Conditioning (HVAC) is just how it sounds. The codes 051 and 053 are related tot he HVAC system rather than the cooling system. The tie between the HVAC and cooling systems is that the coolant flows through the heater core for the "heat" portion of the HVAC, but that is not relevant to the codes you are reporting.

Ding, ding, ding! I think we have a winner! I just checked the service manual, the Autolamps (headlamps) use the same photocell as the Electronic Automatic Temperature Control (EATC). The sensor is located in the dash panel above the glovebox.

To remove the sensor and test for the open condition:
Photocell and Amplifier

Removal
NOTE: Lift upwards on the rear edge of the defroster grille then slide rearward to remove.
Remove the defroster grille.
Disconnect the sunload/headlamp sensor electrical connector.
CAUTION: To avoid damaging the light sensor amplifier electrical connector, carefully tilt the panel to expose the connector without stretching the wiring.
Remove the light sensor amplifier (13A018).
Disconnect the light sensor amplifier electrical connector.
Remove the screws.
Remove the sensor.3. To install, reverse the removal procedure.

Well, I'm going to get into semantics a bit here. "Cooling system" in this industry is the system involving the engine coolant (aka antifreeze). Heat/Ventilation/Air Conditioning (HVAC) is just how it sounds. The codes 051 and 053 are related tot he HVAC system rather than the cooling system. The tie between the HVAC and cooling systems is that the coolant flows through the heater core for the "heat" portion of the HVAC, but that is not relevant to the codes you are reporting.

Ding, ding, ding! I think we have a winner! I just checked the service manual, the Autolamps (headlamps) use the same photocell as the Electronic Automatic Temperature Control (EATC). The sensor is located in the dash panel above the glovebox.

To remove the sensor and test for the open condition:
Photocell and Amplifier

Removal
NOTE: Lift upwards on the rear edge of the defroster grille then slide rearward to remove.
Remove the defroster grille.
Disconnect the sunload/headlamp sensor electrical connector.
CAUTION: To avoid damaging the light sensor amplifier electrical connector, carefully tilt the panel to expose the connector without stretching the wiring.
Remove the light sensor amplifier (13A018).
Disconnect the light sensor amplifier electrical connector.
Remove the screws.
Remove the sensor.3. To install, reverse the removal procedure.

Hey Rod,

Well -- strangely enough now all the blowers don't work (and the headlights still stay on in the Auto mode) ... I have made an appointment with a mechanic here and was armed with the info you gave me. He ordered the sensor and will install it.. hopefully it will erradicate the situation. If it doesn't... and the fuses also don't correct it.. do you have any further suggestions? The code are still the same.. 051 and 053 so at least that is still consistant.

I wish I could get around in a horse and buggy.... :rofl:

Does the blower motor by chance work in the high speed mode, just not the slower speeds? If so, coincidently the blower motor speed control (PWM motor controller) may have failed now too. When the blower motor controller fails, usually the high speed relay still works.

-Rod

Does the blower motor by chance work in the high speed mode, just not the slower speeds? If so, coincidently the blower motor speed control (PWM motor controller) may have failed now too. When the blower motor controller fails, usually the high speed relay still works.

-Rod

No speed in the blower works now. It is at the mechanic now (I have no time or space to work on my cars anymore!) replacing the sensor.

I hear the flaps opening if I turn on the a/c... just no fan at all... and the headlights still on. runaround:screwy::shakehead

No speed in the blower works now. It is at the mechanic now (I have no time or space to work on my cars anymore!) replacing the sensor.

I hear the flaps opening if I turn on the a/c... just no fan at all... and the headlights still on. runaround:screwy::shakehead

As an update -- I took it in and had them install the sensor... The foot and window blowers have returned.... but the main blowers are still out and the headlights are still on in the auto mode.... :screwy:

As an update -- I took it in and had them install the sensor... The foot and window blowers have returned.... but the main blowers are still out and the headlights are still on in the auto mode.... :screwy:
ok -- Here's the last update to this.....

after installing the sensor that only corrected SOME of the issues... they investigated further and found a problem with the vacuum system. They corrected that and now the lights work correctly and I have full a/c.

Hopefully I can get through the next couple of years without anything else major.... :lol:

Rod -- thanks for all your help. i was very happy to be able to have an intelligent conversation with my mechanic about it, as opposed to him not thinking I have a clue!

And thank you for the update on what fixed your car's issues. I'm very intrigued by how fixing the vacuum system fixed the headlights. The vacuum system is completely unrelated to the the headlights. I wonder if there was a loose electrical connection under the dash that got knocked while they were fixing the vacuum leak.

-Rod

And thank you for the update on what fixed your car's issues. I'm very intrigued by how fixing the vacuum system fixed the headlights. The vacuum system is completely unrelated to the the headlights. I wonder if there was a loose electrical connection under the dash that got knocked while they were fixing the vacuum leak.

-Rod

I don't know... I didn't mean it to seem like I thought the vacuum problem caused and subsequently fixed the lights. So far though... everything works fine -- just in time... On my way to the Poconos for a week!

everything works fine

I guess that's the important part, enjoy it while it lasts (which will hopefully be for a long time)!

-Rod