Help Need more insight!!!

[davidmcc]

I checked this page out ( usually on grand am page) hoping to find an answer to a problem that popped up today, and lo and behold, this same problem happened to a someone less than two weeks ago! I came out of work and put my key in the ignition, and it wouldn't even budge!! came looking on here and there is that same problem. I have a question, though...if I have to remove my key cylinder, how can I without being able too turn my key? And I also am having trouble with my blend door motor.....the blue gear in the little white box is stripped. What I done was tore the dash out (radio, heater controlls..etc), and removed the motor, then started the van, took a 1/4 inch drive extension (fits in the hole perfect) and with the motor running, put it on heat, moved the motor to heat then put it back in. now I have heat all the time, just cant touch the temp controll, or it goes straight back to cold!!!

[12Ounce]

Are you working on a Grand AM or a Windstar? In either case, you need to replace the actuator unit. I think the price for the Windstar unit is about $40.

To make the new actuator last longer ... try to never put the temp controller in either "full hot" or "full cold" position. I put some RTV in the switch slot to help remind me.

[davidmcc]

On a windstar. I drive a Grand Am, but it is in the bodyshop, and I am driving my wifes Windstar. or was...... I tried everything I could think of today, and some things that a locksmith said to try, nothing worked. I ended up driving about 80 miles to the closest Ford dealership to buy a ignition cylinder..$69.00. Now the locksmith is coming tomorrow to the place I work to take my old one out and install this one. The bad part is, he lives about 30 miles away, and charges $25.00 an hour. I will post again after it is all done to let ya know what happened. By the way, is the accuater that little white box, or the part that is behind the panel?

[12Ounce]

The white box. About the size of a box of designer cigarettes.

[davidmcc]

Thats good...that is the part I need, one of the gears inside it is stripped out. I got the ignition switch fixed today....ended up only costing $103.00. He had to tear my whole steering column out and workd with it for about 4 hours. He ended up getting my old switch out and tearing it down and cleaning it and gettint it to working right. He said that there was a lot of debris in it and it had clogged up. I had bought the other switch already, so I am going to try to get my money back. If not, on eBay it goes, LOL.