All air going to the windshield...

[weilertool]

I hope someone can help me out....I have a 2003 Windstar, and all the air goes to the windshield. Meaning, the defrosters work, but when I turn on the A/C or the heat, it only goes to the windshield, I can not turn the air to my feet or anywhere else...no matter what I do the the controllers. Is there a fix for this, or am I just plain missing something?? I hope someone can point me in the right direction...and I truly appreciate everyones help!!

[wiswind]

Where the air goes, as selected by the electrical switch on the dashboard, is driven by vaccum from the motor.
The switch will select which vaccum solenoid(s) will be engaged to direct the air location (not temperature).
The default location, with NO vaccum, will be to the defrost (windshield) position.


The most likely cause of the problem is a disconnected or damaged vaccum line to these solenoids.
The disconnected or damaged vaccum line could be at any point in the path.
The first place would be anyplace work may have been done recently.....
The vaccum source is the intake manifold on the motor......a vaccum line runs from the rear of the upper intake manifold to a resivoir that is mounted on the passenger side fender well.....and a vaccum line runs through the firewall into the passenger compartment.

The solenoids are in the passenger compartment, up behind the dashboard.
This you can see one of those solenoids up behind the glove box in this picture......

[weilertool]

Thats a HUGE help!!! Thank you very much!! I will look at that tonight, and see what I find...again, thank you VERY much, I truly appreicate it. Work was recently done, had a tune up, and had to remove the intake to get to the back spark plugs...so thats where I will start my search!!

[weilertool]

This sucks!!! I found a hose off, but I'd be darned if I can find where it goes!! It's split...a red hose goes to the intake manifold, a black hose goes into the firewall, and I still has one push on piece, that I hace no idea where it goes...any one have a vacuum diagram that would show me? Thanks again for all your help!!

[wiswind]

I only have access to information for the 1996 Windstar......which might be of help up through 1998.
1999 was a major change year......including a completely different upper intake manifold.
While the older will be very similar.....the exact location of the connection and color of the line could have changed over the years.
Hopefully someone with a 1999 or newer Windstar can help with more specific information.
I will bet that I am safe in stating that, in spite of the upper intake manifold on the 1999 and newer being smaller than the 1996 through 1998, it is still hard to see (and feel around) the connections on the back side of the upper intake manifold.

One other suggestion would be if you have a mirror that you can stick back there and help you to see the back side of the upper intake manifold.
I know first hand how easy it is to bump and knock something loose.

[highflyer100]

I just dealt with this issue as well on a 2000 Windstar. I recently changed the spark plugs and noticed that I had defrost only. Found the red vaccum line disconnected from the intake manifold. Must have pulled it out during the wrestling match with the #1 plug. The connection point for the red vaccum line on the intake is immediately below the larger black line at the left rear corner of the intake plenum. After reseating this line all is well. Thanks to all for guidance!

[olopezm]

Check this out, I'm pretty sure it will fix your problem!

Solution to A/C switching vents on its own under engine load.


Oscar.