Heat!?

[eric58]

I have a 2006 Grand Marque, the other day I turned on the heat for the first time in about 9 months, heat worked fine, car warmed up, etc, turned the heat off and kept driving. It started getting warn out so we turned on the A/C...heat came out, didn't matter were I set the temp control, tried it on vent, defrost, and all other possibles and still only heat...the next day I started up the car and went for a ride and turned on the A/C, at first I got cold air, but once the car heated up a little I got heat again.....any ideas? any help is greatly apprciated.

[prmars]

It's probably a problem with the blend door actuator, but could be a failure within the EATC panel itself (several people have already posted valuable information on this in this forum). Perform a self diagnostic of the EATC and see if it gives you an error code:

With the on and engine running: Press OFF and FLOOR simultaneously, then press AUTOMATIC within 2 seconds. The EATC will begin the self-test. It may take up to 30 seconds. Soon it may display some codes. Write these down. To exit self test press DEF

EATC System self test error code list

024 Fault in blend door calibration during self test

025 Intermittent fault in blend door calibration

030 Self test indicates automatic temperature control sensor shorted

031 Self test indicates automatic temperature control sensor open

040 Self test indicates ambient sensor short

041 Self test indicates ambient sensor open

042 Ambient sensor intermittent short

043 Ambient sensor intermittent open

050 Self test indicates sunload sensor short

052 Sunload sensor intermittent short

115 Intermittent engine coolant temperature signal

125 Intermittent vehicle speed signal...

[eric58]

Thanks, I appreciate you taking the time to respond, but my heat/AC panel is knobs not buttons so I can't run the diagnostic as you said...I have an appointment tomorrow with the dealer and just like to have a little knowledge when I walk in so I don't "raked over the coals", thanks again.

[way2old]

There is a good possibility the blend door actuator is failing. Ford has a high failure rate on them.

[eric58]

You were both right, it's the blend door....and the dealer tell's me he has to pull the whole dashboard off....$800+ WTF!? every ford I've ever owned has been a problem.

[prmars]

It's time consuming, but not cripplingly difficult to remove the dash yourself. You may also be able to get to what you need just by removing the glove compartment and door. It'd be close quarters work, but possibly doable. The actuator for Non-Automatic HVAC can be had for as little as $34 online. Looks like 4 screws to secure it, plus the wiring harness connection.

[eric58]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, but have you ever heard the saying "To know thy self?", I know that if I try to pull that dash off myself one of three things will happen, 1) I'll end up at the shot regardless and in a worse position. 2) It will look all F*(ked up when I'm done, and 3) The wife will either leave me or just nag me to death....lol

[way2old]

You can access the blend door actuator by loosening the dash and pulling it back to the front seat and get to it that way. You do not have to disconnect anything but the bolts and screws holding the dash in place.

[eric58]

I wish my machanic knew that, They had the car for 3 and 1/2 hours on Wednesday. They fixed the blend door and charged me over $800 ($635 of it in labor) but the car had a grease sheen on the dash and windshield, the top drivers side of the dash, the passanger side panel by the window and the cup holder are all loose and rattle when driving on the hi-way and the cruise control no longer works....I discovered this the next day... ...I had none of these issues before they "fixed" it. I called them on friday and got the machine, so monday I will pay them a visit and ask WTF?!

[kevin23]

What do you do with the code 025 Intermittent fault in blend door calibration ?

Thanks