1997 FORD EXPLORER Visibilitydefrosterdefoggerhvac System Problems

BLEND DOOR ON MY 1997 FORD EXPLORER IS NOT WORKING. ITS A PROBLEM WHEN DEFROSTING, AND DRIVING IN BAD WEATHER DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE WINDSHIELD IS NOT DEFROSTING. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED DUE TO THE HEATER BEING INOPERABLE, THE DEFROSTER DID NOT OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE BLEND DOOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED IN AN ATTEMPT TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD, NO HEAT WAS PRODUCED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE BLEND DOOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

BOUGHT EXPLORER IN THE SUMMER OF 2006, WENT TO TURN ON THE HEAT ONLY BLOWS COLD AIR UNABLE TO DEFROST WINDOWS. THIS IS A 1997 EXPLORER THAT AFTER TALKING TO THREE DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS TOLD ME THAT THEY ALL DO BREAK AND THAT FORD HAS MADE A STRONGER BLEND DOOR TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE ONE AND THEY WOULD BE HAPPY TO REPLACE FOR A COST OF 1200.00. AFTER SPEAKING TO FIVE OR SIX DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS AND FINDING THE ARTICLE BY LARRY HAMMER OF MIGHTY AUTO PARTS I BELIEVE THAT FORD HAS A RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS ADMITTED FACTORY DESIGN FLAW. *NM

THE BLEND DOOR ON MY 1997 FORD EXPLORER FAILED. THIS FAILURE DID NOT ALLOW PROPER DE-FOGGING OF THE WINDSHIELD. *NM

TEMPERATURE OUT OF CONTROL, DEFOGGING/DEFROSTING CHALLENGED ON A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. WAS TOLD IT WILL IT IS DUE TO DEFECT IN THE AIR BLEND DOOR. I CAN'T DEFROST THE WINDOWS WHICH COULD BE AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. *NM

DT: CONTACT STATED WHILE USING THE DEFROSTER SYSTEM THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED FROM THE OUTSIDE TO THE INSIDE. VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, BUT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE TAKEN IN THIS WEEK. *AK

I OWN A 1997 FORD EXPLORER THAT SINCE ITS BEEN PURCHASED THE AIR CONDITIONING AND THE HEAT WERE ALWAYS GIVING ME PROBLEMS, I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THAT ITS A PROBLEM WITH ALMOST EVERY FORD EXPLORER OUT ON THE ROADS TODAY. THIS IS A MAJOR CONCERN TO ME DUE TO WINDOW DEFROSTING DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, THE BLEND DOOR HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN AND WILL OPEN AND CLOSE AT ANY TIME. PLEASE ADVISE ME ON HOW I CAN GET THIS LOOKED INTO. I BELIEVE THAT FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS AND THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY DONT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME

THE BLEND DOOR IS BROKEN ON MY HEATER...EVER TRY TO DEFROST A WINDOW WHEN IT IS MINUS 5 WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON..? THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IN A RECALL CAMPAIGN IT IS POORLY DESIGNED AND DANGEROUS! *AK

HEATER/AC TEMPERATURE CONTROL. TEMPERATURE CONTROL DOOR IS STUCK IN THE POSITION FOR HEAT. HAVE TALKED TO DEALER THEY SAY INEXPENSIVE PART, LABOR FOR REPAIR IS ABOUT 7 HOURS TO BE CHARGED FOR. THIS DEALER HAS HAD OTHER COMPLAINTS AND FIXED SOME. CHECKED WITH OTHER DEALERS IN AREA, THEY GAVE SAME ANSWER AS TO COST AND COMPLAINTS. I AM TOLD THIS IS A PLASTIC BRACKET ON DOOR ASSEMBLY THAT BREAKS WHEN SERVO MOVES DOOR TO CONTROL HOT OR COOL AIR FLOW.*AK

TEMPERATURE CONTROL BLEND DOOR DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. STUCK ON COLD. UNABLE TO DEFROST AND DEFOG WINDOWS. *LA

INVALID DESIGN OF PLENUM DOOR LEADS TO PART FAILURE RESULTING IN INABILITY TO CONTROL TEMPERATURE SETTING. CONDITION CAUSES INABILITY TO CONTROL INSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE AND POSSIBLY FAILURE OF DEFROST/DEFOGGING SYSTEM (SAFETY ISSUE). COST TO REPAIR IS PROHIBITIVE ($500 TO $1000) DUE TO THE NEED TO REMOVE THE DASHBOARD AND THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE AIR CHANNEL (BECAUSE PLENUM DOOR ITSELF CANNOT BE PURCHASED/INSTALLED ALONE). *NLM

MY EXPLORER ONLY PRODUCES WARM AIR FOR HEAT AND DEFOGGING WHEN THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE IS TOO HOT TO WANT OR NEED WARM AIR. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER SAYS IT IS THE BLEND DOOR & ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY THAT HAS FAILED. I SAY IT DEFECTIVE BY DESIGN AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED AT THEIR EXPENSE, THEY DISAGREE. NOT BEING ABLE TO PROPERLY DEFOGG A WINDSHIELD IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *NLM

1997 FORD EXPLORER EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRONIC AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL SYSTEM. THE PLASTIC AIR BLEND DOOR IN THE HEATER PLENUM HAS BROKEN, PREVENTING THE SYSTEM FROM REGULATING THE TEMPERATURE.

THE LEND DOOR IS BROKEN...FORD KNOWS THAT THEY PUT FAULTY BLEND DOORS IN AND WILL NOT REPLACE THEM! HOW DO I DEFROST MY WINSHIELD WITH A/C???? IS A FROSTED WINSHIELD NOT A HAZARD???? THIS HAPPENS EVERY DAY!

WITH HEATER FAILURE FROST BUILDS UP ON THE WINDSHIELD CAUSING SERIOUS DRIVING HAZARD. DT

FROM WHAT I HAVE READ THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT FORD SHOULD HAVE TO FIX VIA RECALL. THIS FAILURE COULD BE QUITE DANGEROUS DURING WINTER CONDITIONS. IT IS APPARENT THAT FORD KNOWS OF THIS AND HAS MADE CHANGES IN THE WAY THIS DOOR IS CONSTRUCTED. DT

THE FAILURE OF THE HEATER BLEND DOOR CAUSES UNCONTROLLED WINDSHIELD FOGGING AND ICING. VISIBILITY IS OFTEN REDUCED TO ZERO. MR

I HAVE DISCOVERED MANY FORD EXPLORER OWNERS HAVE THIS FAILURE--DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. WHEN DEFROSTER DOES NOT WORK CAN RESULT IN SERIOUS ACCIDENT. MR

THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL FAILED TO REGULATE TEMPERATURE I RESEARCHED AND FOUND THE BLEND DOOR TO BE BROKEN LEAVING ME WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO DEFROST THE WINSHIELD OR REGULATE HEAT /COOL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE I LIVE IN A CLIMATE THAT HAS SNOW /ICE AND COLD AS WELL AS HOT TEMPERATURES. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND IS DANGEROUS AND REQUIRES A NEARLY $1000.00 FIX TO REPLACE THE BLEND DOOR IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME THEY HAD TO REMOVE THE DASH ETC. THIS APPEARS TO BE A FORD DESIGN ISSUE AND A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE. NLM

THIS HEATER HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THE DEFROSTER WILL NOT WORK PROPERLY BECAUSE ONLY HOT AIR WILL EXIT THE VENTS, WHICH LEADS TO A FOGGY WINDSHIELD. THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE VERY WELL DOCUMENTED AND FORD HAS A TSB FOR IT, 99-8-8 AND 97-24-25.*AK

DEFOGGER/DEFROSTER WILL NOT OPERATE AS BLEND DOOR IS STUCK ON AIR CONDITIONER. *AK

I FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF THE AIR BLEND DOOR / HVAC SYSTEM AT A SAFETY LEVEL DUE TO THE FACT THIS THESE PROBLEMS COULD RESULT IN HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS.

THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL DOES NOT CONTROL THE TEMPERATURE OF THE A/C-HEATER THAT RESULTS IN A FAILURE TO DEFOG/DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD.

FORD HAS BEEN WELL AWARE OF THE BLEND DOOR BREAKING PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW AND STILL IS DOING NOTHING TO APPEASE THEIR CUSTOMERS. MINE IS STUCK BLOWING COLD AIR, SO SHOULD I NEED IT TO DEFOG OR DEFROST MY WINDOWS DURING A RAIN OR SNOWSTORM (OF WHICH WE HAVE MANY IN MINNESOTA) I CANNOT. I'VE FOUND NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THIS PART FAILING AND COMPLAINTS WRITTEN TO FORD ALL OVER THE INTERNET. THE PROBLEM IS PREVALENT IN SEVERAL FORD MODELS, YET THEY REFUSE TO COMPENSATE THEIR CUSTOMERS FOR A PART THAT IS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE.*AK

1995 THRU 1999 EXPLORERS AND 1997-99 MOUNTAINEERS, BUILT THROUGH 4/98 WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A PLASTIC AIR BLEND DOOR WHICH BREAKS DUE TO POOR DESIGN AND PREVENTS TEMPERATURE REGULATION . FORD REVISED THIS PLENUM USING NYLON AS A REINFORCEMENT , WHICH IS STRONGER AND LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO BREAKAGE. IF THE AIR BLEND DOOR BREAKS AND THE SYSTEM IS LOCKED IN THE A/C MODE, DEFOGGING/DEFROSTING THE WINDSHIELD IS A CHALLENGE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. THANK YOU.*AK

HEATER DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER IS BLOWING OUT COLD AIR,.DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED . FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF VERY POOR DESIGN; THIS PART SHOULD NEVER FAIL - IT IS A SIMPLE PART, SUBJECTED TO VERY MINOR LOADS. WORSE, THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD MUST BE DISASSEMBLED TO REPLACE IT, AND RATHER THAN REPLACING JUST THE BLEND DOOR (A LITTLE FLAPPER THAT CONTROLS THE MIX OF HOT AND COLD AIR), YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HEATER PLENUM ASSEMBLY.*AK

DEFROSTER IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

HEATER PLENUM HOT/COLD AIR BLEND; DOOR BREAKS, CAUSING NO TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR HEATER & DEFROSTER. *AK

IN MIDDLE OF A SNOW STORM, DEFROSTER WOULD NOT WORK, CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO HAVE ANY HEAT AND POOR VISIBILITY TO DRIVE. CONSUMER FOUND A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN, NHTSA SB618546 RELATING TO THE PROBLEM. DEALER WAS CONTACTED TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE.*AKJG

THE HEATER AND DEFROSTER STOPPED WORKING BECAUSE OF A PLASTIC PART ON THE HEATER DOOR THAT FAILS AFTER TO MUCH USE. THE PART HAS TO BE REPLACE BY A PART CALLED THE ACTUATOR VALUE.FORD MUST HAVE KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, BECAUSE IT HAS A REPLACEMENT PART ALREADY TO GO WHEN THE PART FAILS. (NYLON BLEND DOOR AND PLENUM #F87Z-18471-DA.) THE PROBLEM BEENING THAT IT COST $784.40 IN LABOR TO PUT THE PART IN. IF FORD NEW IT HAD THIS PROBLEM , WHY WASN`T IT ON A RECALL LIST TO REPLACE???*AK

BROKEN AIR BLEND DOOR, CAUSING NO HEAT FOR DEFROSTERS OR HEATER. *AK

HEATER WILL NOT CONTROL DUE TO MANUFACTURERS WRONG PART INSTALLED FROM THE FACTORY. THIS IS THE THIRD ONE WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE

THE THROTTLE BODY WAS REPLACED AT 17,000 MILES AND AT 30,000 MILES I WAS TOLD BY FORD I NEEDED AN AIR INDUCTION CLEANING. AT 37,000 MILES I NOW HAVE THE SAME GAS PEDAL PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY AGAIN.