Troubleshooting a Ford Electronic Automatic Temperature Control Module

[@CLardPercussion]

Holy cow man!! Great vid!!! The first part was super helpful. Once you opened up the module I was totally out of my league, but I appreciate that I could at least understand what you were saying, if not exactly why those components would be identifiable on sight. I’m certainly no electrical engineer. Thank you for taking the time to make such an informative video that even a mere drummer like me could mostly understand!!!

[@uxwbill]

Good luck with fixing your EATC module and thank you for watching. I'm not an electrical engineer either (maybe I missed my calling?) but sometimes I play one on KZbin. :-)

[@MixerVM]

2:36 The Town Car is indeed the Panther-class design. The Continental is a smaller, front-drive design that shares more heritage with the Taurus, engine aside. (The late 90s Continental used a DOHC version of the Modular engine found in the Panthers.)

[@subjectofgov]

I remember when the temp control arm was tied to a wire cable and a lever on the dash. They outlasted the car.

[@uxwbill]

In a way, I'm surprised the manual climate controls in these cars don't work that way.

[@davidyoung8521]

The cable used to get a kink when it was cold . I had a VW Rabbit that would kink the heat control valve when very cold.

[@davidyoung8521]

If you go back to the 50s, there was a valve you had to open in the engine bay to get heat in the cab.

[@phibber]

Thank you for posting, and caring about others. I need this info . my car shop estimate was $1300.00 to change the blend door actuator.

[@mechanicalking]

Jeez i did it for 80

[@meyonbradberry8755]

Info I needed. Too long to get to the point. Other than that, it's the most informative YT I've found about my issue.

[@uxwbill]

So...the most informative video is too long? You've likely heard the saying "can't have your cake and eat it too".

[@WilliamBrady-up2eb]

Good show !! I learned a lot of information about the Ford Crown Victoria EATC. Probably won't buy a rebuilt unit from EBAY. Easier to junk my car and buy a newer used car because I have so many other problems that need fuxing. Just too expensive. Thanks for your video !! William Brady

[@SuPerbMusiCFan]

I really appreciate the jump in quality found in your recent videos. Both content and mostly video quality.

[@byronpeters5676]

Thank you for helping us understand the device.

[@mikevesey8639]

Bring back the good ol’ days!

[@briandubose6792]

Sir, I have no idea who you are, but you should absolutely be charging people for your ability to do instructional videos! This video was the best instructional video I have ever seen!! You do a great job. I am VERY much into electronic trouble shooting and I think we could have been friends..lol!! And just my two cents worth on the cracked vaccume body....could it be from the massive heat generated from the solenoids that caused the cracking?? Just an idea..... Thanks again for your videos and please keep doing them!!!

[@uxwbill]

Many people have helped me out over the years without expecting anything in return, and I'm a big believer in paying it forward. I'm not sure what caused the solenoid valve body to crack. I sent off for a rebuilt module (no core required) for this car and it's working perfectly now.

[@starrwoman1]

I highly agree with brian dubose. I came across your video for some answers on my friend's 04 CVLX Sport and I found your video "Excellent" on explaining how the EATC operates. It was like a college class 101 on the subject. Thanks so much for sharing. :-)

[@warrenmoore3006]

@uxwbill ~ I'm Not an Electrical Engineer either but you did an Excellent Job of just touching-on A Few key Points(electronically) about How these things(EATC systems) work! Appreciated 👍

[@thomasgriffin8755]

You sir are a very smart guy.

[@j.m.74]

Informative video, to be sure. I'm glad my '98 Vic has manual hvac controls. It does have a couple problems though. First, a burned out blower motor resistor, so it only works on high fan speed. Also, I need a new a/c accumulator due to corrosion causing a noticeably large refrigerant leak.

[@ramseywilliams5087]

The way the vacuum solenoids function is the black plastic manifold supplies engine vacuum to all the solenoids at the same time and when the solenoids are not activated, the plunger with the large rubber pad is pushed by the spring against the opening in the manifold cutting off vacuum to that specific solenoid. When the solenoid is activated the coil pulls the plunger back against the spring allowing vacuum to pass around the plunger and into the opening of the sleeve with the "o" ring and passing back through the manifold to the corresponding nipple at the rear of the assembly where the vacuum hose harness plugs in.

[@BobPegram]

If your's was the only Ford Panther available, I'd be more interested in a complete diagnosis and fix from scratch. However, given the fact that numerous fords of a certain era (Panthers, 2000 Expedition...) use this control, I'd already have gotten 3 or 4 from the junkyard and determined which one works or only needs the o-rings that you have. If you or I were to remain curious, another 1 or 2 of the junkyard pieces probably work or are easy to fix. I would then proceed to do destructive testing on it. That's much easier and finds those answers quickly.

[@Markworth]

I'm sorry that I don't have anything of much use to add, but I did find this pretty interesting. My experience with vacuum operated stuff is pretty much nothing and I'm not yet proficient in the management of angry pixies, but it seems like it should be possible to hijack the vacuum system somehow. Not sure what options exist for that, but if the solenoids are even trying to operate, you've got an electrical reference for each function.

[@uxwbill]

That's quite alright. I'm glad to hear from anyone with something constructive, useful, interesting, or thought provoking to say...and that includes feedback on the video. I do like the term "angry pixies". Indeed one could hijack the vacuum system and operate it manually through some kind of an external valve. The same would certainly hold true for the blend door. What I don't know is how Ford regulated the HVAC fan. PWM (pulse-width modulation) seems like a very good guess, since that's how the radiator fan is driven.

[@jondoe8721]

Q-Bond might work well (or trash the unit) it's a powder that is activated instantly by a liquid, I've seen it used on plastic vacuum canister boxes with good results.

[@johnhpalmer6098]

Bill, I was going to say, just JB Weld it or use epoxy, but realized getting an air tight seal may be easier said than done and that your only other option is perhaps a new part and just hope it doesn't cost you an arm and a leg and whatever else in the process. An interesting video, by the way and I have an issue with my HVAC system in my 2003 Mazda Protege 5. It's the blower motor switch, it works fine in all speeds, except when the AC/defrost is on, then it'll only blow cold when the fan is at #1 (reliably), 4, semi reliably, but eventually it becomes reliable once it's cooled off some as it's flaky when the car is hot from sitting in the hot sun. It's electrical in nature and I've heard several sources for this issue, and one is the control module itself, and was a semi recall that not a lot of people got, or took advantage of and eventually, the connector at the switch semi melts and you looks speeds 2-3 in AC mode, but when the heat is on, I get all 4 speeds, go figure.

[@travis4798]

Considering they used a solenoid for each vacuum connection, the solenoids default to the closed position until power is restored. It's typical of most manufactures to do it that way with vacuum operated components and it's kind of a fail safe. For example my dad's Lincoln continental will open it's headlights and cabin vent in the case of a vacuum failure, found that out when we pulled the engine.

[@Thevinylking69]

I'd say the vacuum manifold tree sub-assembly has lost its integrity due to some type of mechanical or temperature related stress and possibly a combination of both. The failure may be unavoidable due to the designed operation of the solenoids, in my experience, most solenoids with a spring are naturally in an "off", "closed", or "neutral" position and when energized change state and perform a task like opening a gas door or a vacuum circuit in this case. For instance if a solenoid was energized for a 30 minute drive I'd assume that it would generate considerable heat and eventually crack or warp the sub-assembly. But I am also unfarmiliar with the exact operation of the EATC, in one of my automobiles a 1991 Lincoln I have the earlier ATC system which is a microprocessor based automatic control HVAC system without a digital display which has not given me any problems so far. If you are going to take the junkyard route I would look for a metal solenoid assembly (not sure if one even exists) or the assembly out of an older model which might be of a better design or of a higher quality composition I think EATC started in 1994 or 1996 but I'm not sure. Regardless, just purchasing a functional sub-assembly out of a junk yard will probably be the most cost effective solution if that indeed is the problem. If any additional information or a solution is found an update even if it is just added in the description would be appreciated. I am not a fan of an "automatic" system in a car either and on a completely unrelated side note my favorite automotive climate control system was in a 1994 Camry that I use to have in which the indoor/outdoor air flap was manually controlled you could select any percentage of either, the hot/cold air control was a cable operated coolant flow valve, it had a seperate switch for A/C compressor control, and finally a dc motor controlled airflow position selector with more selections than I have ever had in a GM, Chrysler, or Ford product.

[@southoripper]

Great vid! Thanks to folks like you us regular joes can save some $ by troubleshooting issues on our own!!

[@Aomicplane]

tape the cracks?

[@compactc9]

You forgot what I consider the best part of these cars, they're big and comfortable. They have a lot of room inside, and big trunks. Personally I tend to prefer trucks and SUVs, but I definitely would drive a big full sized sedan as well.

[@uxwbill]

Yes. I was amazed that Ford carried the torch for so long, and greatly saddened when production of the Panther cars ended. I'd have really liked to see what these cars could have become with more modern powertrains in place. I'm also strongly of the opinion that a newly produced, truly full size car like these is what a lot of people would really like to buy -- and not just elderly people either!

[@Destroyed007]

I'm very baffled on how your Sherwood receiver is powered by a Core 2 Duo, sounds like you're getting the most out of it :P

[@petemoss1938]

I'll bet at least Bills Sherwood works! Mine just goes into auto shutdown -and I don't have a clue why!

[@Scotty_in_Ohio]

My Technics SA230 has a dual proc Xenon with 128MB of L2 cache ;-)

[@Browningate]

This is severely off-topic, but I've just got to say that you really remind me of that guy from the Penn & Teller duo.

[@uxwbill]

Except for the part where it runs Windows Vista. That sticker fell off. :-)

[@sheamiletomileto4063]

uxwbill Can you please review a 2005 Walker MTGHS 26 HP 48"?

[@MaxieRetro]

You could try to melt the plastic on the cracks to temporally fix it until you can source a good one. I've done that with other plastic parts for a short term quick fix. Used an old ratty soldering iron tip for it. That might seal it up for now. I would definitely find a good one to replace it in the long run though. Also I always watch your video in full. Partly because I like your videos and they entertain me and brighten my day. I feel like if people don't like someone's work then they can just stop watching and move on with their life and save a bit of frustration on the creator of said vid.

[@uxwbill]

I tried sealing it up as well as I could with epoxy and it was no better. The leak moved to all of the actuator outlets (or inlets, seeing as it's a vacuum). Another commenter suggested that it's cracked internally, and maybe they're right. I can't see a way to verify that. My apologies if I sounded grumpy. I don't mind young people, but lately there has been a rash of Internet twelve year olds and it's kind of hard not to become put off by them.

[@MaxieRetro]

Well then I'm not sure. It's most likely best to just replace the assembly then.Like you always say "Time and Ebay make everything of common and cheap!" I understand the grumpery, I really do. It gets old dealing with children let alone 23 year olds who act as if they are 15! lol

[@glennjarvis2672]

If those solenoids get as hot as you described, plus the heat/cold changes, plus age, the plastic will become brittle and crack. Definitely something I have to check on my beast (97 Crown Victoria) as it has the same issue, air doesn't redirect when buttons are pushed. Either mine is cracked as well or the o-rings are shot. One of projects that'll take me the day to work on without interruptions (yeah, right!).

[@lookman28]

My 2006 towncar climate control module has no color vacuum tubes.

[@WillNJ]

Great video. I own a 2003 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, basically just below-base model LX. I didn't know this used vacuum lines to actuate the direction of the vents. The Interceptor/ taxi uses the very simple three knob setup, for vent selection, temperature, and blower speed. From what I remember, you can pick them up from a U-Pull It junkyard pretty cheap. From there, maybe swapping out solenoids, you could repair that unit. Otherwise, if its the plastic vacuum fitting for the solenoids to sit in, as other uses suggested, JB Weld, and perhaps it is salvageable. Or else, sacrifice some functionality and go with the three knob style which is cheaper (although I'm not sure if it would still work, with the more advanced setup including the exterior temperature sensor? I've never taken my unit out before).

[@uxwbill]

I'm told the plenums are different between the two systems, and I know someone who did the change (adding automatic climate controls to a car without them). They had -- and needed -- a complete donor car.

[@leorice9639]

​@@uxwbill I was told that the AC has a thermostat which failed in one of my friend's car grand Victoria and I'm trying to locate the sincere. Thermostat or whatever it's color because I have a rich same year model. Available show so if there is a thermostat for the air conditioner. I would appreciate knowing its location thinking good advance for your cooperation and I remain useful

[@gerardlunow567]

Hi, the question remains what solenoid controls what. The controls on the front do not really work. I replaced the o-rings years ago and have a new not understood problem. I have replaced hte blend door module last year and things worked fine.

[@uxwbill]

For testing it matters not which solenoid does what, though if you really want to know, the video tells all as I go through them with the vacuum pump. See some of the other comments about this video. Ultimately, I came to believe that the solenoid body itself had several cracks that precluded any successful repair.

[@gerardlunow567]

@@uxwbill Vacuum is a funny thing. I may have a similar issue. Having the module open in the car, each manual button operates a coil with a specific sound that suggest a controlled operation. One just say "Click". I will use a stethoscope to identify which one, identify the vacuum hose color and check the vacuum motors. I'll measure the red wire and then ground out each coil, while providing vacuum on black. I just want to totally understand it before I move on. You know, one has to know. :)

[@joeyw4442]

Excellent video! Quick question though as I'm trying to troubleshoot a "no heat" issue........would a problem with vaccum or other in this unit keep me from having heat inside the vehicle? Fan speed is good, all air vents work correctly when changing on th unit...i.e. defrost, floor, panel.......but no heat when changing the temperature........my vehicle does not have a heater control valve install on either heter line, and the blend door appears to operate(I can hear the door position change). Any ideas? I'd appreciate any advice on what to look for. Thank you

[@uxwbill]

Are you sure the door position really is changing? If it is, things to look at and for are a low coolant level, bad thermostat, plugged heater core, and for the presence of a manual heater core shut off valve. The hoses leading to the heater core should be very warm or hot with the engine at normal operating temperature.

[@joeyw4442]

@@uxwbill Ran EATC diagnostics......pulled 2 codes..... 12 and 49......49 does indicate there is a problem with the blend door. Though codes 24 and 25 indicate more an issue with the actuator. Guess I'll have to pull the center part above the transmisson hump to investigate more specifics. Just thought that maybe one of the vaccums lines behind the EATC unit could be the issue. Sure would be easier to pull it rather than investigate the actuator for or the blend door itself. Thanks for your help.

[@uxwbill]

It's a hybrid system. The various directional dampers are vacuum operated, while the blend door actuator is electric. Unfortunately, I'm almost certain it is the blend door actuator that has failed in your car. Ford says the entire dash has to come out to get at the actuator in the Panther cars. I've found that if you loosen the steering column and remove the fasteners holding the dashboard in place, you can move the dash and carrier just far enough back to get at the blend door motor. (Be very, very careful with the transmission shift indicator assembly. It's easy to break.) While it seems like removing the radio might give you access, the actuator is further to the right of the radio, and the area behind the radio is largely closed off anyway.

[@joeyw4442]

@@uxwbill It's a 2003 Ford F150 with the 5.4 Triton. Checked out the blend door actuator. It was bad. Replaced with a Doorman unit. Everything works now. Thanks for your help.

[@craigcook2277]

I have a 97 crown vic. I havent dug to far into the dash yet as we use the car everyday. Something is causing mine to short out. I thought at first initially it was the control module as you are showing. But when I plugged in my new one and connected the battery (key off) it started smoking. I cant find any information on what would cause it. Would you happen to have any ideas?

[@uxwbill]

Look into everything it operates, and the wiring linking it. It's not likely to be easy or fun, but you will find the trouble sooner or later. The *factory* service manual will be your friend, as will even a basic multimeter. (No Haynes or Chilton's. The real thing should be fairly easily and cheaply found on eBay.)

[@craigcook2277]

@@uxwbill thank you. I'll definitely look at getting one of those.

[@gregorymalchuk272]

I am honestly surprised that modern cars don't have as many vacuum leaks as one might expect given the snakes nest of vacuum lines, especially those going to the climate control. Or perhaps vacuum leaks ARE the reason for rough running on older cars. I was actually quite surprised when I learned that many modern cars still use vacuum for their climate control doors. It was the hissing sound the vents would make when switching between floor vent, regular vents, and defrost that caused me to research the issue.

[@uxwbill]

Vacuum actuators aren't often used in newer cars. DC motors operate everything instead. The Ford Panthers were some of the last to do so, and probably only because the design had long ago paid for itself.

[@gregorymalchuk272]

uxwbill Ah, very interesting. Vacuum actuators did seem to be a bit of an anachronism in an age of inexpensive servo motors. I am curious as to how gracefully these servo mechanisms will age as this current crop of cars gets older.

[@uxwbill]

From what I've seen, not terribly well. I've replaced a LOT of blend door motors in many different makes. My mother's 2002 Buick Park Avenue uses DC motors to do everything in the climate control system. One of its two blend doors isn't moving through the entire extent of its travel any more, but it does at least try/get close and that car has over 200,000 miles on it. The damper doors moan and groan, but are so far still in the game. I don't think it helps that the automatic systems tend to "hunt" with the blend door and even the manual systems may not be immune: at certain points in the range of hot/cold adjustments, the manual dual-zone climate controls in my '07 Silverado will sit and "twitch" the blend doors. I'm sure that's not doing the longevity of the blend door actuators any favors.

[@gregorymalchuk272]

uxwbill My guess is that the lubricants on the servo motors just don't hold up to baking in the heat. Do the vacuum actuators like the ones you showed need lubricated?

[@uxwbill]

There's no evidence of lubrication in the assembly, and many pneumatic items caution against adding oil or lubricants.

[@jrios030284]

I was curious how that is work, and inside great video, because I have the same problem on the Sistem, really helpful thanks for ur time,

[@ronniepemberton1942]

My problem is that the blower motor runs on high only even with the unit turned off. Any way to fix this. Thanks

[@uxwbill]

Make a check of the basics first, such as any relevant fuses. It's likely that the large transistor used to control fan speed has shorted.

[@sizzlin321]

Cool video! I wonder how the Keykeeper's Bonneville is doing?

[@renejacques8288]

I have a '99 Expedition. I just ran the test, and it passed, I had all 8's. But the vehicle does not blow heat. I heard the noise you were listening for. Would the test detect the blend door actuator issues?

[@uxwbill]

It should. However, it is possible that the motor could be running while not driving the damper. The test might still pass as the resistive sensing track is in the motor assembly. The problem may lie elsewhere...plugged heater core, bad thermostat, low coolant, or possibly even a valve that shuts off the heater core when only A/C is needed.

[@renejacques8288]

@@uxwbill i unplugged the vac lines in the AC control so I could change the light bulbs in it (AC display lights comes on/off maybe sth wrong on the circuit board.) I'll change the thermostat. Thanks. Did you mean clogged heater core? You said plugged...

[@renejacques8288]

@@uxwbill The valve you refer to that shuts off the heater core is in the engine compartment; right?

[@renejacques8288]

Do you know if the light bulbs are soldered to the panel?.

[@uxwbill]

Sorry, no.

[@renejacques8288]

@@uxwbill Thanks for replying. On my EATC the bulbs just twist in.

[@rubenluna357]

2008 Ford Taurus EATC codes please? Where do I find them? Run the self test and came out with code 10 03

[@uxwbill]

At your Ford dealer, on a forum where Ford vehicles are discussed or at the other end of a web search made from your favorite search engine?

[@rubenluna357]

uxwbill I ve been looking online and can’t find it. I haven’t tried Ford dealer, I’m afraid they will want to charge for it. Any idea what the code mean? 10 03

[@uxwbill]

I have never owned a late model Taurus, so I don't have any information about one. I don't know what the fault codes mean for your car. Most dealerships are happy to exchange small pieces of information at the service counter, such as a page or two of printed information, without charge. If one doesn't -- find another. Another option would be to buy the factory (the only ones you want) service manuals for your car. They are not cheap, but will tell you almost anything you ever want to know. I would again recommend asking at an online forum about the Ford Taurus.

[@allanb9130]

Thats an awesome video. It was helpful to me in fixing a problem with a crown Vic a few years ago where the air only blew out of the defroster. I now have a 07 Marquis that the blower motor wont start. Hooking up direct from battery the fan is ok. The resistor is new so I think the problem may be in the EATC unit. Do you have any videos on how to diagnose the fan control switch?

[@uxwbill]

On those cars with EATC, there is a module that governs the fan speed. Check all your fuses, and if they're OK, you've probably lost that module. It's not uncommon, especially if the car was subjected to a stressful electrical event (jump start, boost charge, etc.). Sometimes it fails shorted, rather than open.

[@allanb9130]

@@uxwbill Thank you for quick reply and I will look into that.

[@allanb9130]

@@uxwbill i rechecked the system with a voltmeter and found there was voltage going right to the blower motor when the fan was on and it still didn't work. there was a break in the ground from firewall to engine. i replaced it and ran it direct to battery and it solved problem. im not good on electronics but with videos like yours it helps people like me fix things and learn and save money. thanks

[@bsmoove2654]

Would a bad hvac cause my cars ac to go directly to the defrost only

[@jeffsloane8628]

Great video thank you. Thumbs up. I have this exact vehicle and mine works, but switches between cold air and hot air about every 30 seconds when in automatic mode. Any ideas what that could be? 2010 Grand Marquis LS 41k miles.

[@uxwbill]

That's not a problem I am familiar with. The blend door actuator, when it fails, usually goes to the "full hot" position and stays there. I think you may be dealing with a sensor or associated wiring that is bad. It'd probably be a good idea to inspect solder joints on the control head where the cables connect, and at each sensor. It's interesting that you mention this happening (only?) in the automatic mode. Even if you override the air direction and fan speed controls, temperature control remains automatically operated unless you set the temperature to 60 or 90 degrees Fahrenheit (or its equivalent in Celsius). Or is setting the temperature to one of those extremes what you're doing?

[@johnbecnel693]

I have an 02 Excursion. All electric connections to the climate controller. Every now and then, it goes hot on me, typically, ha, at very inconvenient times. My rear AC continues to cool. I think it’s flipping the blend door to default, heat mode. Still directs air to the vents. I have cycled the unit on, off, ran the temp setting to max, then min, kept trying until it decided to start working normally. For the rest of the 700 mile trip, about 500 to go and the week and 700 miles back, it continued to behave. Maybe you’ve worked on one of these controllers? At least this one gives me some clues. Intermittent problems. Probably won’t ever happen at the shop, ha!

[@uxwbill]

I have no experience with the Excursion. The actuator is likely quite similar what's used in this car and I suspect the failure mode will be the same as well. The problem will get worse over time, as the resistive strip continues to wear.

[@MegaTombs]

Have you tried using a glue gun on the cracks to seal them?

[@Moods_is_]

ماشاءالله سياراتهم نظيفة حتى مافي غبار جوة الديكور 🙂

[@Ladyvadalon]

I just ended up with a 1999 Lincoln Navigator and the heater was not working. It blew cold air. We flushed the system twice now and the heater works. But I think this unit is bad, I have heat and cold air but I have to push the button for each. The heater blows hot and AC blows cold when it is pushed. I do not have the ability to set the tempter for a happy medium. I have been trying to understand how this unit works. Your video helped. Any input would be helpful. I'm starting to not like this vehicle.

[@uxwbill]

That sounds to me like the temperature sensor might be bad. All the Ford electronic temperature control heads have a built in diagnostic, and the instructions are readily found online to run it, along with the fault code meanings. Look up "Ford EATC self test" for more information. When you set the temperature control to either extreme (60 or 90 deg F), this forces the heat or air conditioning to run at maximum capability in auto or manual mode. There is probably also a resistance check that may be made against the sensor with a multimeter to verify whether it is good or not. (You'll need a factory -- not Haynes or Chilton's -- service manual for this info, or a dealer that's willing to share the info. Some are.) In addition to the temperature sensor (located behind a grille somewhere, with air pulled past it by way of a vacuum effect) there should also be a "sun load" sensor (although I'm not sure if Ford calls theirs by that name). However, I don't think that being bad would result in no temperature control.

[@rwdplz1]

MY OLD NEMESIS! Dad bought a Mercury Sable with one of these, THIS thing stopped working after about 5 years/100,000 miles, when I started driving. The display would freak out and never worked again, displaying random garbage on the screen. I used to set it by remembering what it used to look like, this was before KZbin or anything useful was posted to the internet.

[@uxwbill]

The display failure was probably caused by cracked or otherwise faulty solder joints. I've heard of display failures with these, but have yet to see one.

[@andrewcockie]

I found a bad vacuum actuator that has the yellow and red hoses to it. The yellow held vac but the red didn't. thankfully panthers used the same parts for many years! I had one off my deceased 87 vic that was still good!

[@davidhodgin3792]

What about the buttons? I have 1 that doesn't work. Is there a spring that operates it? The floor button does not spring out and is not pressing . I can put on floor/defrost and all other modes so o rings are most likely not the issues. Floor button is. We have lived with this since we got the truck-10 yrs, 2003 F150 so we are still good but if it's an easy fix I'll do it Thanks

[@uxwbill]

I've not had an actual button fail, so I've never had them apart. It should be pretty easy to tell where the fault lies: if you press the button and the display changes to reflect that function being selected, you know the button is working. I think they're designed in a similar way to many other control buttons, such as in a typical TV remote. These use a slightly conductive rubber pad that touches special circuit board traces when you press the button. Common failures include the conductive material wearing away, the trace on the circuit board wearing away, or contamination of the contact area from something like rotting foam. Rotted foam can also corrode the circuit board. If it is the conductive material that has failed, you may be able to effect a repair with a rubber pad salvaged from something else, a soft pencil, "wire glue" or something like a rear window defroster repair kit.

[@tsherwoodrzero]

Vacuum is cut off when each solenoid is NOT activated. These are most likely 12v as the Excursion/Super Duty system works the same, but has a remote mounted solenoid pack. As for the blend door actuator, I believe it is a DC reversing motor with position sensor. Think power window motor plus a throttle position sensor. If you still need a solenoid pack, I have an extra F150/Expedition EATC with a broken case. Works as far as I can tell. Let me know if you're interested

[@uxwbill]

Thank you for explaining how the vacuum solenoids work. The blend door module is a cheap permanent magnet brush-type DC motor. The arm runs along a resistive track. My guess is that this track gets worn down after the arm makes many trips across it. I later bought a remanufactured part for this car and it works fine.

[@t.c5494]

I have a question I drive a Mercury Grand Marquis 97 I replace my actuator but the lights on the control panel are not working

[@uxwbill]

The actuator has nothing to do with the lights, which are tiny "grain of sand" bulbs that burn out after many hours of use. That is likely what has happened to yours. I don't know how easy or difficult they are to replace. You can convert to LED, but this requires a circuit modification in the form of a current limiting resistor. The result also isn't quite as evenly illuminated as with the original bulbs.

[@HoustonHistoricRetail]

Interesting, I had a Jeep on which the vacuum system failed. The car couldn't start, and until this point I had no idea what they meant with a vacuum system. I always thought it was something much larger, more intensive, and providing constant pressure.

[@HoustonHistoricRetail]

Very informative. I've only recently started dabbling with my cars, and have not run across any vacuum issues. Had this level of resources existed online in 2008 or so, I may have made an attempt. However I was raised with the mindset, if you can't afford to replace it, don't screw with it in the first place. Some light Googling seems to indicate that this was a common issue on my car, and was related to the intake. It was an '04, and never really had any other issues. Unfortunately for the money the dealership wanted to replace it, my best bet was to sell it.

[@starrdrop1074]

Hey Uxwbill, I found an AST Advantage 614 in my grandmother's garage. I cannot find anyone selling this thing anywhere. Do you have any info about it on it's value or why nobody is selling them? It's a very interesting system and I was intrigued.

[@uxwbill]

AST was a very successful computer company and most all their products sold very well. An older computer is worth what someone will pay for it.

[@starrdrop1074]

uxwbill cool! Thanks for the information. Kind of surprising that nobody is selling such an old machine. I mean, it might not be worth much, but I would think somebody would attempt to sell it.

[@uxwbill]

The rise of mandatory electronics recycling has done a number on the number of these things left around. There are still lots of them around, though many are in the hands of collectors or driven deeper into hiding.

[@starrdrop1074]

uxwbill Very interesting. I guess I'm a lucky person then! Definitely thinking on upgrading the ram to 16mb and maybe add a dedicated isa video card then. Live through some of the games that I missed out on before I was born.

[@uxwbill]

That'd be a great use for it. (Although: if there is onboard VGA video, you might give it a chance. It'd be likely to have a much greater bandwidth connection to the system bus.)

[@tammylove2417]

Do you have video to fix the blend door actuator??? Mine just got stuck blowing hot air only in the a/c mode....please help!!!

[@uxwbill]

No, I don't have a video about that. To replace that is involved enough that I wouldn't recommend it unless you're comfortable with the idea of loosening the dashboard, steering column and removing related assemblies. If you're not sure -- hire it done.

[@crazycincyguy]

What's up with the Subaru in the background?

[@christiansmith8068]

What happens to this device under boost in a modified car?

[@FishOn504]

Can you advise locating the shift selector boot (leather type) on crown Vic lx 1998 replace … the vendor info

[@uxwbill]

No, but I'm sure a web search will answer your questions. Or if by some chance it won't, a forum catering to these cars would.

[@papanutt2317]

I'm color blind. I have a 93 Mercury cougar xr7 WITH automatic climate control. I'm having to rewire the auto resistor for the blower motor and the new pigtail has all white wires. Hints to why I'm asking for help. When I got the car someone had cut the old pigtail wires off to try to put an analog resistor on the car but the climate controls in the cabin only work with auto climate resistor. Could anyone tell me which wire goes to which for the pigtail from the wiring harness? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks so much.

[@uxwbill]

Do you have any friends with normal color vision or a multimeter? You may need the *factory* service manual or a working "donor" car to make comparisons with in order to fix this. I'm not even sure which resistor you're asking about...the one that's used to sense the cabin (or outdoor) temperatures, or a heavy power resistor to reduce fan speed. The electronic climate controls don't use a power resistor to control fan motor speed -- they use a pass transistor.

[@papanutt2317]

@@uxwbill yeah. Imma start going to salvage yards to see if I can find any auto climates parked and see if I can take pics of ones that are hooked up. Start there anyway. Seems to be the easiest in process of going about it. Thanks for the input. Much appreciated man.

[@jett-rampartflyer2852]

I have ATC in my 94 Crown Vic and they are "slide" controls. I cant find any new control boxes for it, it sucks.

[@uxwbill]

Unfortunately, it's one of the joys of old cars. You may be able to rebuild the control yourself, or come up with a suitable facsimile.

[@leewakefield737]

yay a recent uxwbill video!

[@JNTimperley]

F0VY19980A is what I'm looking for. If you can help me? are these interchangeable? 1990 town car

[@uxwbill]

I do not have any way to cross reference these. It seems highly unlikely that there would be compatibility between 1990 and 2009+ model year cars.

[@christophercollier4038]

On the ford air-conditioning systems like that what happens is the seals in the vacuum transfer goes bad. There are a few companies on eBay I know of that u can have those shipped off to. I have had issues like that on 5 crown vics and it fixed the problem every time

[@christophercollier4038]

It is a very common problems in those Crown Victorias and the Grand Marquis

[@uxwbill]

...but is that another way of saying "o-ring failure"?

[@christophercollier4038]

Yes, you can't really fix them though unless you do some really unkind methoods of doing so. That's why I recommended getting it shipped off. Also by what I remembered from the last time I had one apart (using the unkind method of doing so) it took a o ring that more flat to fit in. So a normal o ring like what you would find at a local parts house won't properly seat.

[@uxwbill]

The o-rings we got, which were shown in this video, worked perfectly in the Keykeeper's car. Its climate control system is still going along just beautifully.

[@garseetr]

Does this car have a blower motor resistor? I have a 2003 Ford F-150 king ranch. The ac temp surges to high and no cold air. Ordered a blower motor resistor. Can not locate it under the dash. Any ideas?

[@uxwbill]

On Panther platform cars with automatic climate controls, a power module having a pass transistor is used -- there is no resistor.

[@garseetr]

@@uxwbill so, I would probably have to send the head unit in for service? Not a DIY? Sounds like an expensive repair.

[@uxwbill]

Keep in mind I've no experience with the F-150, and I'm sure that some details of its system are differently implemented than on the Panther cars. If you really want to know for sure, get the *factory* service manual (no Haynes or Chilton's). This (or even a discussion board about the F-150) will also tell you where it is. The blower power module (that's likely present on your truck as well, if it has the EATC) has almost certainly failed shorted and there is not likely to be a problem with the actual control head. As this module needs cooling, it will likely be in the MVAC plenum somewhere. It's also fairly substantial because of the cooling fins on it, and will have heavy wiring going to it.

[@garseetr]

@@uxwbill Yes it has an EATC under the passenger side dash.

[@bobduffy7744]

I am getting code 25, 25 25... then 888... but the thermostat is goes from 15 to 32. No air and nothing happens. I changed the blend door actuator Becusse it kept clicking real loud. Thought that was the issue. Any ideas?

[@uxwbill]

No airflow suggests that maybe the blower motor isn't running. It should be pretty audible at higher speeds. Check fuses, wiring, connectors, blower driver module, motor being stuck or having a dead spot?

[@bobduffy7744]

@@uxwbill thanks! what do u mean it should be audible at higher speeds? It’s just weird that the thermostat is between 15-32 degrees? Like it won’t go above 32. I can’t find anything on that.

[@uxwbill]

You should hear the MVAC (heating/AC) blower running, if it is. The sound of rushing air will be noticeable, especially on higher speeds. It sounds as though your temperature control is reading in degrees Celsius. Was your car originally made for a Metric country? Range of the control is degrees Fahrenheit is 60-90, and 15-32 degrees Celsius is the same range in different units (59-89 deg F when converted). If not, I'd suspect data corruption in the EATC head, or something like a wire jumper or resistor that sets the temperature measurement unit has come loose or failed. I am not sure which approach Ford used to program the EATC.

[@bobduffy7744]

@@uxwbill Na I’m not getting anything at all. That’s how it used to be; at higher speeds. Now the fan isn’t even turning on. lol I don’t think it was made for a metric country. I am going to try a new control module and see if that does it.

[@bobduffy7744]

@@uxwbill I didn’t think think about it being in Celsius

[@mikeknight1215]

Hey Bill great video, do you know what the signal voltage to activate the blend door is, assuming it’s electrical. And the upper and lower values of the Position feedback. Thanks

[@uxwbill]

The temperature blend door is electrical and driven by a small DC motor. I don't know what its normal operating voltage is. Nor do I know what the upper and lower values for resistance are. (I think the latter appears in Ford's factory service manuals.) What's most important is that the resistance be a smooth, even sweep.

[@emptynester7985]

Try a salvage yard first. and perhaps you can make 1 good one out of two bad ones. Other than that, its a few hundred bucks for a new one, at your local Ford Parts window.

[@1912RamblerFan01]

I've been trying to "dig to the root" of the issue with the automatic climate control module in my car - a 2000 Buick Century. For some strange reason, the exterior temperature reads either higher or lower than the actual temperature, and the difference is a lot (like +/-20 to 40 degrees in some instances.) Any ideas, as I don't know where the thermocouple is located on the exterior of the car. There is this wire (which resembles a thermocouple) between the radiator and the grill, but that seems like an odd place to put it as it would throw it off.

[@uxwbill]

It's very likely that you'll find the sensor right where you were looking, between the radiator and grille. That's where it has been on every GM vehicle I've owned that was so equipped. And yes, when the car is sitting at idle somewhere, heat from the radiator does throw the reading off. Usually the sensor module is a featureless plastic shape, either cylindrical or a rounded rectangular shape. Every one I've seen plugs in. If the reading is off when you're going down the road and air is flowing through the grille, I'd first suspect any grounds and after that I'd take a long hard look at the sensor itself.

[@1912RamblerFan01]

It's off when it is on the road... so I guess I'll take a look at the sensor. Since I don't have a shop manual or anything with the electrical schematics, I wouldn't even know where to start looking for a ground. Plus, I'm not sure if it is something that I'd be willing to spend time/money to fix.

[@tolgoiro5312]

My 2002 lincoln town car has a problem with its fan speeds. When I have the ac on one of the lower settings, the blower motor sometimes blows faster by itself. I changed the blower resistor and the ac module and didn't help. When I do a cold start (not driven for hours) it all works fine somehow. After 5 minutes of driving the motor starts blowing faster again when in a low setting. It should be the module, but since it didn't work, I was thinking it might have something to do with the wiring of the module but I'd like to know this for sure first. Any ideas?

[@uxwbill]

My only thought would be that somewhere, the resistance is changing. Perhaps it's the motor, maybe it's got a few windings that are OK when cold but gradually short when warm.

[@tolgoiro5312]

@@uxwbill oh, thanks. I havn't tried this yet but it sounds logical. The problem with these things is that it's not a common problem so there is no answer to be found. So i'll try this out

[@kentreallewis8192]

Hi I have that same module I changed my resistor and my air still just blows through the vents so u think it’s the o rings

[@uxwbill]

Don't "shotgun" troubleshoot. I think you need to make tests similar to the ones in this video and find out.

[@HarleyBadger]

Could you fix the crack with JB Weld or Silicone?

[@uxwbill]

I gave it a very good treatment of epoxy.. After that, it started pulling vacuum through all of the mode door ports, leaving me to think that another commenter was right: something internal has cracked and is letting it leak internally. It seems I can get a refurbished module with a lifetime warranty for about $100 before a core charge, and I think that's probably the best option. For now I've got the climate control head hooked up, stripped of the solenoid body. Filling in for that part is the hand-operated vacuum pump. It'll hold all day and that will get me by for now.

[@HarleyBadger]

Ahhhh gotcha. And wow, I wasn't expecting $100! I was thinking several hundred IF you could find one. Great news!

[@uxwbill]

I definitely didn't expect a replacement to be "cheap" (if you can call $100 cheap). There are still lots of these cars around (and I think there will be for some time to come) both as low mileage drivers (sometimes as low as 50 or 60,000 miles!) and in junkyards. Even though I'm totally the wrong demographic for this car, I really like it.

[@AverageJoe2020]

Fill the top and bottom faces of the valve body with slow cure epoxy? Maybe after first finding the missing spring or an alternative, A simple task made complicated, Best of luck Bill, J.

[@uxwbill]

I did try filling in the valve faces with epoxy and after that I had another problem. Vacuum is leaking through all the mode door outlets (or is that an "inlet", since it's a vacuum?) regardless of whether the solenoids are powered or not. I could see the one with the missing spring not working, but it shouldn't affect the others. Unless of course it does, and that I just don't know.

[@AverageJoe2020]

Hmm, It might be internally cracked as well then, Cut down Biro spring? They have got me out of trouble several times, Vacuum leaking out or the atmosphere of the earth leaking in, It's obvious I know, but with enough Liquid stimulants sloshing around in a persons being, those questions are sometimes unanswerable. Best Regards, J.

[@williamirwin239]

Hello Bill everything on my 1999 Grand Marquis LS works except the the flap door module it won't switch from A/C to heater I can do it manually but the module that operation don't work every the new one I'm not getting power to it to make it work???

[@suicideslider]

How do you manually switch it? I'm tired of my heater being on

[@olivialamb6215]

I got heat and ac but no lights on module any advice

[@olivialamb6215]

Fuses are good

[@uxwbill]

You can try removing power from the module for a few minutes, but at this point, it likely requires repair or replacement.

[@olivialamb6215]

@@uxwbill for how long

[@Vanessinha91Pucca]

I have a fiesta with mechanic A/C.. I want to convert it to Eletronic with temperature control.. Could you make a video or reply my comment to what components i would need to get to do it?

[@MichaelFlatman]

I reckon thats a lot more modern than what UXWbill has done work on, i dont know if they would use Vaccum stuff and remember that it would be pretty disasterous (like cutting ductwork to add in servos and blend doors and etc)

[@uxwbill]

There is no way I could make a video for something I don't have and know nothing about. (I avoid modern cars like the plague because they *are* a plague. And I'm not a car dealer or service tech for a repair shop.) If your car was offered with the option of automatic climate controls, there's a chance it could be converted. Get ready for a lot of work, and plan to have a complete donor/parts car with the options you want available. You may have to do everything from changing out the heater/air conditioning box to replacing/modifying/patching portions of the factory wiring harness. It's also possible that certain computers might need to be reprogrammed, and that's something most dealerships either don't know how to do, or won't/can't do. You'll also probably need to know how to read a schematic.

[@Vanessinha91Pucca]

Thanks for the reply (my fiesta is from the year 98 though) :) But i understand

[@uxwbill]

Here in the US, Ford's Fiesta left the market in the early 1980s and didn't return until 2010.

[@Vanessinha91Pucca]

Here in Brazil they arrived in 96 and never left :) But this generation of mine uses a even lower tech than the original 96 model from europe (it had a engine from the 80s with modern Injection i think)

[@JCortes001]

Where can I find the O rings

[@uxwbill]

A good hardware store, eBay, sellers on the Internet, etc.

[@JCortes001]

@@uxwbill so any o ring will work?. I thought it was a special kind

[@uxwbill]

Other than the size, which I don't have a spec for, I'm not aware of anything that's special about them.

[@theonlyman9319]

Hey bill, mine is starting to fail while the engine is under a load, while under WOT, or climbing a grade should I expect these O Rings to be the root of the problem?

[@uxwbill]

You have the start of a vacuum leak. Sure, the o-rings are a possibility. They are just one of many, so proper troubleshooting is called for...even if it may not be any fun.

[@theonlyman9319]

uxwbill So my update, I went ahead and did your fix, fully smoke tested all accessible vacuum lines, and bypassed all check valves, and could not find any signs of a vacuum leak. I went ahead and replaced all the o rings and to my surprise it’s fully fixed. Anything I’m possibly missing? Or could it be that moody under the vacuum leak the HVAC would loose that much vacuum?

[@michaelross202]

Does anyone know if the hvac control head in a 02 explorer be upgraded to the automatic digital hvac head????

[@uxwbill]

Almost certainly not without a complete donor vehicle. Time to get the *factory* service manuals and find out...

[@carson01XJ]

My 2000 Ford Expedition has the same HVAC control panel, and uses vacuum to change between different vent outputs. As far as I know, it has never had a vacuum leak, and I'm pretty sure it uses the same system as this car. Maybe Ford used cheaper plastic, or there was a defect with the plastic in these cars.

[@uxwbill]

That or I'm probably just incredibly lucky!

[@kvssgh]

Can I contact you about a problem with the a/c on my 2001 Sable?

[@uxwbill]

You can, though seeing as I have never owned one of those cars, I may not be able to help much. However, if you really want an answer -- post a comment here detailing the trouble. If I can't help, someone else may.

[@angelgomez3979]

Hi my name is angel and I like to ask you a question I love you to answer me please I been working in 98 crown Vic I put the blend door and I put new from the Dealer but it doesn’t work I put control switch too two different ones but not working still and I have the diagram but I don’t have no Grown or power I hope you can help me thanks

[@ericbeauchamp9095]

First I love your videos. You have helped me out a number of times. Thank you!!!! I am having 2 issues. I do believe i have bad o-rings because I only get air flow from the heater and defrost. Never the vents. So I plan on replacing my unit with one from ebay. But I also get error 24 temperature blend door. Is it possible the new unit will fix that too? great videos!!!

[@uxwbill]

The blend door is operated by an electric motor, and not a vacuum. As mentioned in the video, its failure around 60-80,000 miles is pretty common. You'll know if it's truly bad because it usually fails in the "full hot" position. I don't think replacing the climate control head will fix this problem for you.

[@ericbeauchamp9095]

I'm still going to try it. I have heat and AC but nothing out of the vents. Only defrost and down low.

[@uxwbill]

The only thing impacted by the o-rings is operation of the mode (floor, defrost, recirculate, vent) doors. Odds are good that replacing the climate control head or its o-rings will solve _that_ problem. The blend door is another matter entirely.

[@900bcy6]

The blend door motor died on my 08 GM. I did not have an error code...only hot air even in AC mode. So the problem may be with your vent control unit. Had to remove the dash and rt air bag to get to the unit. Could only get to two of the screws holding it in so pried out the unreachable tab. Cut the tab off the new controller and used only two screws to attach it. Deenergized the air bag 24 hours before the job. What a pain in the a$$ job, but saved $800..

[@Bleachanna]

mine only blows out of the front vents, any ideas?

[@uxwbill]

If you have a Ford Panther car with EATC, there's a very good chance it is just the o-rings.

[@Bleachanna]

i found out what the problem is, someone broke the vacuum line and shoved it into the one to make it come out of the front vents, i fixed the line, everything worked for one drive. got back in fired her up. now it is doing what this one was doing, i tested all of the actuators with the vacuum they all work. so i need to look at the module now?

[@Bleachanna]

if i knew how easy it was to check this i would have looked 2 months ago... LOL!

[@DavidScheiber]

jbweld plasticweld? it is really liquid at first but after an hour it becomes a slightly rubbery and slightly malleable (not rigid)

[@michaellevy3837]

Got a 01 town car....my climate control lights up but won't even come on.....I got another one.....and it's doing the same thing....

[@uxwbill]

You need to perform diagnostics, and not just throw parts at it. Check fuses, wiring, actuators, and if you really want to do it right , get the *factory* wiring diagrams. A basic multimeter will also come in very handy.

[@nicholass281]

I have a 2008 ford crown Vic p71 that I recently bought with 80k miles. Before I bought it the Freon leaked out and the seller had it replaced. When I bought it had working cold a/c. Now I’m having a problem where I have my temperature at the lowest setting and it would blow 75 degrees or above. Sometimes one vent will blow ice cold air and another would blow burning hot air and another would blow air from outside that’s 80 degrees also when u try to use my heater when it’s like 47 degrees at night it does not work. Does anyone possibly know the problem?

[@jamesmcqueen6038]

If you have vacuum on the black line just use a jumper tuning from the black line to the other lines or colors. you don't need to use the pumper every time .

[@uxwbill]

Not enough hose adapters to do so.

[@anthonyholloway6200]

I fixed my blower motor ,my blend door motor, put a new compressor on an still have no heat..what could be the problem

[@uxwbill]

"Shotgun" repairs don't work. The A/C compressor has nothing to do with heat. It should be pretty obvious if the fan is working at all. If you have the automatic climate controls, there is a built in test for the blend door motor. If you don't, you could still watch or listen for the blend motor when it is running. If the problem is lack of heat, start with the components responsible for heat: coolant level, engine thermostat, engine cooling system, heater core, etc. If you don't know what you're doing, take the car somewhere and have it serviced professionally.

[@anthonyholloway6200]

uxwbill already changed the blend door motor

[@uxwbill]

Did you read a thing I wrote? Go back and try again.

[@anthonyholloway6200]

uxwbill did u read I thing I wrote

[@uxwbill]

Every word. Take your car to someone qualified and have it repaired, because you're not. Seriously.

[@jontaylove25]

I have heat at idle cold when driving 3 flushes in now

[@uxwbill]

Thermostat stuck open?

[@LTMedia]

Is that Subaru passing through or part of the fleet now? :p

[@Xiefux]

I only clicked on video to see the cat

[@uxwbill]

Thanks for the support. I'm glad to know that people are getting so much out of my videos!

[@thesmashtvnetwork]

sound like what wrong with my mother car it not same brand but sound like that what wrong blow out heat and will not shut off

[@EgoShredder]

Bill was not working on the exhaust system today, but you did get to see the Automatic Temperature Control Module! ;-)

[@uxwbill]

So in the first half an hour or so of this video's being available, not a one of the six initial comments has had even the slightest redeeming value. Pardon me if I sound cross, but *come on* . And only one of the commenters has even the slightest excuse.

[@dylanlindsay1993]

can u make a video about a dell optiplex 760 usff cuz i have one and it keeps turning on for about 7-10 seconds randomly about every 20-40 minutes even when the computer is turned off

[@uxwbill]

Sorry. I don't own that version of the 760. Even if I did, I've never seen a fault like that. You'll have to troubleshoot on your own. I'd recommend starting with the power supply.

[@twocvbloke]

If the plastic is cracking up, it's best to find a replacement (used or new, whichever's easiest), glopping cracks up with a glue to seal it up would probably last a short while before the rest of the plastic fails too, just another example of planned obsolescence...

[@vwestlife]

If called by a Panther, don't anther.

[@uxwbill]

That's a good book.

[@robertsimmons9423]

Awsome very helpful

[@infinitecanadian]

Is the cat let outside unsupervised?

[@uxwbill]

It's not my cat, so I don't really know. I think the neighbors put it inside at night.

[@infinitecanadian]

uxwbill Ah. Sorry; one of my pet peeves is to see cats outside, because they harm wildlife.

[@infinitecanadian]

Dan Glesak The world cannot do its thing if it is interrupted by irresponsible people who let invasive species run roughshod over the environment.

[@uxwbill]

Here I've got to disagree with you. Cats *are* wildlife if not socialized early on with humans. I'm also not at all sold on the notion that their presence in an ecosystem is in any way harmful. If anything, I've found the cats around here (most of which are people's pets, some are feral) to be a benefit. Rabbits defoliating everything in my garden was a huge problem until the cats showed up -- this year I've not had that problem and haven't seen a single solitary rabbit. Raccoons were another problem, getting into people's trash, damaging their property (roofs especially) and while I really wonder if a cat is aggressive enough to take on a 'coon and win, I've only seen one this year and haven't had the problem with damage to my roof or trash being strewn all over. (The trash cans live in a fenced in area, though it's not like animals can't get in there.) Excessive cat *populations* can certainly be a problem.

[@infinitecanadian]

uxwbill Cats are a manmade species and therefore not natural. Ask any wildlife expert at all and they will tell you the same. I know someone who runs a wildlife rehabilitation centre and she says that 95% of all wildlife injuries are caused by cats, both feral and domestic. Cats are okay if you have a farm because there are enough mice and rats, but if you live in a city, they prey upon the local bird population.

[@breakingandfixingstuff]

Damn! Looks like I have two problems, a leaky control unit and a faulty blend door.

[@uxwbill]

They tend to come along in pairs...

[@kahnartist26]

Who's Subaru is that?

[@james42519]

why would they use vaccume lines that will mess up sometime instead of electric co controlled? that is kinda a bad design. i don't like auto. i like having high cold air high fan on my face all the time. i do have a 94 toyota camry that has no auto mode though. i am used to setting to outside air when it is hot out and opening back window for a min to get the hot air out and setting to recirculate and closing windows when i get in car. also sure you know but the way ac works you should set to outside air when it is hot out because the air outside is not as hot as the air inside usually. it will cool it faster. open back windows helps get hot air out fast too. after a min set to recirculate to keep the cool air cool inside.

[@uxwbill]

It's probably got a lot to do with the fact that this is an older design, simply updated slightly in its later years before Ford ended production of the Panthers. In their last few years of production, it seems like Ford was equipping all of these cars identically. Had it been my choice, I wouldn't have ordered an automatic climate control.

[@theloneone381]

The one in my dads 2003 Grand Marquis Ultimate Edition is VERY VERY VERY VERY RAPIDLY! changing the fan speed ALL. ON. ITS. OWN. Once it starts doing that, you can't do anything to stop it. It doesn't do it right away, but I wish it would stop.

[@Foolishpleazure]

didn't know that Keykeepers real name is "repaired".lol :P

[@timnaami2307]

Maybe paint the manifold body with nail polish?