Blendoor question

[beerdog]

Well, after 11 years the blendoor finally broke and I have no heat. It broke at the grey arm and the metal bar is hanging from the black arm. I can reach in through the glove box and grab it. I will only be driving the car for a few more weeks. Then it goes in storage for the winter. My question is can the blendoor be manually manipulated to give me the defroster heat until I am able to fix it?

 

[Jamesvinar]

If you can manually operate it from the glovebox access the i would say yes. On mine ive left it on the cool spot and i still get heat through the defrost as long as the temp is set at 90.

 

[beerdog]

I hoked a coat hanger to the bar and pulled it. The heat comes out good. IF I could figure out how to wedge the grey arm to the full open position the heat comes out real good from the defrost and floor. I suspect the gray actuator has been broken for a long time because the car has not put out good heat from both positions for a long time. Thanks.

 

[BlackIceLSC]

If its just the GRAY arm that broke, they slide on to the actuator and are still available from Ford for about $12
I bought a new one for my 98 because the arm itself broke. attached it to the metal rod and then slid it on to the actuator.
it can be done without removing any part of the dash.

 

[MarkVIIIMarc]

My grey arm is partially broken. I take out the glovebox, put a rubberband on and crank to to heat. Then put the glovebox back in. Over the summer I do the reverse.

My theory is if that blend door only moves 2 or 4 times a year it is really unlikely to break vs moving the 1,010,101 times a month necessary to maintain 69 degrees or whatever I set it to.

 

[beerdog]

I thought about trying something like that. Did not consider using a rubber band.

 

[Mad1stGen]

I thought about trying something like that. Did not consider using a rubber band.

Beluga band. Friday. Done.