(Solved) Blend door RESET doesn't work! Now What?
The HVAC system can be a complex unit full of doors and passages that move warm air and cold air to the vents.
In this article, we will look at what it takes to reset the actuators in your Ford and how to fix them when the reset does not work.
Check out the case study at the bottom of the page on a Ford F-150 that had a bad actuator that would not reset.
How do you reset an air blend door actuator?
There are a few ways to "reset" your blend door motor and it may be needed if a new actuator is installed.
Most newer vehicles will go through an "initialization" process the first minute or two when the vehicle is started or when the ignition switch is turned on.
In this initialization process, the HVAC module will activate all of the actuators and make sure they are on position and in the correct area.
This process will also check the circuits of the actuators to make sure they are intact.
When a blend door motor does not want to initialize, it may need a "hard" reset to get back into working order.
This can usually be done by pulling the fuse to the actuators and HVAC module or disconnecting the battery.
Though this process can be effective on a software issue, it is not going to do any good on a hardware issue.
A hardware issue may include a bad blend door actuator or a broken blend door inside the HVAC housing.
Use the piece from the old blend door actuator to check if the blend door is still working. It should move back and forth smoothly. Just remember to remove this piece before installing the new blend door actuator.
This can also hinder the diagnostic process by clearing any codes that are stored in the HVAC module pertaining to blend door issues.
Resetting the blend door actuator does not work
If you have a clicking sound coming from your dashboard area and suspect a blend door actuator, a reset is not going to work.
The reason is that there is a mechanical issue with the blend door actuator. The clicking noise is usually the internal plastic gears in the blend door actuator breaking or slipping.
A reset will not work on circuit problems with the blend door actuator. The internal electrical part of the blend door motor has to be working properly. If an internal short or open has occurred, the blend door will not work. In some cases, this issue will throw a code in the HVAC control module.
A reset will also not work on mechanical issues with the blend door itself. The blend door motor moves the blend door to various positions depending on the input from the driver. If a door becomes jammed, the blend door actuator could break the door.
What is a blend door motor/ actuator?
The blend door actuator is a small electric motor that moves doors in the HVAC housing. The temperature blend door actuator moves the door which affects the temperature of the air that comes out of the vents.
In some cases, there will be two temperature blend door actuators. One to control the cold or hot air on the driver's side, and one for the passenger side.
There are other actuators in the HVAC housing that affect the flow of air. This would be the mode door actuator. It controls the floor vents (floor setting), defrost, and vents setting.
The door actuators usually consist of 2 or 3 screws and an electrical connector.
What are some bad blend door actuator symptoms?
Symptoms of a bad blend door actuator are:
A clicking or knocking sound
A fault code in the HVAC module
Not moving
Moving a little and then stopping
Inconsistent temperature coming out of the vents
Make sure to remove all pieces of the old blend door actuator from the HVAC housing.
Do blend door actuators need to be calibrated?
Most blend door actuators do need to be calibrated. This is so the new actuator can learn the blend door position.
In some cases, the HVAC module will calibrate all of the actuators when the ignition is turned on.
You can check to see if your vehicle does this and how to replace your blend door actuator at AlldataDIY.
Why does a blend door need to be calibrated?
Calibration of the actuators will allow them to move and stop in the correct position without damaging the door.
The HVAC module monitors the actuator stop points to make sure that the actuator is in the correct position.
If the actuator is not in the correct position, it will usually result in a fault code and incorrect temperature coming out of the vents.
Any blend door actuator replacement usually requires calibration.
How hard is it to replace a blend door actuator?
Most blend door actuator replacements can be a simple process that only takes a couple of minutes.
But there are some actuators that require a long time to remove. Check out the case study below to see the Ford F-150, which had a blend door actuator behind the radio.
Sometimes the whole dashboard has to come out to replace one actuator. In this instance, it can cost a lot of money.
If you want to see the removal procedure for your vehicle, try AlldataDIY. They have step-by-step processes to remove any component on your car.
Blend door actuator behind the radio
Case Study
In this case study, we are going to look at a Ford F-150 that could not move to cold air and was always stuck on hot air.
The customer came in with a complaint that the temperature would not change coming out of his vents. It would always be hot air coming out of the vents and would not respond to the HVAC controls.
There would be some instances that it would be cool air, but most of the time it would be stuck on hot air.
From experience, I knew this was a bad blend door actuator or some sort of blend door issue.
The first thing I did was try to find the Ford blend door actuator.
When I used AlldataDIY, I found that the blend door actuator was located in the center of the dashboard, behind the radio. You could see part of it when you removed the glove box, but it was easier to remove the screws when the radio was removed.
In some cases, part of the dash has to be removed to replace a blend door actuator.
With the glove compartment removed, I could actually see the blend door actuator try to move when I moved the temperature controls. It looked like it was moving a tiny amount and then slipping back to the original position.
Blend door actuator can be seen when the glove box is removed.
I knew at this point that pulling the HVAC fuse or "resetting" the actuator would not work.
It is a mechanical failure of the actuator.
The only thing to do was to replace the blend door actuator.
What fixed this Ford F-150?
After replacing the blend door actuator, the temperature worked as it should and the customer was happy!
Most of the time, you can watch a youtube video that will give simple steps to remove the blend door actuator to get you back and running!
But if you want detailed instructions on how to remove the temperature blend door in your specific vehicle, then try AlldataDIY!
AlldataDIY has step-by-step repair procedures on everything on your vehicle, plus wiring diagrams and technical service bulletins that can make your weekend repair job ten times easier!
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