Hi, I'm trying to find some one in my area who can help my husband and I out with a Ford Expedition 2003 A/C problem. I am a FEMALE yes, but I do know how to follow directions and make small repairs on our vehicle. I'm doing this because my husband is needing heart surgery and getting out in the heat for doctor appt's etc is making him worse. I have paid two local mechanics 780.00 total to send me home BOTH times with a/c that lasted 2 days and then 3 minutes down the road 2nd time. I cant pay rent and they've successfully taken advantage of me being a female So here's the issue:. I first noticed the "Mist" from the vents as many call it inside the cab. The A/c pressure kept checking out perfect. Then I started smelling a strong chemical smell inside the cab and after the a/c started blowing warm and I rolled down the windows, it was even stronger. The 2nd mechanic told me it was a bad heat coil which we suspected, and it was actually leaking coolant down along the passenger side of the expedition onto the tail pipe causing us to get sick off those fumes. After paying him 656.00 2 weeks ago, the a/c worked 2 times and now blows HOT Hot air. No more smells and a second visit to 2nd mechanic showed nothing wrong he can see, but he said he thought it was a little motor that costs 57.00 maybe and his labor would be another 210.00. However he's not guaranteeing thats whats wrong. I dont know what to do but I have changed out a few window motors and light engine items before, and if I'm able I have to try to fix this for my husband. Any one have any ideas, it would be so appreciated.

 

We do not know at this point if the problem is within the A/C system itself or one of the controls that directs the cooled air inside the vehicle.
If , for instance, it is a problem with the air cond system itself that would need to be confirmed before anything further is done.
If the air cond system is functioning as it is supposed to, then there could be a problem with one of the small motors that controls where the air is directed.
It appears you may have been taken advantage of by some people, but it may be time to go to a reputable shop that , may charge a little more, but will fix the problem right and guarantee their work.

 

Thank you. I have contacted our local ford dealership but not sure if theyll be able to help us due to finances but I do appreciate the advice.

 

Michael, some checking you can do on your own. Let's try to find out if the AC system is to blame or if it is a problem with the air ducts.
Under the hood you find 2 metal AC pipes. One has a "L" low pressure access valve and the other has a "H" high pressure valve. The low pressure pipe typically has a larger diameter than the high pressure pipe. Don't touch the valves, just use them to identify the pipes if needed. If you run the AC the low pressure pipe gets cold. So if that pipe gets cold under the hood but the air does not get cold in the vehicle then you have a problem with the duct work.

 

sounds to me like you had a leak in the evaporator which the first tech fixed. If the current problem turns out to be a blend door actuator failure, its a separate issue. We do not have enough information to determine this at this time.


when you move the temp control from hot to cold (key on, hvac on) do you hear any sound as the actuator moves the door? you should also hear a change in airflow as the door reroutes air moving through the hvac housing.


make sure the a.c compressor is cycling on....check the compressor clutch at the drivebelt. if the clutch is not turning; you probably have a leak in the system. Its 13 yo....so its not uncommon to get small leaks....not like the huge leak you already had.

 

I read the two new posts this morning. The leak was a greenish liquid that would drip very minimally down onto the tail pipe. My husband saw it at the 1st mechanics garage, as he asked him to take another look. They said nothing was wrong at that point we still had air and basically did not want to do anymore to help with it and sent us home to wait, that was 130.00. The air went out two days later. The 2nd Mech. we asked to look at the leak and the heating coil for the front system. He pulled out the heat coil which was soaked, my husband saw that as it came out, so we know that was bad. it worked 2 days again after that bill of 656.00. We took it back to 2nd mech. he said it could be the motor that tells the heat/cold where to go. wanted the 56.00 for part and 210.00 + Tax for Labor. Offered to clamp a hose that could reroute the air so it would work until we have the money. and after he clamped the hose 4 minutes the cool air went out down the road to a heated air worse than before(Possibly because here in Gulf Shores AL, its over 100 heat index by 11am). The vehicle model is Ford expedition-2002 4.6 V8 Automatic. I did check the larger and smaller a/c pipes as "bluewind" suggested, and the pipe gets a little cooler after a few minutes on MAX AIR and the vents were still blowing out hot air. I also checked to see if it would have cool air coming from the other settings like on defrost etc...still hot air. I'm frustrated. If I can be directed to fix this through pictures or Skype I know some one will have a big mansion in heaven for helping my husband during this time. He is a Veteran 53 and has heart problems from getting Rheumatic Fever while in service. Still fighting system to get him medical benefits he's earned- and he's not able to go back to work till he receives a needed surgery.

 

well please update us also .

 

Micheal's Wife:
I am not quite sure what this thing is that you call "front heating coil". Maybe you meant heater core?

"We took it back to 2nd mech. he said it could be the motor that tells the heat/cold where to go. wanted the 56.00 for part and 210.00 + Tax for Labor." ----This motor thing is what we call "blend door actuator" and " recirc actuator".

"Offered to clamp a hose that could reroute the air so it would work until we have the money. and after he clamped the hose 4 minutes the cool air went out down the road to a heated air worse than before."------I have difficulty understanding what the mechanic did. The air usually does not go through hoses but through ducts. There are hoses that bring hot antifreeze (other word: engine coolant) from the engine into the heater core. He may have clamped off a heater core hose.

"the pipe gets a little cooler after a few minutes on MAX AIR and the vents were still blowing out hot air."---------This tells me that the AC system is not working right. It may be bad news. It could be:
a. another leak
b. bad compressor
c. contaminated refrigerant

Either way I feel this is too difficult to try fix on your own. It requires special equipment that you don't have.
I give you a youtube here so you can see how involved this whole thing is:

And finally here is Scotty Kilmer. I caution you though. Scotty makes everything look easier than it is in prctice.

I think this is all I can do at this point.

All the best!