I'm the proud owner of a '96 Windstar. I live in upstate NY and it's getting down to the 30's at night here. My van has no cabin heat. The temp gauge on the dash reads normal, as it always has. Both heater hoses in and out of the heater coreare hot after warm up. The heat controls in the cabin change nothing. I get cold air only in the cabin. Is there a trouble shooting list out there? Does anyone have any suggestions from past experience with Windstars (or any Ford)? Thanks.

 

I dont know if you checked your antifreeze level in the radiator but do that first. I have a 2000 and the heat/ac actuator motor went out and it was stuck on cold,it is behind the radio,my was a white box held on by 3 screws check that out to see if its working. It cost about $44 at NAPA. Took about 20 minutes to remove then 20 minutes to install. Good luck!

 

Yes, I checked the coolant level first.
How did you test the actuator motor to see if it's working? Can you see it functioning (or not) with a change of the controls?

 

After i pulled everything out I climbed under and moved the selector back and forth and watch to see if the shaft moved, you need a good flashlight and some flexability to fit up in there. You may be able to see it from the pass. side easier. Does it make any noise when you switch it back and forth? Mine made a clicking noise when it was broken.

 

I don't hear any clicking noise. This may not be the problem but worth a look.
Thanks!

 

I checked the operation of the controls. All 3 vac. actuators move as they should when adjustments are made at the control. I pulled the electronic actuator motor that operates the A/C heat blend door. That motor works fine to. So, the controlls and actuators work fine. I'm convinced that the blend door itself is broken. My next task is to pull it apart. I'm thinking that's a several hours process.I understand that the doorcannot be purchased separately. I think that the door is broken where is connects to the motor arm. Does anyone have a suggested repair?

 

Update: The blend door is broken at the point that it connects to the motor. I pulled the heater core out and was thenable to see the door. I can't get the door out of the plenum. So, I wasn't able to repair the door. I propped the door up, which gives me heat but not A/C. The correct fix is to pull the whole entire unit and replace it. My repair manual doesn't even give instructions on how to pull the unit, as it's A/C and requires a certified tech, according to the book. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to modify/fix the broken door? Or should I just buy a chevy?

 

on fords its common for the blend door motor to stop working or the blend door to crack at the top and not move.there isnt any replacement door or repair for it you have to replace the hvac box in its entirety.this is the only fix for it.or just leave it like it is and change it manualy.but if i were you id get rid of the windstar boy did ford screw up when they made that one,lots of problems with windstars.

 

http://www.dormanproducts.com/catalo...rActuators.pdf

Check out this web site. It did not list Windstar but give them a call mabe they do.

 

Something I experienced with my mothers car some years ago. It was a ford car but can't remember much about year or anything. But the controls on the heat/ac are vacuum controlled. I used a vacuum pump to test each line until I found the one that worked the door. The door worked fine when a vacuum was put on it. Which I borrowed the tool from Autozone. After I determined it was not the door I replaced the control unit, $500, and everything worked fine. To have the door replaced was going to be expensive. And every auto place I went to told me it was the door and they had to pull the dash out and it was going to be something like $3k. They would have been wrong and it would have cost heck out of me. So I would suggest borrowing the tool from Autozone and checking the vauum lines from behind the control unit.
Good Luck