Annoyed by your Explorer air conditioning system? You are not alone. A lot of people do face problems with their Ford Explorer heater.
You might seek solutions for the ford explorer heater problems.
Ford explorer heaters can malfunction because of a broken blower motor, or a bad thermostat. It can also happen because of low coolant levels and faulty climate control units. You need to replace the broken blower motor or thermostat to fix your AC. Also stopping the coolant leakage will work too.
Read till the end of this article and know more about the steps to solve this problem.
Problems with the Ford Explorer Heater
Having issues with your air conditioning system is not that rare. There can be three types of issues with your air conditioning system.
- Only hot air flow
- Only cool airflow
- AC not turning on
These three problems are very common. Now, let’s discuss the issues and solutions here.
Broken Heater Blower Motor
You might wonder why is your Ford explorer heater not working. A broken blower motor is the most common reason for AC malfunctioning in your Ford Explorer.
The blower motor helps the air condition system to function properly. The blower can stop functioning for a lot of reasons. Let’s take a look into those:
Bad Capacitor
The most common issue of a blower motor not working is because of a bad capacitor. A capacitor’s job is to store and discharge electricity.
This creates artificial electricity for the motor. And because of that the blower motor turns on and runs well. But if your blower motor is not turning on then it can be because of a bad capacitor.
Solution
We can test if our capacitor is in good condition. To check that follow the below steps-
- Turn off the power
- Remove the electrical wires
- Mount a bleed resistor to the capacitor (it will bleed off any residual voltage)
- Keep the bleed resistor for about 4 seconds
- Take off the bleed resistor
- Connect a multimeter to the capacitor (the multimeter should be able to read MFD)
- Wait a second and the reading will appear
A good capacitor will show the reading of what it’s written on the body. If the capacitor is bad then it will have a lower reading than the mentioned amount.
Replace the capacitor if it has a low amount.
Bad Stuck bearing
Badly stuck bearings in the blower motor can be a very good cause of blower motor failure. Check the bearings by rotating them.
If one of them is stuck or tight then that bearing is not going to work. Thus the blower motor will not work.
Solution
Adding some lubricant to the bearing might help to solve this issue. However, if you still face problems you should seek help from experts.
Failed Control Board
A control board is connected to the blower motor. Usually, the control board is connected with a number of wires and it controls the blower motor.
You run a few tests to be sure that the main problem lies in the control board.
Solution
You need a replacement in the control board with a new one to solve the problem. Otherwise, if the board is fine check the connection in the wires.
Also do take a look at the wires so that they are not torn. Faulty wires can be replaced as well.
Faulty Resistor
Your air conditioning system might only work at high speed. It happens when you have a faulty resistor.
If your AC is stuck at one speed then it is also likely a bad resistor is there. And the motor will stop functioning if the resistor is burnt.
Solution
The blower motor is located under the passenger side dashboard. From the blower motor, unplug the electrical connector.
Then use a multimeter and connect the probes to the connector. Use one at each time. Otherwise, a short circuit can happen and the fuse might blow up.
Then turn on your air conditioning system. The reading should be around twelve volts.
If you don’t find any reading or find it only at a specific speed then there is a bad resistor.
Replace your resistor as soon as possible to get rid of this problem.
Broken Fuse
The air conditioning system works with the help of electricity. That’s why a broken fuse is a very natural cause of AC problems.
Faulty fuses cause the circuit to be disrupted, which prevents the motor from operating.
Solution
Use your Explorer’s manual to find the exact location of the fuse. Then pull the fuse out of the fuse box to check. You can use a needle for this if the fuse puller is not near you.
The fuse has blown if the metal strip is torn in half. You need to replace the fuse with a new one in that case.
Be careful to replace the fuse with the exact same amp rating and color. The insert direction is not necessary here.
Faulty Climate Control Unit
The climate control unit is very important for an air conditioning system. It is so important that it is considered the brain of the system.
It controls the speed of the blower motor. A faulty climate control unit can interfere with the blower motor’s function. It can stop the blower motor from working.
But this is a rare case. Usually, the climate change unit doesn’t affect the blower motor. But sometimes it does.
Solution
Replacing the faulty climate control unit may solve the problem. However, it is best to take help from professionals for this solution.
Low Coolant
Coolant is basically a mixture of water and antifreeze. Your engine’s coolant also serves as a heat source for the heating system, preventing the engine from overheating.
The ford explorer heater core will blow cold air into your car. If there isn’t enough coolant in your system.
That’s when your ford explorer heater blows cold air instead of a heated engine.
Solution
Top off your coolant to check whether it is the main or not. Also, do check for any kind of leakage if you refilled the coolant earlier.
Bad Thermostat
A bad thermostat is one of the reasons why your Explorer’s heater is not working. Symptoms of bad thermostats are-
- Engine overheating
- Erratic temperature change
- Blown head gasket
Engine Overheating
The most common symptom of a bad thermostat is engine overheating. When the thermostat won’t open up.
As a result, the coolant cannot enter the engine. When this occurs, the engine quickly overheats while the coolant in the radiator remains comparatively cool.
Erratic temperature change
There will be an erratic change in temperature if there is a bad thermostat. The needle in the dashboard temperature gauge will fluctuate.
It will fluctuate between the highest and lowest point. It happens due to thermostat failure.
Blown Head Gasket
When the engine overheats there is a high chance that the head gasket can blow up. The Head gasket basically stays between the combustion chamber and the cylinders.
The Head gasket is a seal between these two. The head gasket ensures that the seal is tight enough. And keeps coolant, oil, and compressed mixture in its place.
It separates the gas and coolant flow in the engine. So when the head gasket is blown up, there is a coolant leakage in the engine. It is one of the signs of a blown head gasket.
The lack of coolant can affect the performance of AC.
Solution
A replacement of the thermostat can help get rid of all these issues. It is harder to repair this than to replace it. That is why you can replace it.
Here are some products you can use-
FAQs
Why would my car overheat but the heater blows cold air?
A faulty radiator cap is the main reason for this problem. Also, a blown head gasket can be a reason. A blown head gasket can cause engine failure due to coolant leakage. So, check immediately if your gasket is blown or not if you have a heated engine but cool air.
Why is my heater not working and my car overheating?
It happens because coolant might not circulate properly in your engine. Because of that, the engine is not cooling down. As a result, no heat comes from the heater because the engine is overheated. Supplying sufficient coolant will fix the problem. There can be a leakage too.
Is the blend door open or closed for heat?
Blend doors work by vacuum motors. Blend doors open and close and prevent heat from entering the passenger compartment. Basically, it controls the temperature and airflow in the passenger cabin.
Conclusion
Hope this discussion helped you with your query about ford explorer heater problems. We appreciate your commitment to reading the entire article.
If this article was helpful then comment below with your thoughts and let us know.
Enjoy your day!
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