New to the group! Have AC clicking issues!

[Dhattan27]

I am new to the group. I have a click an issue when I turn my temperature control to full cold. It will stop when I turn it up three click from full cold. Already tried the blend door actuator replacement and that did not do it. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Wunmanband]

Did you replace both actuators or just one? I ran into a similar issue and replaced a blend door actuator that was perfectly fine. That's when I realized there was two

 

[scotman]

I did the left one. It's not very difficult. Just a bit tedious to gain access to.

 

[Wunmanband]

I did the left one. It's not very difficult. Just a bit tedious to gain access to.

Yeah the left one is annoying, the right one is super simple, it's just behind the glove box

 

[Handy Andy]

There are three, the 3rd one handles the heater core AC exchanger and I believe the floor register vents - For MAX AC stuff.

So you know, I've had this happen on other brands and makes so this isn't a new thing to me, but this advice is to help...at least give you options.

IF you haven't already figured out, not all Fiestas' come with MANUAL knobs to control the vents - EU ones did until the Fiesta came to USA - but to speed this up, when you turn off the Climate control - the "O" mark to turn off the FAN - the external vent vane CLOSES off air to the outside and goes to recirculated - preventing ventilation thru the vents to exchange air. This forces you to open a window that can add a level of distraction and noise you can't stay focused on the task of driving. Foggy windows too...

I'd prefer to have ventilation all the time - windows or not, to help me get fresh air - period. But to be forced to Run FAN all the time, seems to be a waste of just enjoying driving and, as needed, open moving air without having to push the electrical - especially on warm days where running AC is a little too much, but even on the cooler mornings, the heater core is more than capable of pushing air into the cabin without having to run that fan to add noise to the journey. It's just the efficiency...Why run the AC to get Defrost, when all you want is just some air to help keep the windows clear of fog?

When you get the "Vents" to work like they should - you usually run a vent system like floor and upper consoler (front window) - or dash vent and floor vent - various combinations thereof...you really don't mess with it - you just "Set and forget". Many with the older Manual types as well as todays electronic ones - all do the same thing. They leave it there....

This gets me to the purpose of this post, the idea here is to be comfortable with the setting, you don't have time to fix vents later in traffic, but at home, you can return the connectors - reconnect them, and the vehicle resets itself just fine - and will operate normally thru your climate control knob.

But if you want to keep the level of distractions and other minor headaches of poor ventilation and noisy working of heaters and Air Conditioning...why "reset" every time you want to just turn off the fan - you lose air vents and air passages at the same time - why? Ask FORD.

Well, if you can't raise the bridge, then lower the water...

Once you get the thing "ventilating" like you want it to, you can pull those connectors, at those actuators - and just run the climate control knob to obtain AC or FAN thru those vents - like they are your DEFAULT. - the 3rd one being part of the Heat/Air/AC side of things, plus it's location - If you don't have to fiddle with it - then don't'! It seems pretty reliable. You'll get heat and the FAN works once you go from O to any setting - if needed, the AC button can be used when it's any setting but O

• Ok, Handy...Er Andy - What does your rant mean?
• When you turn off your Climate Control, as Back to the O setting, it CLOSES the outdoor air vent.
• So this means you have no air going thru any of the vents - cabin air - no exchange to the outside.
• You can watch, verify this, by opening the Glove box, and remove the box so you can see the Passenger Compartment fuse box, and the Climate control and the air "vane".
• Turn on and even adjust the setting of the climate control while the engine runs vehicle parked, and watch the actuator - This one is the Passenger side. The Drivers' side controls many of the console vents and works a plenum chamber that has holes - that line up to the ducts that the blower motor pushes the air thru - that it got by pulling it in from actuator on the Passenger side - that actuator is a simple flap, one side opens to the outside - the other opens to the cabin.
  • That flaps' DEFAULT - is CLOSED to Outside, Open to Inside, So, if you ever wondered why your windows seem to fog up so quickly - the cabin air setting is where the effect comes from. Lack of ventilation to dry or keep dry; upholstery and seats that absorb the moisture from your breath also the humidity from wet shoes, rain and damp dew mornings that it's trapped in with you, and the carpet, and soundproofing materials, inside the cabin.
• As you watch those settings, locate the RECIRCULATED AIR button, and try that. See what that actuator does. That "Vane" operates as you select.
  • Ok, turn the Climate Control to O - to shut off fan, and watch where that actuator vanes position rests. It's default is in the RECIRCULATED AIR position
• I'm not doing this to scare you - but if you have or live in damp environments, water may help your skin and keep you healthy, but it's also why your car suffers the visibility issue of foggy windows. If not taken care of, mold can form and even accelerate corrosion of the wiring inside your vehicle.
  • If you never used Recirculated Air setting, then just pull that connector off the actuator WHEN YOU HAVE THE CLIMATE CONTROL unit on and you want outdoor air all the time the Blower motor is on.
  • If you want ventilation thru a set of vents that your comfortable with, locate the DRIVERS side Actuator, while the unit is on, engine runnnig and the blower is pushing air thru the vents you want to use - or COMMIT to - then pull that Drivers side actuator connector once you're satisfied with the settings while its' on.
• Then once your air vents are set, you can then control your Fan and Defroster - AC all thru that Climate Control - only you just won't have complete control over where the air gets blown to.

The above is what I've done to help my XYL and her Asthma condition, she was also sensitive to molds - so in a way, this vehicle, like any other, can harbor pathogens that can cause harm if they are allowed to thrive in damp humid environments that would normally be found inside your lungs or nostrils.

So, yeah, Cabin air filters can be a good friend, but to make them last longer, they need good fresh clean air to circulate as much as possible. This may seem counterintuitive - its' not, it's simply forcing the air and it's humidity thru the filter media - the AC will remove the humidity, and the filter, as long as air can pass thru it, will dry accordingly. Recirculated Air, although may be cleaned up by passing thru the filter, also harbors those molds and the moisture - that the media will wick up and retain - recycling that process thru and thru again. So changing the cabin air filter is more a normal thing to do like oil changes - if you take care of your engine by following a maintenance schedule - so should your cabin AIR CLEANER.,

I do this trick seasonally, to help keep the interior from getting to humid or damp (foggy windows) by setting the air vents like I want to run it for that season, then pull connectors (while the Climate control is working) while it's operating so you don't have to mess it it wanting to "reset" when it wants to.

In doing this method, it has not set any trouble codes and windows stay clear,

You also have "On/Off" vent vane controls thru the front dash vents by the main console if that air bothers you, or causes eye irritation from dry eye caused by excessive dry air blowing onto your eyeballs as you stare down the rear bumper of the vehicle in front of you - Close those VENTS if you don't need them. It woudl also help in forcing more air thru other vents that help you dry out or keep cooler or warmer as needed...

The only thing this setup (it) will not do, is close for Recirculated air, which in many cases I've found you don't want to have happen - stale or CO2 / CO / Exhaust backup into the interior cabin air can cause a type of drowsiness you're not going to recover from if you stay exposed to it for long periods of time - I'm referring to minutes of time - which, if driving, the condition will wind up killing you. Removing that connector on the Passenger side vane, while running the Climate Control in the OPEN FRESH AIR position (Closed to Cabin means open to outside) will keep the Vane Open and pushing air into the cabin - the Actuator on the Drivers side is the one that directs the air to the vents thru holes in the "drum" plenum system the blower motor uses.

So the post is here to help you in making a decision to help offset other conditions I've overlooked in buying this kind of vehicle. It isn't something you'd consider, in buying options, after owning this vehicle and being my first time encountering this "trapped in a box" level of control in a vehicle. I've found ways to adapt to the vehicle by presetting vents to let me have control of the air levels and ventilation, as I let the climate work as needed for key areas of use - like the front top window vents are on all the time to keep the windshield clear - and by allowing the Climate Control to do it's job with Forced air as needed. With me in more control of the level of efficiency to keep down the noises and still stay comfortable.

When the Climate Control is in the On position (Anything but O) the Fan operates, so will the AC if your have DEFROSTER - but also remember too that the DEFROSTER vane in the Drum also needs to open to clear your windshield. Heat works the same way here too. So again, consider your choices for air control and don't forget to keep fresh air entering in all the time. When Climate is in the O position you get fresh air, but if you want HEAT or DEFROST - then you must move the Control off position O to force the Body Control Module to Work the actuators still connected and the FAN.

Passenger Actuator - RECIRCULATED or Outside AIR
Drivers Actuator - Operates DRUM Plenum to force air thru vanes per Control Setting
Center Actuator - Operates Heater Core and AC Exchanger flow
Climate Control - Operates AC, DEFROST HEAT and FAN thru Any actuator still connected to it. AND BLOWS AIR thru those vents you want when you pulled the actuator once the Drum rotated into your wanted - desired position.

So basically, Whatever Actuator is still there - preferably the 3rd and even Drivers side as needed, the RECIRCULATED just stays open - but you'll get HEAT, AIR AC thru the vents - using outside air.

Blower motor (FAN) is on a relay - including AC and a resistor tiered system (Speed control) and is always on, until "O" is selected.

Biggest help in keeping windows clear is just pulling Passenger Actuator Connector just to force air into the cabin using the procedure of Recirculated versus Open Air process above..

If you live in a flood prone area, RECIRCULATED setting does not protect you.

If you live in smog-prone areas, the Cabin filter is your best defense.

IF you are stuck behind a 76' AMC Pacer - well, you have my sympathies but this too shall pass...

You decide...