Famous blend door actuator issue

[Jakenbake]

Follow up. Since I do not have any control over the passenger side temperature, would that be the blend door actuator behind the radio?

 

[dhanni848]

For passenger control the one behind the radio fixed that. You just need to pull the radio and lower the glove box to get that one. Some good YouTube videos on that.

 

[Jakenbake]

Thanks. I will take a look at those videos. I know my wife will appreciate the ability to turn the heat down lol.

 

[dhanni848]

Thanks. I will take a look at those videos. I know my wife will appreciate the ability to turn the heat down lol.

haha, mine went to all cold. I still have clicking but think it is the one at the feet. Just dealing with it right now

 

[Jakenbake]

So I found a video on youtube of a guy installing a lock pick kit on a 2013, mine is a 2014 for reference. The procedure appears to be the same for removing the radio and while I am in there I would be changing the actuator.

Can anyone confirm that you have to remove the three bolts for the passenger air bag to be able to get the stereo out? It looks like you move the air bag over to remove the vertical silver piece that houses the air vent to be able to remove the blue center part that houses the screen and HVAC controls.

Side note, I saw the fordtechmakuloco video and he did a 2009-2010 without the center console/ 7 inch screen and he did not remove the air bag but based on the two videos they attach differently and it does not look like you can do it on mine that way.

If it is required to remove the air bag, do I need to take any precautions aside from disconnecting the battery? Fuse pull, disconnect the air bag wires? Be really gentle/careful lol?

Thanks.

 

[dhanni848]

I have a 2011 so not sure of the differences to your year, but I did not remove the airbag. Removed the radio and behind that to the right is the actuator with 2 screws, drop the glove box and look up and left to see it. Front screw get from behind radio area, back screw sucks but can get with arm through glove box opening. If you have larger arms it may be an issue.

 

[Jakenbake]

Does yours have the 7” screen or no? To be able to remove radio and screen it looks like there is one screw that holds the blue center stack (item that houses the screen and controls) that is hidden by the air vent trim piece. I am hoping I can gently move that trim piece over to access that one screw but I imagine I will have to follow the lock pick video.

For reference I’ll post the link to that video I found.

 

[Jakenbake]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1h_5mKgKw0

 

[vanndamage]

I just recently went through this problem. Actuator that controlled heat to driver side and back went out. After all the research I did, looks like a lot of work had to be done to get to that actuator (dash pull). Took it to local repair shop and paid for them to pull dash and replace not just only the bad actuator, but the other 3 while they were in there. Everything works like a champ, work is warrantied for 2 years or 24k, which ever last longer.

 

[PD1744]

OP, 100% your issue is the blend actuator in the bottom center and is the hardest to service by far. I believe this controls driver side temps.
Just did both mine last week and before I tore into it, I was convinced it was the upper one behind the radio because that was where the sound appeared to be coming from. When I changed that upper one out, realized it had been recently done by a previous owner.
When you seemed to be casually pulling out the lower one, I knew you weren't talking about the right one. So upper one behind radio controls passenger side (I believe) temp. Lower one controls driver side temp. Above the glove is the recirc. as we know and the one I think you were talking about (in the Driver footwell) is mode door. So if you have a problem switching modes between vent, floor, and defrost look there. Temp, the two centers, and re-circulation is in the passenger dash.
To get the lower one without pulling the entire system, you have to remove the center flow through console. I also pulled the seats, carpet and rear floor vent ducting to get a good look at her. Then you literally have to hack off a plastic mounting boss that holds the plastic ducting up, just to be able to wiggle it out because it is smack dab in front of it. You also have to break the rear mounting tab to get out the old one as the screw is pretty much inaccessible, and then you won't be able to put a screw back in there either. You have to sort of hold it with one screw and wedge it into position with all the duct work beneath it. Super hacky, but get's the job done. It's not bad once you just commit to getting it done. The hardest bits for me were reconnecting the harness to the lower actuator and getting the shifter cable on and off the shifter assembly.
And I did not have to disconnect any airbags on my 2011 if that's helpful to anybody. Just worked from left to right and shimmied the trim panels loose.
Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any questions.