SSM 49264 - Climate Control Temperature Will Not Adjust With Clicking/Snapping Noise From The Dash

[Blue Streak]

My concern now is what other damage might be done when adjusting the temp from hot to cool after the vehicle is warmed up to temp, ( because this is when the warpage happens)by shimming the cam outward. I can say that it is very hard to move the door manually after temp is hot. ? That being said my manual control is pushing more straight back & forth. The control rod moves up with pin movement of the door. So if the cam starts the movement upward before back it might not be quite has had to move. But as I have said when it is cool it is very easy to move.

Sponsored

 

[airline tech]

My concern now is what other damage might be done when adjusting the temp from hot to cool after the vehicle is warmed up to temp, ( because this is when the warpage happens)by shimming the cam outward. I can say that it is very hard to move the door manually after temp is hot. ? That being said my manual control is pushing more straight back & forth. The control rod moves up with pin movement of the door. So if the cam starts the movement upward before back it might not be quite has had to move. But as I have said when it is cool it is very easy to move.

That is a good point - but it can't really do any more damage (cost wise).
But the lever may bend more or even break off.
The manual (solution) you have does have a benefit, as you can control the amount of force being applied, the DC Motor is going to drive with force and the only break away would be internal actuator gears jumping.

I am thinking once the warpage or the shaft becomes deformed the plastic has already memory shaped itself.
Now hot and cold variances become more crucial in how easily the shaft will rotate, heat will make the plastic expand just enough to create drag and tension that the actuator must push past.
With the manual control you are feeling this and have some control of the force being applied.

 

[Dean]

So I played with the Ranger's climate control this afternoon. My problem is just on the driver's side. I will attempt to pull the servo on the driver's side this weekend.

I'm at 17k miles on a 2019 which is out of warranty and I'm and not pulling the dash out for the official repair. Not unless Ford coughs up something.

In the worst case a temp workaround for a/c use is to to shut off the driver's dash vents and blast the a/c out the passenger side.

 

[airline tech]

So I played with the Ranger's climate control this afternoon. My problem is just on the driver's side. I will attempt to pull the servo on the driver's side this weekend.

I'm at 17k miles on a 2019 which is out of warranty and I'm and not pulling the dash out for the official repair. Not unless Ford coughs up something.

In the worst case a temp workaround for a/c use is to to shut off the driver's dash vents and blast the a/c out the passenger side.

So, question - If you place the system in (manual) and drive the driver's side full scale up and down- do you get any sound of the actuator moving? - popping or snapping?
Best way to view is with a scan tool.
The reason I am asking is we need to confirm it is electrically trying to move and may just need a code reset or FCIM (Self-Test-Reset) performed or pull fuse #12 for 5-Minutes and re-install.
As if not moving electrically may be something other than the actuator and that is one of the temp sensors.

If you listen very closely you can hear the actuator movement, of course if popping and snapping it's definitely moving but this can be the actuator itself or the pin popping out of the track.

Example:

Left Blend Door Position:
This is the position of the Driver's Temperature Door
Hi (Heat) = 0%
Lo (Cold) = 100%
0% = Full Open
100% = Full Closed

So, a small bit of T-Shoot guidance to isolate the issue.

 

[Dean]

I was listening for clicking and I heard nothing as I adjusted the temp up and down. As if the servo and blend door is not moving at all.

Set to cool, it is cool air out the passenger's vents, tepid air on the driver's side. Once the engine warms up it is warm air out the driver's side.

What software are you using in that photo? I have a proper ODB interface around here somewhere. I was going to play with Fordscan a while back when I first acquired the truck but life got in the way.

 

[airline tech]

I was listening for clicking and I heard nothing as I adjusted the temp up and down. As if the servo and blend door is not moving at all.

Set to cool, it is cool air out the passenger's vents, tepid air on the driver's side. Once the engine warms up it is warm air out the driver's side.

What software are you using in that photo? I have a proper ODB interface around here somewhere. I was going to play with Fordscan a while back when I first acquired the truck but life got in the way.

That was my old Autel Scanner - MS906TS which was retired for warranty, so replaced with an updated version of it, while it was out of commission and awaiting repair or replace status I ended up buying 2 other scan tools (Top-Don & Snap-On) after 2 months Autel finally determined it was not repairable and sent me a upgraded version of what I had for a $200 upgrade fee, so now I have 3 scan tools.

Forscan is great for reading / resetting codes and excellent for As-Built data configs, but it lacks in PID displays and the ones it does display it's cumbersome to get it set up to view what you want, and you must know the specific PID name you want to view.
With that said, I do not believe Forscan will display the FCIM data PIDs for the actuators.
But one cannot complain about Forscan as its basically free as compared to my scan tools which is an expensive investment

If the actuator is not moving then the FCIM has most likely dropped power to it, and a simple reset may bring it back to operational status and more than likely it has set a code.

 

[Dean]

Going to give the fuse 12 reset a try now and I'll let you know the results. Thanks for your assistance.

 

[Dean]

No change with fuse 12 reset.

One thing I do notice is that I no longer have driver/passenger independent temp control. Adjusting temperature on driver's side shows Temp increase/ decrease on the display for both sides. I wonder if that is some sort of fall back operation of the climate control if it detects the blend door failure (or maybe a temp sensor failure as you suggested).

Looks like I'm going to have to buy, rent, beg, borrow, or steal a better ODB scanner to find out what is going on.

 

[Dean]

Looks like the Foxwell 510 elite (~$140) can read FCIM data on Fords. Hard for me to spend $500+ on a code reader unless I am doing this professionally.

 

[RangerBill]

No change with fuse 12 reset.

One thing I do notice is that I no longer have driver/passenger independent temp control. Adjusting temperature on driver's side shows Temp increase/ decrease on the display for both sides. I wonder if that is some sort of fall back operation of the climate control if it detects the blend door failure (or maybe a temp sensor failure as you suggested).

Looks like I'm going to have to buy, rent, beg, borrow, or steal a better ODB scanner to find out what is going on.

There is a Dual button on the climate screen that allows independent selection of temperature. It probably needs to be selected again after the fuse was pulled.

 

[RangerBill]

I was listening for clicking and I heard nothing as I adjusted the temp up and down. As if the servo and blend door is not moving at all.

Set to cool, it is cool air out the passenger's vents, tepid air on the driver's side. Once the engine warms up it is warm air out the driver's side.

What software are you using in that photo? I have a proper ODB interface around here somewhere. I was going to play with Fordscan a while back when I first acquired the truck but life got in the way.

l would use Forscan and see if there are any DTCs that might give a clue to the problem.

Not sure if you said if you tried this, but some have moved the temperature setting all the way down and then all the way up (maybe a couple of times) and found that reset the blend door feedback. You might want to try that if you haven't already.

 

[Dean]

I'll check that.

BTW, Just so I am clear, previously you folks were talking about some washer shims. Would that be at the location of the red arrow in the photo attached?

I never messed with the dual setting in the climate menu. It turned off by itself.

 

[Dean]

Ran Forscan see captured output below.

What I see on the second code is "Circuit Open"

Could this be the "grease getting into the contacts" issue with the servo motor? As described at about 2:52 in this video:


Code: B1081 - Left Temperature Damper Motor

Additional Fault Symptom 07):
- Mechanical Failures

Status (-08):
- Previously Set DTC - Not Present at Time of Request
- Malfunction Indicator Lamp is Off for this DTC

Module: Front Controls Interface Module

Code: B1081 - Left Temperature Damper Motor

Additional Fault Symptom 13):
- Circuit Open

Status (-0A):
- DTC Present at Time of Request
- Malfunction Indicator Lamp is Off for this DTC

Module: Front Controls Interface Module

 

[airline tech]

Did you clear the codes? and then run a FCIM - Self Test?
or
After clearing the codes - place the system back in manual and try to drive the actuator (LH)
by moving the temp selection full travel.
This is where it is critical to pay attention and maybe have your hand on the actuator, so a helper may be needed.
We need to determine if it is trying to move and the door is bound up or it is not even trying to move electrically.

You may try - pulling and reseating the connector
Other than that, it's down to wiring checks and or pulling the actuator apart and trying to clean it and reinstall or replace it.
Plus, with the actuator removed you are able to accomplish 2 things and that is move the door by hand and also with the actuator removed but plugged in, you can check for movement (electrically)

At this point, it appears to be just an electrical issue for the actuator and not the binding issue, but the binding issue may be the root cause, so we have to get it electrically moving first to determine if the door is binding or not.

 

[RangerBill]

Ran Forscan see captured output below.

What I see on the second code is "Circuit Open"

Could this be the "grease getting into the contacts" issue with the servo motor? As described at about 2:52 in this video:


Code: B1081 - Left Temperature Damper Motor

Additional Fault Symptom 07):
- Mechanical Failures

Status (-08):
- Previously Set DTC - Not Present at Time of Request
- Malfunction Indicator Lamp is Off for this DTC

Module: Front Controls Interface Module

Code: B1081 - Left Temperature Damper Motor

Additional Fault Symptom 13):
- Circuit Open

Status (-0A):
- DTC Present at Time of Request
- Malfunction Indicator Lamp is Off for this DTC

Module: Front Controls Interface Module

Here are tests from the shop manual:

PINPOINT TEST L : THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL IS INOPERATIVE OR DOES NOT OPERATE CORRECTLY - LH (LEFT-HAND) SIDE

Refer to Wiring Diagrams Cell 55 for schematic and connector information. Normal Operation and Fault Conditions Temperature Door Actuator - LH Side, REFER to: Climate Control System - Vehicles With: Dual Automatic Temperature Control (DATC) - System Operation and Component Description (412-00 Climate Control System - General Information, Description and Operation). During an actuator calibration cycle, the FCIM drives the temperature door until the door reaches both internal stops in the HVAC case. If the temperature blend door is temporarily obstructed or binding during a calibration cycle, the FCIM can interpret this as the actual end of travel for the door. When this condition occurs and the FCIM commands the actuator to its end of travel, the airflow may not be the expected temperature. DTC Fault Trigger Conditions DTC Description Fault Trigger Condition FCIM B1081:07 Left Temperature Damper Motor: Mechanical Failures Module senses the temperature door actuator motor control is awake, no actuator drive, stall before achieving target position within 15 seconds. FCIM B1081:11 Left Temperature Damper Motor: Circuit Short To Ground Module senses a short to ground on temperature door actuator circuits when motor movement is commanded. FCIM B1081:12 Left Temperature Damper Motor: Circuit Short To Battery Module senses a short to voltage on temperature door actuator circuits when motor movement is commanded. FCIM B1081:13 Left Temperature Damper Motor: Circuit Open Module senses an open on temperature door actuator circuits when motor movement is commanded. FCIM B11E5:11 Left HVAC Damper Position Sensor: Circuit Short To Ground Module senses a short to ground on temperature door actuator circuits when motor movement is commanded. FCIM B11E5:15 Left HVAC Damper Position Sensor: Circuit Short To Battery Or Open Module senses a short to voltage or an open on temperature door actuator circuits when motor movement is commanded. Possible Sources Wiring, terminals or connectors Temperature blend door actuator Temperature blend door is binding, stuck or slipping FCIM

Sponsored