This actuator unit breaks, along with other actuator units made by Ford around this time, because of cheap materials. You can either buy a replacement actuator unit that will fail eventually and cost you more money to replace either way, or just do it yourself and replace the gear in the unit. It's not complicated - just remove the unit (the one on this car is difficult to get to considering you have to remove the entire front dash panel; this video shows you how to do it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2Bh4pN27zI) and diassemble it by disengaging the clips that hold the entire thing together. Replace the gear, lubricate it with the included PTFE grease, clip it back together and replace the unit.
It happens once a year around the end of the summer this time within 3 months of replacing it its not cheap like 160 to 200 every time I replace it its been every year since I bought the car I'm afraid one time it will catch fire with me and my kids in it.
Needs to be repaired for second time. My Daughter had the same problem with her 2003 Expedition. Ford should have recalled and repaired as product failure. It is obvious the component that has failed for the third time is flawed
The Axillary Temperature Blend Actuator in my 2004 Ford Exp. has broken down twice since I've owned the truck.First time at 48k miles and the second at 111k miles. This is one annoying vehicle failure because of the "NOISE" that comes after the part breaks down and expense one incurs if you use your dealership for repair. The first time the dealership charged me $280.00 to R&R this component/part. Stupidity on my part. This just happened again a second time last week. I will do the work today and save well over $200 to remove and replace the part (4 screws and one electrical plug)! Why Ford has not recalled their vehicles to fix this issue is beyond me, but I will not buy another Ford until they re-institute their guaranteed Re-manufactured Motor-sport Parts program (RMP). If a part breaks and you buy their replacement they guarantee that part not to fail for as long as you own the vehicle. Good Luck Ford...your gonna need it! Whatever happened to the Quality Goes In Before The Name Goes On? I guess Ford Management doesn't believe in quality anymore and thats a shame! TTFN
- Steve S.,
Valley Lee, MD, US
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This actuator unit breaks, along with other actuator units made by Ford around this time, because of cheap materials. You can either buy a replacement actuator unit that will fail eventually and cost you more money to replace either way, or just do it yourself and replace the gear in the unit. It's not complicated - just remove the unit (the one on this car is difficult to get to considering you have to remove the entire front dash panel; this video shows you how to do it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2Bh4pN27zI) and diassemble it by disengaging the clips that hold the entire thing together. Replace the gear, lubricate it with the included PTFE grease, clip it back together and replace the unit.
- Zak D., Kalamazoo, MI, US