2000 Windstar - No Heat in Roof Vents

Hi!
Our dash vents, defrost, etc all pour out the heat (all front heat works fine) and the rear heater on the floor works fine but when we go to direct rear heat to the roof vents, we get either nothing or cold air. We've tried all the dashboard settings (we think), including setting it so that the rear contorl panel controls the rear temp and air flow but it doesn't seem to matter.

For us, this started as a search to understand why the passenger's side sliding side door window always stays free of frost on the inside but the driver's side sliding side door window is always frosting up on the inside making shoulder checking over the left shoulder very difficult.

Anyone else expereince this?
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance!

You are describing one of the craziest features about climate control design I've ever experienced...and I understand it is on some other Ford products with rear heat/ac. The Expedition and Excursion, I've been told, have a more friendly control set-up.

If you want, you can do what I did to my '99: Remove the LH rear lower quarter panel interior trim panel... and disconnect the electrical connector going to the "mode" (up/down) blend door. This results in all air, hot or cold, coming from roof vents.

Folks with '98's and earlier, do not have this easy option.

Hi 12Ounce!
Thanks for the help! Just a couple quick questions to clarify...
- Is the panel you are referring to the one at the very rear (even behind the last seat) or is it the one adjacent to the captains's chair directly behind the driver where the rear heater is housed?

- If I disconnet exactly as you describe, will I get both rear floor and rear roof air, or will it all be directed to the roof vents?

-35C today in Regina, (-51C with the wind chill)

Thanks again!
Mechanically challenged,
B


You are describing one of the craziest features about climate control design I've ever experienced...and I understand it is on some other Ford products with rear heat/ac. The Expedition and Excursion, I've been told, have a more friendly control set-up.

If you want, you can do what I did to my '99: Remove the LH rear lower quarter panel interior trim panel... and disconnect the electrical connector going to the "mode" (up/down) blend door. This results in all air, hot or cold, coming from roof vents.

Folks with '98's and earlier, do not have this easy option.

It's the "very rear" one. On the '99 SEL, it actually extends from side door opening backward to liftgate opening... and from floor up to window. Under this panel you will find the rear ac/heater and the sliding door actuator. The rear ac unit has two blend doors ... one for temperature...one for "mode" (up/dwn). If you merely disconnect the mode actuator (as I did) all the air will directed to the roof ... none to the floor.

One could probably go a step further and manually fix/secure this mode door in some intermediate position that would send air both to roof and floor ... I just didn't take the time for that.

Hi!
Our dash vents, defrost, etc all pour out the heat (all front heat works fine) and the rear heater on the floor works fine but when we go to direct rear heat to the roof vents, we get either nothing or cold air. We've tried all the dashboard settings (we think), including setting it so that the rear contorl panel controls the rear temp and air flow but it doesn't seem to matter.

For us, this started as a search to understand why the passenger's side sliding side door window always stays free of frost on the inside but the driver's side sliding side door window is always frosting up on the inside making shoulder checking over the left shoulder very difficult.

Anyone else expereince this?
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance!

You do realize, of course, this is the way Ford designed the system? A/C comes out of the roof vents (cold air naturally drops) while heat comes from the floor vents (warm air rises).

Owner of 1998 Windstar - also in Regina, SK, Canada

-35C today?????

Doesn't look that cold on corner gas...lol