Blend Door Actuator Issue Thread

[KKaWing]

Ohhhh I see now, it might be the one on the other side... I think there's 3, the driver side one which controls the vents, and there's a bottom one and a passenger side one where they control fresh / recirculate are and the hot cold air mix. It's usually the driver side one that chews the teeth out.

 

[danbfree]

Ohhhh I see now, it might be the one on the other side... I think there's 3, the driver side one which controls the vents, and there's a bottom one and a passenger side one where they control fresh / recirculate are and the hot cold air mix. It's usually the driver side one that chews the teeth out.

So the driver side is the B part then? hehe, it can get a little confusing...

 

[slowcord]

Finally replaced mine yesterday. Took about 90 minutes, only removed the steering column covers.
I dont use my A/C much so thats probably why it took 60k miles to fail. Used p/n YH-1896, i figured 60k miles and less than $20 isnt that bad.

 

[danbfree]

Finally replaced mine yesterday. Took about 90 minutes, only removed the steering column covers.
I dont use my A/C much so thats probably why it took 60k miles to fail. Used p/n YH-1896, i figured 60k miles and less than $20 isnt that bad.

From what I understand it doesn't have anything to do with using the AC, but if you switch which vents for air to come out of frequently... Also, the Dorman replacement part uses a much more reliable design, the Ford ones use a weird friction resistance method that's horribly unreliable, worth just a few bucks more for the proper design to me...

 

[slowcord]

From what I understand it doesn't have anything to do with using the AC, but if you switch which vents for air to come out of frequently... Also, the Dorman replacement part uses a much more reliable design, the Ford ones use a weird friction resistance method that's horribly unreliable, worth just a few bucks more for the proper design to me...

Im more of a windows-down type of person, i only ever use climate control for defrosting and the occasional A/C use.
Whats the p/n for the dorman replacement? I might pick one up since the one i replaced will most likely fail at some point.

 

[danbfree]

Im more of a windows-down type of person, i only ever use climate control for defrosting and the occasional A/C use.
Whats the p/n for the dorman replacement? I might pick one up since the one i replaced will most likely fail at some point.

Yeah, so your light use of change of settings should keep you good for a long time again... hopefully!

OK, so as far as the Dorman part#, I cross referenced the Motorcraft YH1896 to Dorman 604-400 and that's what a web search shows is what people are recommending to use on this board and elsewhere... Good luck, hopefully you will be good for a while!

Edit: Great thread on Reddit HERE confirms the Dorman is MUCH better quality!

 

[SrsBsns]

So I replaced two motors... one on the driver's side, and one behind the glovebox.

The clicking is gone, but now when I switch vents, I hear a little creaking sound. Did anyone else notice this after replacing theirs? I'm wondering if it will go away after some time, or if there's something I can do to eliminate the noise.

 

[ROCKYFiestta]

anybody got the name of the part is I am getting the knocking from the passenger side sort of close to the left side of the glove box. mine even does it after I am out of the car or sometimes when I come near it with the key

 

[ROCKYFiestta]

Yeah, so your light use of change of settings should keep you good for a long time again... hopefully!

OK, so as far as the Dorman part#, I cross referenced the Motorcraft YH1896 to Dorman 604-400 and that's what a web search shows is what people are recommending to use on this board and elsewhere... Good luck, hopefully you will be good for a while!

Edit: Great thread on Reddit HERE confirms the Dorman is MUCH better quality!

is the dorman part the one for driver side or passenger??

 

[danbfree]

is the dorman part the one for driver side or passenger??

I just matched the part # from @slowcord provided, hopefully he can now chime in with this mention and let us know which side he did, I believe his was the more common driver side but he'll have to confirm...

 

[slowcord]

I just matched the part # from @slowcord provided, hopefully he can now chime in with this mention and let us know which side he did, I believe his was the more common driver side but he'll have to confirm...

Mine was the driver's side.

 

[CanadianGuy]

In case it’s required. Driver side part I recently replaced going through the steering column.

 

[danbfree]

In case it’s required. Driver side part I recently replaced going through the steering column.

You couldn't pay me enough to put the horribly designed Motorcraft one back in... even if mine goes out before warranty is up, I'll PAY for a Dorman part and let the Ford guys put it in and even void the rest of the warranty after that but, doesn't matter;will last WAY longer!

 

[CanadianGuy]

You couldn't pay me enough to put the horribly designed Motorcraft one back in... even if mine goes out before warranty is up, I'll PAY for a Dorman part and let the Ford guys put it in and even void the rest of the warranty after that but, doesn't matter;will last WAY longer!

You believe the internals are different? 😉 to be honest I prefer to replace it than the cabin filter 🤣 so if it goes again it will be 20 minutes and fixed.

 

[maestromaestro]

494 posts of mostly moaning about these things. Less than 20 posts with useful information. And yes, this isn't one of them.

 

[danbfree]

You believe the internals are different? 😉 to be honest I prefer to replace it than the cabin filter 🤣 so if it goes again it will be 20 minutes and fixed.

Absolutely, that's what a lot if the previous discussion had been about. Ford used a weird friction resistance internal setup to keep costs down while the Doorman was engineered to be a little heavier and costlier with a whole different method but far more reliable. Sorry, can't remember which thread discussed it if try a search for "Dorman blend door" and if anything there are Standard brand that at least offers a full year warranty too instead of 90 days so there are definitely some better options... But that's encouraging to hear that it's easier than the cabin filter, I just had a quick lube place do mine, of course that's all, I do my own oil changes at 1/4th the cost with better stuff by far.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Absolutely, that's what a lot if the previous discussion had been about. Ford used a weird friction resistance internal setup to keep costs down while the Doorman was engineered to be a little heavier and costlier with a whole different method but far more reliable. Sorry, can't remember which thread discussed it if try a search for "Dorman blend door" and if anything there are Standard brand that at least offers a full year warranty too instead of 90 days so there are definitely some better options... But that's encouraging to hear that it's easier than the cabin filter, I just had a quick lube place do mine, of course that's all, I do my own oil changes at 1/4th the cost with better stuff by far.

Interesting. If it breaks again I will try the Dorman and hold you accountable for the decision 🤣

 

[M-Sport fan]

Dorman does claim to "engineer past the factory/OEM's parts faults/mistakes" with their aftermarket parts, where applicable.

Maybe this is a case where they actually did such, and made good on their promise.

 

[danbfree]

Dorman does claim to "engineer past the factory/OEM's parts faults/mistakes" with their aftermarket parts, where applicable.

Maybe this is a case where they actually did such, and made good on their promise.

Yeah, sorry I can't find the exact post but someone confirmed it was indeed re-engineered to be much more reliable...

 

[Intuit]

I know Ford likely has a multi-year contract with manufacturer(s), and years worth of warehoused product, but it's just such a shame they can't do a mid-year redesign and eat the cost of scraping that crap while taking it out of CEO bonuses. 2012-2018 is much too long of a span to have any excuse as to why they aren't already redistributing a redesigned part.