Hi I’m new here so bare with. I’ve had issues with blowers in my car for while now, dashboard clicks when try changing direction of air. Most things point to a door blend actuator? Is that right? How would I know if it’s drivers side or passenger side to replace though? Also this week I have no hot air in car at all. Wrong time of year for this to happen. Reading up it says could be actuator again or thermostat? Any help would be greatly appreciated as MOT in few weeks as well 😭

thanks

Scott

First check is the coolant level under the bonnet.

If the level is good, second test is to check the actual temperature through OBD.  (Not the dash gauge).  

If the coolant is reaching 70c+ then you should get some warmth from the heater - so that would point to an actuator fault.

You would have to be unlucky to get faulty actuators for both temp and direction at the same time, so that seems unlikely at the moment.

Thanks for replying. Coolant level is fine. What is an OBD? 🫣 my fiesta is 2011 plate. 

3 minutes ago, ScottC88 said:

Thanks for replying. Coolant level is fine. What is an OBD? 🫣 my fiesta is 2011 plate. 

OBD = On Board Diagnostic

All cars from the early 2000's have to have a standardised OBD port to plug into.

If you don't have a diagnostic adapter then there is another way to test coolant temp, although far less accurate.  Grab the heater matrix pipes after a drive of at least 10 minutes to see whether they feel hot.  Ideally under the dash but if you can't reach those then touch them on the other side of the bulkhead behind the engine instead.  Obviously take care not to touch anything else that's likely to be hot.

Ok. So if they’re hot or cold what are my next steps please? 

If I purchased this would it tell me temperatures or would only a more expensive one do that?

31 minutes ago, ScottC88 said:

Ok. So if they’re hot or cold what are my next steps please? 

If both pipes are hot then the heater matrix is clear and the problem must be inside the car instead.

If one pipe is hot and the other cold then the heater matrix is blocked.

If both both pipes are cold (or lukewarm) then the engine thermostat is stuck open, meaning the coolant can't get ever get fully hot.

 

24 minutes ago, ScottC88 said:

If I purchased this would it tell me temperatures or would only a more expensive one do that?

The price doesn't make a difference.  A generic OBD scanner will still show coolant temp whether it's branded Streetwize or Snap-On.

But for around £30 you can get a V-Linker adapter to use with Forscan that is the same level as Ford dealer software and shows much more info than any generic OBD scanner.  That is what we recommend on here.

FORScan, for use with a Windows laptop, an Android phone or iPhone:

On 4/7/2024 at 8:59 PM, unofix said:

FORScan (for use with Windows Laptop) : https://forscan.org/download.html

It's what many Ford owners use including some Ford technicians.

• vLinker FS, cable for laptop: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vgate-vLinker-Adapter-FORScan-MS-CAN/dp/B0952P4MLP

OR

• OBDLINK EX, cable for laptop: https://www.amazon.co.uk/OBDLINK-EX-FORScan-OBD-Adapter/dp/B081VQVD3F/ref=sr_1_5

For diagnostic use only:

• vLinker FD, for android phone: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vgate-Bluetooth-vLinker-Scanner-Diagnostic/dp/B08H82WC8L
• vLinker FD+, for iPhone: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vgate-Bluetooth-vLinker-Scanner-Diagnostic/dp/B08H8JHWP2

 

Sorry it’s delayed reply. I’ve just replaced thermostat housing (what a nightmare job, online videos make it look like a 2 minute job) this hasn’t fixed the issue. I have a heater blend actuator on order as trying everything now. I’ve had panels out in footwells and there’s 2 metal pipes coming out and they’re both hot when engine is warm. I will try look at bulkhead ones tomorrow but struggle to find time. Also it has a mot Monday and I have an airbag light on and I’ve read it’s an instant fail. Regards to changing fuse for it, do I have to disconnect battery for an hour? Read up that’s what you do? Any further information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks 

3 hours ago, ScottC88 said:

Sorry it’s delayed reply. I’ve just replaced thermostat housing (what a nightmare job, online videos make it look like a 2 minute job) this hasn’t fixed the issue. I have a heater blend actuator on order as trying everything now. I’ve had panels out in footwells and there’s 2 metal pipes coming out and they’re both hot when engine is warm. I will try look at bulkhead ones tomorrow but struggle to find time. Also it has a mot Monday and I have an airbag light on and I’ve read it’s an instant fail. Regards to changing fuse for it, do I have to disconnect battery for an hour? Read up that’s what you do? Any further information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks 

If the metal pipes under the dash are both hot then coolant is flowing through the matrix.  That only leaves an air blend fault so you are a bit nearer to solving the heater issue.

Regarding the airbag light, I've never seen it caused by a blown fuse.  Much more likely to be a loose plug under the driver's seat.  Should be fine just unplugging and replugging them, but if you want to be absolutely sure then disconnecting the battery for 20 minutes should be more than enough to drain any capacitors in the system.

Thanks for the reply. I’m praying to god it’s now the door blend actuator 🤞🏻🤞🏻 was wondering if the matrix needed a flush but the matrix pipes in footwell are bothering definitely hot when engine is warm 👍🏻 air bag light sorted. Just waiting for D day on Tuesday now…

Have been reading up on the actuators, some say I need a diagnostic after to recalibrate it? Is this true? I hope not. Also all the videos I’ve seen of RHD fiestas and actuator replacement are in dash under steering column. But I’ve seen that mine is actually on passenger side?..

13 hours ago, ScottC88 said:

Have been reading up on the actuators, some say I need a diagnostic after to recalibrate it? Is this true? I hope not. Also all the videos I’ve seen of RHD fiestas and actuator replacement are in dash under steering column. But I’ve seen that mine is actually on passenger side?..

Generally people get away with fitting used actuators without recalibrating.

There may be more than one actuator fitted depending on the HVAC options on your car.  As far as I remember the heat blend door is on the drivers side of the Mk7 Fiesta.  The one on the passenger side could be for recirc or something.

Sorry long delay. Im slowly losing my soul with this issue. Now have new actuator but when ive gone to fit it, the metal lever for the positioning of doors wont fit in the actuator as it has a flat bottom and the flap lever part will not go into a position to fit in when actuator is in place 😭 here are some pictures. When plugged in it turns the dial and no more clicking which is a good sign. Just it won’t lineup in anyway to slide the black plastic bit on. Any ideas? Also I have found out there are 2 insulated pipes coming out the other side of the matrix going under the pedals. They’re cold when engine is warm yet ones on other side of matrix are hot. Is the matrix now blocked and need flushing?

8 minutes ago, ScottC88 said:

Sorry long delay. Im slowly losing my soul with this issue. Now have new actuator but when ive gone to fit it, the metal lever for the positioning of doors wont fit in the actuator as it has a flat bottom and the flap lever part will not go into a position to fit in when actuator is in place 😭 here are some pictures. When plugged in it turns the dial and no more clicking which is a good sign. Just it won’t lineup in anyway to slide the black plastic bit on. Any ideas? Also I have found out there are 2 insulated pipes coming out the other side of the matrix going under the pedals. They’re cold when engine is warm yet ones on other side of matrix are hot. Is the matrix now blocked and need flushing?

I'm not sure what's happened with that actuator.  Perhaps the flap has moved too far one way.  Can you remove the actuator, then move the flap into another position, and then refit the actuator?  Not sure if that'll work, just a quick thought.

The other two pipes under the dash are for the air conditioning, those ones should be cold.

sadly I spent god knows how long moving the flaps into different positions with the metal rod and still the alignment wouldn’t match up. Think I’ll contact where I got the actuator from and see what they say. What a nightmare 

Good and bad news. I managed to open up the new actuator, remove the motor and turn the cog so it married up with lever in car. Put it all back together and it works!!…. But still no hot air 😭😭 is there anything else it could be? Could it be control dials on dash? I mean they blower power goes up and down but could the temperature dial be knackered? I’ve literally tried and replaced everything now

1 hour ago, ScottC88 said:

Good and bad news. I managed to open up the new actuator, remove the motor and turn the cog so it married up with lever in car. Put it all back together and it works!!…. But still no hot air 😭😭 is there anything else it could be? Could it be control dials on dash? I mean they blower power goes up and down but could the temperature dial be knackered? I’ve literally tried and replaced everything now

I take it it's just manual dials on this car so no digital display to show the temp?

Seems unlikely for the heater dial to break but not impossible.

The climate control versions have a temp sensor fitted behind the panel that does break quite often. But I don't think the manual dial version will have that fitted.

Edit - Probably a daft question but did you try it with a warm engine after fixing the actuator? There won't be any hot air for the first few minutes while the engine warms up.

Yes I let the engine run for 15 minutes plus the drive to work is 30 minutes and still nothing. It does have the little screen with dials indicating temperature when scrolling up or down on temperature dial if that makes sense?

58 minutes ago, ScottC88 said:

Yes I let the engine run for 15 minutes plus the drive to work is 30 minutes and still nothing. It does have the little screen with dials indicating temperature when scrolling up or down on temperature dial if that makes sense?

Ah, in that case it is electronic climate control. The heater dial isn't broken if you can see the number change.

There will be a sensor behind the panel. Those are always breaking. Often they make an annoying noise for a while first though.

Back again. So I’m struggling to find a sensor anywhere that’s not ££££. Went to scrap yard today and got 3 of these blue ones and did nothing but I expected that. Pulled apart 3 mk 7s and none had a sensor at all but the scrap people reckon because mine has climate control it’s why it has one? I know my dials for blower and heat control were totally different to ones I saw today. Annoying. I did however notice that my sensor is on even when the fans etc are turned off as can feel the little fan blowing and the sensor vibrating, is this a sign it’s knackered or on way out?

25 minutes ago, ScottC88 said:

Back again. So I’m struggling to find a sensor anywhere that’s not ££££. Went to scrap yard today and got 3 of these blue ones and did nothing but I expected that. Pulled apart 3 mk 7s and none had a sensor at all but the scrap people reckon because mine has climate control it’s why it has one? I know my dials for blower and heat control were totally different to ones I saw today. Annoying. I did however notice that my sensor is on even when the fans etc are turned off as can feel the little fan blowing and the sensor vibrating, is this a sign it’s knackered or on way out?

Yes, as said before, only the climate control versions have the cabin sensor shown in the video above.

These sensors generally do 'sense' all the time. The system can't be fully switched off. Blowing and vibrating is normal to some extent.

Ok well I’ve just found a used one on eBay for £25 so I have brought it. If this doesn’t work I honestly don’t know what else to do as I’ve literally tried and swapped everything 😭

Sooooo the sensor came today. Fitted it…. Still no hot air 😔 I don’t know what else to do. I’ve read some people saying they had cold air then turned fans on full then hear a loud pop then hot air comes out as a door is jammed or something? Is there a door of some sort I can manually turn to open a flap to let hot air in if it’s a thing? Also I know it’s probably fine but the heater blower resistor, is it meant to be warm or cold or hot? I have an original one in and took out earlier and was near on cold but don’t know if that’s because of the cold air flowing around it?