I just picked up this truck today. On the test drive and in the lot the control worked and the AC blew cold. On the way home all I could get was HOT air. The temp **** had no effect on the temp.of the air coming through the vents.

Could this be a fuse or something electrical or should I start with the heater controls?

Thanks
Tim B.

 

Check your fuse box.

 

Use the search button for blend door actuator.
There were quite a few people with this problem along with some fixes.

 

Check above the compressor for a black wire.
The crimp fitting used to come loose on my truck and the same thing would happen.

 

Thanks guys,
The dealer agreed to fix the problem, it sounds like the blend door wa broken. I will let you know what the fix was when I get the truck back.

Have a great day!

 

A Ranger with a blend door problem is rare since the controls are so basic.
My F lariat had the same problem but the dealer could not determine if the blend door or the auto temp control board were the problem because it happened only half the time. I sold the truck because of that.
Thankfully you're covered.

 

Well I got the truck back today STILL NOT FIXED! I was told that the problem is the temp bdoor that is built into the heater box os NG. The shop told me that Ford quit making the part in 08 and they couldn't find one anywhere.
When I got home I checked the fuses and the ground wire on the compressor, no luck.

I started looking under the hood and found that there is a valve in the top heater hose. It is wide open. The temp control has no effect on it. Lo and behold when I moved the conrtol to max air the valve closed completely and cold air. I will take the radio and heater controls out and see if I can test the temp control. Has anyone had a similar problem?

HAVE A BLESSED RANGER DAY!
Oldranger 98

 

OK... I'm facing a similar issue with a 96: Always blows hot unless on Max A/C.

Apparently this is almost always related to the blend door. Proper repair requires removal of the dashboard, and the kits and 'how-to's" available involve cutting the air plenum to get to the broken door....

I believe there is a very quick, very simple workaround. The Heater Control Valve (under the hood in the heater hoses going to the heater core) is held open (allows flow to the heater core) by vacuum that it receives when the HVAC system is set to anything EXCEPT Max A/C. When set on Max A/C, there is no vacuum to the HCV, and it closes (recirculates coolant back to the engine, bypassing the heater core).

The workaround: remove the vacuum line from the HCV (and plug it so you don't induce a vacuum leak). This makes the HCV act like it's on Max A/C. This will get you through the hot summer without getting a face full of hot air, and also let you enjoy better fuel economy by not having to run the A/C compressor.

When you need heat, simply put the vacuum line back on the HCV.

Total time for the workaround - about 2 minutes (including the time for finding a golf tee or small bolt to plug the vacuum line). Cost - 1 golf tee or small leftover bolt (2 cents?)

 

btw... you won't be able to adjust the heat at all with the above method... it'll either be on or off....

You COULD replace the HCV with a cable-controlled one, and run a cable, but that's nearly as much work as fixing the blend door would be....

 

In my 96 Ranger, with AC on, the AC turns off when the engine is under a load line climbing a hill.

Manual says its normal behavior... I think it's not a good AC system, but it saves the compressor I think it said.

My system currently has a vacuum problem, and other things aren't switching on and off like it should. More work to be done, but this video explains it:

Watch "Check A/C vacuum leaks on Ford Ranger (A/C only blows through defrost)" on YouTube