Sometimes the ventilation system gets in a mode where it only blows kinda hot air. It cycles between straight outside air, and a fair bit hotter, so I know it is heated, and not just the outside air temperature. Not too good when it is already 92 outside.

Sometimes, pushing enough buttons on the ventilation system control panel will shift it back, but today, no such luck, it was still cycling, but more time hot than cold.

 

There is an SSM for this issue, involves replacing the whole heater box which involves pulling the dash...think mine is doing it too, have an appt next week

 

Very good, thank you.

 

Hah......

Finally got some time to take it to the dealer for several things, and they are handing out BS...

They claim that "the ventilation is just picking up heat from the engine".

That is obvious BS, if it were true, then Ford messed up bigtime. I'd not rule that "messed up bigtime" totally out, but it ain't causing this, because it was fine until recently.

But the cycling hot and colder does not line up with "picking up heat:.

I think they are trying to run out the warranty, which only has 6000 miles to go, which will probably take only partway into the fall to run through. Maybe not, but dealers are often like that.

 

OK.... The dealer now agrees, they documented the air coming out as being about 10 degrees warmer than the air on the outside.

Problem is, Ford has no idea what to do.

The service notice that is out (#49264?) requires there to be a clicking noise, AND a code in the computer. I have not heard a clicking noise, and there is apparently no code. So if that is the one referenced above, it does not apply, or at least does not apply "yet".

Meanwhile, at least it is documented, and there is some chance that if Ford comes up with anything after the warranty runs out, it may get covered, fully, or partially..

 

Oh.... I see why Ford does not want to know about this...... The way it is built, it might be several thousand dollars to replace that part (heater box).

 

its not that bad. i had the heater box replaced on mine under warranty. its only about a 5 hour job and the part is only a few hundred

Lets put the tin foil hat away now...

 

LOL...sort of.............No tinfoil hat.

Ford is a business, with a particular history. Warranty is an expense. OF COURSE they prefer not to repair things, although the warranty department no doubt has an annual budget, which they expect to spend.

I'm being a bit snarky, since it will not be long until the truck is off warranty, and then I will be the one paying to replace the vent box. When it is a warranty issue, properly brought up during warranty, that prospect is not exactly pleasing.....

The issue here is that Ford does not recognize this problem, they only recognize the one where the computer sees the failure to operate, and sets a code. That is the only problem they have a fix for.

For all we know, the vent box may have had the door seals accidentally left off. The seals may have fallen off and be blocking a door open. The heater valves may be what is actually at fault. There may be an entirely different problem, such as air leaking into the box from the engine compartment. That could be due to any number of things.

Really basic issue here is that the technicians do not have much ability to troubleshoot, in many cases, so if the problem is not documented already, they are somewhat at a loss as to what they should do. That comes from not understanding the system well enough to see what could cause the problem.

It appears that Ford does not understand the system either, or at least part of Ford does not. They sent the dealer a message that appears to say (I saw it) that when the A/C is off, there is NO outside air let in, that it is always just recirculated, and that outside air only comes in when A/C is on. I am pretty darn certain that is completely wrong, and possibly backwards. It makes no sense, and does not match the actual operation of the truck. If there were "mostly" recirculated air when A/C was OPERATING, that would make sense. But that is not what the Ford folks told the dealer.

Go figure.

More evidence that Ford does not understand their own products....... The manual is actually WRONG in a number of places, especially with regard to the various dash screen functions, but also possibly elsewhere. And, somehow Hunter Engineering got wrong info from Ford about alignment, because their machines said the alignment was fine, and the Dealer said they found a large error in alignment, which was causing crazy tire wear.

 

​​​​​​​this is the SSM, you don't need a code for it to apply

 

Well, you may not, but apparently if it does not make a snapping noise (it does not) and / or there is no code thrown (apparently there is not), then that particular fix does not apply, and the dealer is not going to do the work, because Ford isn't going to pay. End of story.