HVAC system

[Huli]

Something is wrong with my heating and cooling system. I do not know enough about how it is supposed to work to fix it. Any pros who know, guidance please.

1- cold air always comes out dash
2- cold air always when set to fresh air, but only on passenger's feet.
3-can a/c come out defrost vents?
4- can heat come out dash?
5- defrost vents appear to be shrinking and cracked. Hard to replace?
6- dash controls move from vibration

Thanks!

[htchbck]

1 - Probably due to deteriorated foam seals on the various flapper doors designed to direct airflow
2 - Thats kinda weird, might check for a crack in the heater/blower box? Not the heater core itself, but the box which contains it
3 - Yes
4 - No
5 - Not hard to replace the vents themselves, but getting to them does involve pulling the entire dash. Depending on how mechanically inclined and how experienced you are with interiors this can take anywhere from an hour or two to an entire weekend. It may be hard to find replacements that aren't also cracked, since even the newest festiva (in the US) are 20 years old now.
6 - Might help to take the HVAC controls out and check the condition of the metal tabs that are supposed to keep tension on the controls so they don't slide back and forth on their own. You will be taking them out anyway if you are pulling the dash

[F3BZ]

did all this happen at once or over time? i'd first check the control cables from the climate control panel to the various slave levers on the heater/AC box. these are adjustable and should be clamped at some point just before the slave lever it operates. only the internal wire in the cable should be moving, not the cable covering. also make sure the end of the wire is actually hooked into the slave lever. if the levers on the control panel move too easily with hardly any resistence that would be a good indication that the cable is loose or disconnected. if the fresh/recirc door is operating correctly you will hear a louder rush of air with the fan on and the lever in recirc since the fan is pulling air from the passenger footwell instead of the outside cowl inlets

[TorqueEffect]

One problem I do have with my heater is that when on strictly defrost, the heat still blows on the passenger's feet, and that until the engine is at top temperature (which takes a long time idling) it will not fully defog the windshield and side windows. This is very irritating on rainy days.

Would be nice if someone could figure out a way to force heat through the dash vents, but I am sure that is beating a dead horse.

[Prafeston]

I have the same problem with cold air always coming out of my dash vents. It drives me crazy. It's like hello! I have the heat on...and I know that only comes out the defrost and feet area...but I'd rather not still have cold air coming at me at out the dash vents. I have them pointed up and toward the passenger side when no one is in the car. This is when it's on fresh air or recirc...either position allows for cold air to come out the dash. I can't stop it!!

[Huli]

Re: HVAC system

Thanks for the great info!!

I guess I need to find some parts then take the dash out. Yay fun! :banghead:

I will report back if I learn any fixes along the way. Now to hit the a/c button and hope my window defogs!

[Prafeston]

1 - Probably due to deteriorated foam seals on the various flapper doors designed to direct airflow

Would this be the flapper doors in the cabin behind the glove box? Just wondering where I should look to stop the cold air from coming in!

[Huli]

Re: HVAC system

Would this be the flapper doors in the cabin behind the glove box? Just wondering where I should look to stop the cold air from coming in!

Yes

[TheNewAmericanSpirit]

If you can get in the passenger floor and move the vent switch and see how the mechanism that moves all the flaps moves. See if that's the problem. If is has full range of motion then that is not the problem. If the cable that holds the outer sleeve is not in the right place on the clip that would cause a problem.

[Huli]

Re: HVAC system

The vent seems to be working, I don't think the seal is there any more...lol