From the Googling that I've done, this is a problem that occasionally comes up and has been addressed on this board plenty of times. I've got a different question about a possible different approach to solving it. I just need some input. I've got a 2002 Liberty (V6 3.7L with A/C, Auto, Sport) with very lukewarm heat coming from the vents. Things that I have already tried are:
- Made sure the coolant reservoir is topped off.
- Replaced the thermostat.
- Flushed the heater core.
- New radiator (from a different issue that required it...)
Also, the blend door does seem to move somewhat. There is a noticeable change in temp from the vents when I select full cold as opposed to full hot. I'm convinced the problem is with the blend door actuator itself or the stupid little plastic door flap that the actuator moves. Assuming it's the blend door, there's going to be a lot of work involved tearing out the dash to get to it to fix it. Good God, I really do not want to get into that. I want to try a hack job where I drill an access hole in the HVAC housing and manually force the blend door into heat mode and leave it there. A temporary hack job that will get me through winter. Just like this guy did here with his Grand Cherokee (thank you Google for always including this near the top of every search that I've done ): http://www.jeepsunlimited.com/forums/showthread.php?t=402413
My question is.... Where in the housing should I drill? This question is targeted to those folks that have gone all the way with a heater core replacement or a blend door replacement. To anyone that has taken out and opened up the HVAC housing and has good knowledge of its guts. I have a Haynes manual and the official FSM, but I'm still uncertain of it's layout. I need to safely drill into an open area just beyond the blend door but close enough where I can stick a tool or a finger in to manipulate the door.
there are two pivots one for the hot one for the cold doors the hot is tword the front of the vehicle by the fire wall the cold is tword the passanger compartment. My arm between the doors was broken I drilled a small hole in the hot door piviot turned the door with a small screwdriver and put an allagator clip on it now I change between seasons
Under the passanger side remove the cover below the glove box. I drilled a small hole(for a small screwdriver), the pivot is hollow so don't be suprised when the bit goes through fast it will go through the heater box and the bottom of the pivot don't go al lthe way through the hollow to the top of the pivot.. Trun the screwdriver counterclockwise for heat, clockwise for no heat. Also I put and allagator clip in to hold the door in the positionor it will drift.
Under the passanger side remove the cover below the glove box. I drilled a small hole(for a small screwdriver), the pivot is hollow so don't be suprised when the bit goes through fast it will go through the heater box and the bottom of the pivot don't go al lthe way through the hollow to the top of the pivot.. Trun the screwdriver counterclockwise for heat, clockwise for no heat. Also I put and allagator clip in to hold the door in the positionor it will drift.
So where you drilled the hole is where the alligator clip is? Wouldn't that be the cold air door rather than hot? This temp fix seems pretty quick and easy. Does it ruin the heater box assembly for when you want to fix it properly?
i think i have the same problem as you...i cant get any hot air from vent,and i try the hack trick of the grand cherokee...realize that there was some hot air in the hvca box,but not in vent...i just can get it...
i think i will try your hack,ive got nothing to loose
i made a video of my problem,take a look at it,and bring some idea please
i have the same issue, cold position cold, turn to hot just slightly warm, with a temp gun i get a reading of 140 degrees coming in, 140 coming out of heater core supply lines.
so as the temp rises outside, morning 20 afternoon 38, the heat is really hot in the afternoon, so i drilled and pined the blend door so i know it is in the hot position, i checked the engine temp at the hoses and thermostat with temp gun, the hottest point anywhere was 180 degrees? the temp gauge is at 12 o'clock position, is it possible the thremo stat is stuck in the open position and not letting the motor get to full 195 degrees? the electric fan never turns on, it has the towing package so it has a mechanical fan.
there is 2 doors, the blend door, and also a vacuum operated door to the right of the blend door, that operates the floor to vent to defrost ducts, you can feel if the vacuum actuator is working, by moving the position knob and putting your hand threw the glove box opening, if dash is apart you can see it work, it pulls the lever to position in different positions.
I just tried drilling the holes in the blend door pivots. I coulddn't really tell if the doors were turning when i tried to turn them with a screwdriver. The air temp coming out of the heater reached about 110 degrees. Is that as hot as it should be?
It's been awhile but if you are getting 110 F Its better than cold. The blend door dose not turn but 45 degrees I put it in turn it counterclockwise to put heat and clockwise to stop heat looking up at the pivot its not like you can hear or feel that well but the heater starts. With out the clip holding it the door would drift and it would get cold. I went through all the possibilities only found it because of google that brought up the cherokee fix. Went out bought a scope cut a hole in the box the one door moved, put the scope in around the first door saw the broken arm between the doors. This worked for me went through a lot of possibilities flush, bleed ,therostate.water pump, heater core, and POSSIBLE Head gasket, even this fix is expensive.
Hey dee696, I know that this thread is old but I am desperate. I was wondering you ever figured out a solution to your heat problem. I am having a very similar, of not the same problem with my wife's 2008 KK liberty. Thermostat is new, coolant is at good level, heater core has been flushed, and the actuators for the doors appear to work, but I am unable to see the doors themselves.
Hey, I know that this is also an old thread, but I seem to have the EXACT same issue/symptoms as you describe! Did you manage to get it fixed? If so would you mind sharing how?
Our 2007 jeep liberty some times heats up then it will blow not so hot or from heat to a/c it just will not cool enough, where is the heat actuator located to check it out thanks candy
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