Blend Door DIY

[casrhino]

It will probably have to wait that long anyway I work 6-7 days a week and almost never have time to work on the car. Look forward to the pics. Thanks.

[D2Beetle]

Well the finale has begun. I will be updating jailor08 original post this week end. For the purposes of this DIY I removed both front seats which IS NOT necessary to do the work; this was done to make it as easy as possible to get the photos taken.

Click Here to go back to the beginning of this DIY...

If you want to remove your seats, here is the DIY for that.

[D2Beetle]

Instrument Cluster DIY added...

[D2Beetle]

The dash has been completely removed and here it what your NB might look like with it removed...

[casrhino]

Did mine a couple of days ago. The air is colder than I ever remember. I now realize that my 03 vert's air is not blowing as good as it should. Reached under the dash and the snap bushing is broken on that car too. What are the odds?

[D2Beetle]

Originally Posted by casrhino

Did mine a couple of days ago. The air is colder than I ever remember. I now realize that my 03 vert's air is not blowing as good as it should. Reached under the dash and the snap bushing is broken on that car too. What are the odds?

As it turns out, mine is not the snap bushing, read this thread.

[Tesla]

I am at pic 28... just snapped my ratchet!Before that it took me 4 hours to remove driver`s air bag! Nerv wracking!!?? I ended up making a cut in steering wheel rubber side then push the spring down and SNAP! Both sides unlocked in 3 minutes. I was so happy just to snap my only wratchet 5 minutes later on steering wheel nut. Which tork wratchet is reccomended and what would be a tork on that nut? ( .. and other nuts? ).
Now I am at full stop, regrouping and taking a day off.
Will post some pictures but need a break now.

Thanks for this DIY again.

[D2Beetle]

Originally Posted by Tesla

I am at pic 28... just snapped my ratchet!Before that it took me 4 hours to remove driver`s air bag! Nerv wracking!!?? I ended up making a cut in steering wheel rubber side then push the spring down and SNAP! Both sides unlocked in 3 minutes. I was so happy just to snap my only wratchet 5 minutes later on steering wheel nut. Which tork wratchet is reccomended and what would be a tork on that nut? ( .. and other nuts? ).
Now I am at full stop, regrouping and taking a day off.
Will post some pictures but need a break now.

Thanks for this DIY again.

The steering wheel nut does not require a lot of torque, because you need to make an alignment mark, which you use to realign it when you put back together and you are suppose to use lock-tite.

[similar]

guys this is really helpful, i did the first steps to remove the cabin filter and i cleaned it smoothly, i also want to ask is there any other filters on the driver side? or from down

cause i have some rotten smell coming out even after cleaning the cabin filter (this has nothing to do with the AC, it's happening even without opening AC)

experts please advise

regards

[D2Beetle]

Originally Posted by similar

guys this is really helpful, i did the first steps to remove the cabin filter and i cleaned it smoothly, i also want to ask is there any other filters on the driver side? or from down

cause i have some rotten smell coming out even after cleaning the cabin filter (this has nothing to do with the AC, it's happening even without opening AC)

experts please advise

regards

It could be either or both... the drain tube for heater core is clogged ... the foam on the blend door is rotting and growing mold.

[mrmambo]

Hey, there:

Yesterday I noticed small pieces of foam blowing out of the defroster; was using it on A/C setting to defog window on cold day. Small pieces so far (maybe 1/4" or less in area), thin gray foam.

I kept flipping the mix switch from heat to defrost today until it all blew out. Wasn't much in total, just small bits. Heat seems to be working fine, so I'm wondering if this is the same issue.

Any thoughts or things to check?

Thx-

-Mark-

[D2Beetle]

Originally Posted by mrmambo

Hey, there:

Yesterday I noticed small pieces of foam blowing out of the defroster; was using it on A/C setting to defog window on cold day. Small pieces so far (maybe 1/4" or less in area), thin gray foam.

I kept flipping the mix switch from heat to defrost today until it all blew out. Wasn't much in total, just small bits. Heat seems to be working fine, so I'm wondering if this is the same issue.

Any thoughts or things to check?

Thx-

-Mark-

Yes, it is the same. The foam is coming from either or both of the Defrost/Heat door(s). The foam is dry rotting and disintegrating and as a result gets blown out through the vents.

[rob axel]

...after fixing the blower motor speed switch (I removed the entire control panel) my A.C. is no longer cold. since I had a hard time getting the cables on and off, got a feeling it may be the blend door....gotta get this done soon summer is coming and its my wife's car.
any quick temp. fixes just to make sure this is the problem without taking the entire dash apart? I know eventually I am going to do the full repair (foam replacement and clean and paint the deteriorating interior coating) just want to be able to use the car's a/c until I can get to it.

[Chris333]

How can you know for sure that the blend door is bad?

I have low heat the last 2 years, but never had foam blow out of my vents. I just flushed my coolant and the heat is still low. I'd hate to spend all day tearing my dash out just to find the door is intact.

Is there a way to check it first?

BTW my cable clips are fine.

[D2Beetle]

Originally Posted by rob axel

...after fixing the blower motor speed switch (I removed the entire control panel) my A.C. is no longer cold. since I had a hard time getting the cables on and off, got a feeling it may be the blend door....gotta get this done soon summer is coming and its my wife's car.
any quick temp. fixes just to make sure this is the problem without taking the entire dash apart? I know eventually I am going to do the full repair (foam replacement and clean and paint the deteriorating interior coating) just want to be able to use the car's a/c until I can get to it.

You might want to check the heater/defrost cable attachments. If these attachments are broken, the dash need not be removed to fix it.

[D2Beetle]

Originally Posted by Chris333

How can you know for sure that the blend door is bad?

I have low heat the last 2 years, but never had foam blow out of my vents. I just flushed my coolant and the heat is still low. I'd hate to spend all day tearing my dash out just to find the door is intact.

Is there a way to check it first?

BTW my cable clips are fine.

It is not really the "blend door"; the blend door is wrapped with foam and that foam dries out and start to flake off. So at some point it blows out through the vent.

There are two other possibilities; the snap bushing and/or the defrost/heater cable attachments. These can be checked without taking the dash apart.

In the first post on this thread is the thread link for checking the cable.

Regarding the snap bushing if the cable moves you should hear the doors move, if not the snap bushing may be broken; that is what connects the door lever to the door.

[sp3712]

So really your not replacing the blend door you are just replacing the foam that goes around the door?

[D2Beetle]

Originally Posted by sp3712

So really your not replacing the blend door you are just replacing the foam that goes around the door?

Yes. To replace the door you would have to remove the entire air/vent box.

[miffmole]

Thanks, D2Beetle for your excellent instructions and photos. I painted my center dash this past week and used your info to remove it from the car.

We literally had a copy of your post in the car as we were working, and referred to it as needed.

I appreciate your help!

[D2Beetle]

Originally Posted by miffmole

Thanks, D2Beetle for your excellent instructions and photos. I painted my center dash this past week and used your info to remove it from the car.

We literally had a copy of your post in the car as we were working, and referred to it as needed.

I appreciate your help!

You are welcome! Have you posted the pics of your new dash in the Gallery?