bunch of hot air

[FUN X 3]

Re: bunch of hot air

Gee, I thought this topic was about Washington DC...oh well, back to topic...

[Kens]

Re: bunch of hot air

Have prices gone up? Just had the heater control valve replaced at my local Ford dealer. $200 for parts, $600 for labor, total $800.

[Sailing_TBird]

Re: bunch of hot air

This just happened (vents only blow hot air) to our 2005 .. be our first test of ESP.

[JAB02LHS]

Re: bunch of hot air

Have prices gone up? Just had the heater control valve replaced at my local Ford dealer. $200 for parts, $600 for labor, total $800.

You have got to stop wearing all that bling when you take your car to the STEALERSHIP.
They base their prices on whatever they think the traffic will bear.
My price was from a local independent.

[Sailing_TBird]

Re: bunch of hot air

This just happened (vents only blow hot air) to our 2005 .. be our first test of ESP.

Ours was the heater control valve - 2005 with under 20K miles. Covered under the ESP. Dealer ( same one KEN used in Sunnyvale) said it would have been around $700 +/- (he did not cost it out because of the ESP) -- basically book time at their labor rate plus part cost -- difference in regional labor rates can be significant. They charge $150 to diagnose ( if not under ESP).

So my ESP is about 50% paid back already -- in about 1 year.
Jim

[SixPac]

Re: bunch of hot air

Got up this morning and found the bird with a dead battery. I don't own any jumper cables, so I resorted to Ford's Roadside Service that is included in my ESP that I purchased from Lou. The flatbed tow truck arrived and jumped the bird off. The driver offered to two me to the dealership, but I declined and drove there. The tow truck followed me. No charge.

Now I know that after the battery goes dead tat you have to reset the radio buttons and the windows. My question is about the A/C. Does a battery going dead have any effect on the A/C? On the way home from the dealership, the A/C blew nothing but hot air from all vents. Any ideas?

[elphil]

Re: bunch of hot air

Got up this morning and found the bird with a dead battery. I don't own any jumper cables, so I resorted to Ford's Roadside Service that is included in my ESP that I purchased from Lou. The flatbed tow truck arrived and jumped the bird off. The driver offered to two me to the dealership, but I declined and drove there. The tow truck followed me. No charge.

Now I know that after the battery goes dead tat you have to reset the radio buttons and the windows. My question is about the A/C. Does a battery going dead have any effect on the A/C? On the way home from the dealership, the A/C blew nothing but hot air from all vents. Any ideas?

You also must reset the throttle control. Page 190 of the owners manual.

1. With the car stopped and the parking brake engaged.

2. Put the gearshift in P (Park), turn off all accessories and start the
engine.
3. Run the engine until it reaches normal operating temperature.
4. Allow the engine to idle for at least one minute.
5. Turn the A/C on and allow the engine to idle for at least one minute.
6. Drive the vehicle to complete the relearning process.

[SixPac]

Re: bunch of hot air

Thanks elphil. I now have A/C again. After being a TBN member for 10 years and having 3 retro T-Birds at different times, I guess its time that I read the manual. I've always wondered what those little black books were.

[JAX BLKBRD]

Re: bunch of hot air

Last week my 2004 was not cooling as it should. Would eventually cool but took a looong time. Acted like low on "freon", which it was.
Mechanic added freon with dye. Said compressor was leaking like crazy and no way to repair compressor and must be replaced. Fixed "on the side" for $825.
This car has a whole 4300 miles on it, babied since new. The last service on any Ford A/C I've had was a 1986 Lincoln with 115000 miles - many, many fords ago.
Did I get a bad diagnosis (cools great now) or was something else repaired and I was charged $825 for a $200 problem??
Any insight will be apprciated.

[JAB02LHS]

Re: bunch of hot air

This car has a whole 4300 miles on it, babied since new. The last service on any Ford A/C I've had was a 1996 Lincoln with 115000 miles - many, many fords ago.
Any insight will be apprciated.

Only 500 miles per year is the problem, seals dry out from lack of use, that's part of the reason your compressor runs when you use your defroster up north to lubricate the seals during winter months.

Now add Hot Florida weather and well.............

[JAX BLKBRD]

Re: bunch of hot air

Only 500 miles per year is the problem, seals dry out from lack of use, that's part of the reason your compressor runs when you use your defroster up north to lubricate the seals during winter months.
Now add Hot Florida weather and well.............

Thanks for the response. It's likely spot on. In a way, the mechanic alluded to this by saying "you should drive it more". All the while admiring the car, commenting "it looks better than a show car".
The car is really fun to drive and still is a real head turner due to it's "show car" condition. But ... another "problem" is that the 2010 SHO is an absolute blast to drive as well - and is so much quicker, quieter and faster than the Bird. Makes it easier to leave the Bird under it's cover in the garage....

[EllisonCal]

Re: bunch of hot air

Thanks for the response. It's likely spot on. In a way, the mechanic alluded to this by saying "you should drive it more". All the while admiring the car, commenting "it looks better than a show car".
The car is really fun to drive and still is a real head turner due to it's "show car" condition. But ... another "problem" is that the 2010 SHO is an absolute blast to drive as well - and is so much quicker, quieter and faster than the Bird. Makes it easier to leave the Bird under it's cover in the garage....

Yeah but, the top does not go down on the SHO and it's Spring!

[AZTB]

Re: bunch of hot air

I agree...here in Phoenix we try to run our A/C at least once a month during the winter just to lubricate the seals. If not, come May, the A/C could run hot on us.

SPONSORED BY THE 'LUBRICATE THE SEALS' SOCIETY

[bostewart]

Re: bunch of hot air

My 2004 just had a problem with the a/c. Drove into town and on the way back. Turned on the a/c and got a face full of not just warm air but full on hot air. I think I pushed every button even the radio. Turned it off for th e rest of th e trip. I got up early to go to the ford dealer and it was workingg again. Not a clue what happened but the passengers side was not as hot as the drivers side while it was blowing hot air. Not cool just not boiling hot. It has not done it again but now I worry about it.

[EllisonCal]

Re: bunch of hot air

My 2004 just had a problem with the a/c. Drove into town and on the way back. Turned on the a/c and got a face full of not just warm air but full on hot air. I think I pushed every button even the radio. Turned it off for th e rest of th e trip. I got up early to go to the ford dealer and it was workingg again. Not a clue what happened but the passengers side was not as hot as the drivers side while it was blowing hot air. Not cool just not boiling hot. It has not done it again but now I worry about it.

I had the same problem a couple years ago. It turned out to be the "Heater control valve". There is one for the driver side and one for the passenger side. The A/C can't overcome the effect of the hot water that is routed through the heater core when this valve sticks or in my case fails.