Heater-a/c housing

The heater-A/C housing assembly must be removed from the vehicle and disassembled for service access of the blower motor, blower motor wheel, heater core, evaporator coil, blend-air door, and each of the various mode control doors.

WARNING: REVIEW THE WARNINGS AND CAUTIONS IN THE GENERAL INFORMATION SECTION NEAR THE FRONT OF THIS GROUP BEFORE PERFORMING THE FOLLOWING OPERATION.

WARNING: ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AIRBAGS, REFER TO GROUP 8M - PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEMS BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY STEERING WHEEL, STEERING COLUMN, OR INSTRUMENT PANEL COMPONENT DIAGNOSIS OR SERVICE. FAILURE TO TAKE THE PROPER PRECAUTIONS COULD RESULT IN ACCIDENTAL AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AND POSSIBLE PERSONAL INJURY.

REMOVAL

(1) Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable.

(2) Remove the instrument panel from the vehicle.

Refer to Instrument Panel Assembly in the Removal and Installation section of Group 8E - Instrument Panel Systems for the procedures.

(3) Recover the refrigerant from the refrigerant system. See Refrigerant Recovery in the Service Procedures section of this group.

(4) Remove the front expansion valve from the evaporator tube mounting flange. See Expansion Valve in the Removal and Installation section of this group for the procedures. Install plugs in, or tape over all of the opened refrigerant line fittings.

(5) Drain the engine cooling system. Refer to Group 7 - Cooling System for the procedures.

(6) Disconnect the heater hoses from the heater core tubes. Refer to Group 7 - Cooling System for the procedures. Install plugs in, or tape over the opened heater core tubes.

(7) Remove the four nuts from the heater-A/C housing mounting studs on the engine compartment side of the dash panel (Fig. 61).

(8) Disengage the front floor panel transmission tunnel duct from the adapter on the heater-A/C housing.

(9) Remove the nut that secures the heater-A/C housing mounting brace to the stud on the passenger compartment side of the dash panel.

(10) Pull the heater-A/C housing rearward far enough for the mounting studs and the evaporator condensate drain tube to clear the dash panel holes.

(11) Remove the heater-A/C housing from the vehicle.

DISASSEMBLY

(1) Place the heater-A/C housing on a work bench, with the heater-A/C housing cover facing down.

(2) Remove the two screws that secure the heater- A/C housing cover to the top of the blower motor housing cover.

(3) If the vehicle is so equipped, unplug the two vacuum harness connectors from the recirculation air door actuator.

(4) Unplug the vacuum harness connector from the panel-defrost door actuator.

(5) Remove the four screws that secure the floor duct to the bottom of the heater-A/C housing and remove the duct from the housing.

(6) Remove the two screws that secure the heater- A/C housing cover to the lower housing near the floor outlet (Fig. 62).

(7) Turn the heater-A/C housing over on the work bench, with the heater-A/C housing cover facing up.

(8) Disengage the vacuum harness retainer from the hole near the left end of the heater-A/C housing cover.

(9) Remove the vacuum harness from the molded clips on the heater-A/C housing cover (Fig. 63).

(10) Remove the thirteen screws that secure the perimeter of the housing cover to the heater-A/C housing.

(11) Remove the nut that secures the blend-air door lever to the blend-air door pivot shaft and remove the lever.

Fig. 61 Heater-A/C Housing Remove/Install

1 - STUD

2 - BRACE

3 - HEATER-A/C HOUSING

4 - NUT

5 - NUT

Fig. 62 Heater-A/C Housing Floor Outlet Screws

1 - HEATER-A/C HOUSING FLOOR OUTLET

2 - FLOOR-DEFROST DOOR ACTUATOR

3 - SCREWS

Fig. 63 Blend-Air Door Lever Remove/Install

1 - CLIP

2 - PUSH NUT

3 - BLEND-AIR DOOR LEVER

4 - VACUUM HARNESS

(12) Gently pry off the push nut that secures the heater-A/C housing cover to the heater-A/C housing post.

(13) Using a trim stick or another suitable wide flat-bladed tool, gently pry the panel-defrost door lever off of the panel-defrost door pivot shaft (Fig.

64).

Fig. 64 Panel-Defrost Door Lever Remove

1 - PANEL-DEFROST DOOR ACTUATOR LINK

2 - PANEL-DEFROST DOOR LEVER

3 - HEATER-A/C HOUSING TOP COVER

4 - DOOR PIVOT SHAFT

(14) Pull up the perimeter edges of the heater-A/C housing cover far enough to separate the cover sealant from the heater-A/C housing.

(15) Remove the housing cover from the heater- A/C housing.

(16) If the vehicle is so equipped, remove the recirculation air door actuator from the blower motor housing cover. See Mode Door Vacuum Actuators in the Removal and Installation section of this group for the procedures.

(17) Remove the six screws that secure the blower motor housing cover to the heater-A/C housing (Fig.

65).

(18) Remove the blower motor housing cover from the heater-A/C housing.

ASSEMBLY

(1) Before installing the blower motor housing cover, be certain that the cover sealant is in place and in good condition (Fig. 66).

(2) Position the blower motor housing cover to the heater-A/C housing.

Fig. 65 Blower Motor Housing Cover Remove/Install

1 - SCREWS

2 - BLOWER MOTOR HOUSING COVER

Fig. 66 Blower Motor Housing Cover Sealant

1 - BLOWER MOTOR HOUSING COVER

2 - SEALANT

(3) Install the six screws that secure the blower motor housing cover to the heater-A/C housing.

Tighten the screws to 2.2 N*m (20 in. lbs.).

(4) If the vehicle is so equipped, reinstall the recirculation air door actuator. See Mode Door Vacuum Actuators in the Removal and Installation section of this group for the procedures.

(5) Before installing the heater-A/C housing cover, be certain that the cover sealant is in place and in good condition (Fig. 67).

(6) Position the heater-A/C housing cover on the heater-A/C housing. Be certain that the pivots for the floor-defrost, the panel-defrost, the blend-air, and the recirculation air (if the vehicle is so equipped) doors are properly positioned.

(7) Reinstall the push nut that secures the heater- A/C housing cover to the heater-A/C housing post.

(8) Install the thirteen screws that secure the perimeter of the housing cover to the heater-A/C housing. Tighten the screws to 2.2 N*m (20 in. lbs.).

(9) Snap the panel-defrost door lever onto the panel- defrost door pivot shaft.

(10) Install the blend-air door lever to the blendair door pivot shaft and secure it to the shaft with the nut.

(11) Install the vacuum harness retainer into the hole near the left end of the heater-A/C housing cover.

(12) Route the vacuum harness through the molded clips on the heater-A/C housing cover.

(13) Turn the heater-A/C housing over on the work bench, with the heater-A/C housing cover facing down.

(14) Install the two screws that secure the heater- A/C housing cover to the lower housing near the floor outlet. Tighten the screws to 2.2 N*m (20 in. lbs.).

(15) Position the floor duct to the bottom of the heater-A/C housing and secure with four screws.

Tighten the screws to 2.2 N*m (20 in. lbs.).

(16) Plug in the vacuum harness connector to the panel-defrost door actuator.

(17) If the vehicle is so equipped, plug in the two vacuum harness connectors to the recirculation air door actuator.

(18) Install the two screws that secure the heater- A/C housing cover to the top of the blower motor housing cover. Tighten the screws to 2.2 N*m (20 in.

lbs.).

(19) Reinstall the heater-A/C housing in the vehicle.

Fig. 67 Heater-A/C Housing Cover Sealant

1 - HEATER-A/C HOUSING COVER

2 - SEALANT

INSTALLATION

(1) Position the heater-A/C housing to the dash panel. Be certain that the evaporator condensate drain tube and the housing mounting studs are inserted into their correct mounting holes.

(2) Install the nut that secures the heater-A/C housing mounting brace to the stud on the passenger compartment side of the dash panel. Tighten the nut to 11 N*m (95 in. lbs.).

(3) Engage the front floor panel transmission tunnel duct with the adapter on the heater-A/C housing.

(4) Install and tighten the four nuts onto the heater- A/C housing mounting studs on the engine compartment side of the dash panel. Tighten the nuts to 7 N*m (60 in. lbs.).

(5) Unplug or remove the tape from the heater core tubes. Connect the heater hoses to the heater core tubes and fill the engine cooling system. Refer to Group 7 - Cooling System for the procedures.

(6) Reinstall the front expansion valve to the evaporator tube mounting flange. See Expansion Valve in the Removal and Installation section of this group for the procedures.

(7) Evacuate the refrigerant system. See Refrigerant System Evacuate in the Service Procedures section of this group.

(8) Charge the refrigerant system. See Refrigerant System Charge in the Service Procedures section of this group.

(9) Reinstall the instrument panel in the vehicle.

Refer to Instrument Panel Assembly in the Removal and Installation section of Group 8E - Instrument Panel Systems for the procedures.

(10) Connect the battery negative cable.

(11) Start the engine and check for proper operation of the heating and air conditioning systems.