I've replaced two of these dumb heater actuators on the drivers side on my 2008 Taurus. It is a VERY POOR DESIGN and a SAFETY ISSUE (when the cheap plastic gears strip and you can't get air to the defrost vents). You can actually take the actuator apart once you get it out (which is a real bear...) (the two halves that hold the plastic gears just "snap" together - very cheap design).

Has anyone heard of a "hardened" replacement that doesn't crap out and strip teeth in the gears so easily? Happened 1st time in Jan 2014 with cold weather when for sure it takes a little more torque to move the dampers. The replacement one, which I got from NAPA, which is now bad, lasted a few months and it crapped out during last summer. I've been living with the clicking but now that its winter again and the dampers are stuck in their last position and i can't get air to blow from defrost vents, it is now a safety issue again. So I have to get another one!!!!!

don't want to keep replacing a crappy designed part with a crappy replacement that will break in a few months. Why I'm asking if anyone knows if there is a hardened part available. Maybe I'll have better luck if I get one from a Ford dealer.

2008 Ford Taurus SEL - FWD ( 3.5L V6 / 6spd Automatic ) Titanium Green Metallic

Car is equipped with Dual Zone Climate Controls (for me mainly, only the driver side is ever used).

-Upon coming home from the Ford Dealer October 22, 2014 I heard clicking out of the normal when I raised my temperature gauge from about 19 degrees Celsius to 24 degrees Celsius. After pressing the off bottom, you could hear clicking noises under the dash....sounded like it was coming from under the steering wheel.

-Went back to Ford & one of the guys had a look and said he was positive it was almost certainly a BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR MOTOR that was starting to mess up and that's why I heard the clicking. He and the parts guy said they are a common thing that goes on certain model Fords & the parts guy told me that's why we stock X# amount on hand.

-So $24 taxes in I decided I prob didn't want to pay the Dealer $120+. So I decided to change it myself. I figured if I can't do it I will pay someone, but I'll try first.

I replaced it because it was clicking like crazy, sometimes even in the OFF position & really annoying. Wasn't going to wait in case it messed up in winter and was too cold to TRY and fix and then I'd be stuck paying someone or tough it out till spring clicking n all.

And my note to --- the FORD MOTOR COMPANY --- this was all caused because you used CHEAP PLASTIC/NYLON GEARS. I had an 80's k car and when it was 24 years old I sold it and it still had the original heater controls in it. QUIT USING CHEAP MICKEY MOUSE PARTS + CHINESE or wherever you get them. **

----------------------------------------- How I fixed it: (my way is my way and therefore may not work for you....so do at your own risk)

If you have a bad back or really big hands ....don't even bother trying this.

-Removed the negative battery cable. (8mm nut on the neg cable) Used a rubber glove to put in between the cable and the neg post...if you touch them a bit it will spark a little. Once the glove or something is between them it won't.

-Crawled under my dash and you need quite a few little tiny tools...so if you don't have tools.... forget it. -Got a ratchet that fits a 8mm socket with a extension...and this Fuller Snake tool thing I have. + an assortment of other little tools I have made for elves more than they are people. -Pressed in & Unplugged the Wire going to the bottom of the Blend Door Motor Actuator ......which has 2 bolts (also 8mm). -Now I did not unplug any other wires under there to make more room for myself. Didn't want to risk breaking anything. I only unplugged the dongle for the Blend Door Actuator. SO THAT MADE IT TAKE A LONG TIME TO GET THE 2 SCREWS OUT........and back in...I was prob a couple hours. If you had better tools than me or a ratcheting 8mm wrench maybe you'll be faster. It's not hard to take out...just wires and things are in the way....really it should be only a 10-20 min job if there wasn't so much stuff and working quarters are right.

-The problem you may run into is you'll notice the Slotted or Keyed metal hole where you pull the old /original actuator from ...it may not line up to the position that the new part you just bought's position is. -So I just took a twist tie and tied the new actuator onto the side of something under the dash and plugged the dongle into the new actuator and put the negative battery cable back in on the battery post (just loose didn't tighten the nut) Then I put the key in the ignition and turned the car to the ON position (NOT with the engine on). Heater controls are all off during this. And when the key is turned to ON the cd player will make some noise and clicking that sounds like it's gonna bust ...it's just what it does, don't worry about that. Then you will notice the new actuator's little white gear motor move.....I turned the key off on the ignition when the motor lined up with how the old one was...or near the arrow I think.

- I then took off the neg battery cable again...and put a rubber glove between the post & the cable. -Got back under the dash & unplugged the dongle wire off the new actuator ....and fit the the new Blend Door Actuator into the slotted/ keyed hole. And then proceeded the difficult task of getting the bolts/screws back in x2 (8mm). -Plugged the dongle back in. -Re-hooked up the battery (tightened the neg cable bolt back ...snug...don't crush the post ...8mm nut) -Then cleaned all my tools up -Turned the engine on....cd player makes its weird noises and all the heater controls are OFF at this point. -I then tested it first by pressing the Heat coming out only the top vents and setting it to 20c, 20.5c, 21c,21.5c etc etc ) and everything seemed to be hunky doory so far.

I have not tested this long term. It's only been a day.

Also I did not loose my radio station presets.

Be aware that if you have anything you need in the trunk and you unhook the battery you can't use the key fob or the button inside the car to open the trunk & there is no spot on the trunk to use your key. So you will have to fold the back seats down like I did and have to undignified like crawl in the trunk over the seat a bit to reach what I was after. I was unable to reach the trunk release either ...close to the back of the car. Way to go Ford.

Anyway that was my solution to Replacing the BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR MOTOR on the driver side heat control. I was told the passenger side part is the exact same one. Where it's located I have no idea. I won't be using my passenger side temp control. So hopefully it won't wear out.

I personally replaced it ...because the clicking was driving me crazy & if it did fail I didn't want to wait till winter to try and work on it. I was prob 3-4 hours doing this. But I had to hunt down tools and muck about figuring out what was what. Also lay down a towel on the foot well and towel seat ...you may get a bit dirty otherwise from the carpet /floor mat area. I used a big role of old carpet to sit outside the driver's door on the ground to lean my knees on as well.

If you aren't young & made out of rubber bendy just be aware it's a bit of a chore.

Update from Oct 26, 2014: * Bendy Rubber ---------------------------

As you can see in the 1st picture. The replacement part i used was from the Ford Dealer, a Motorcraft YH-1779 Blend Door Motor Actuator

$21 before tax Canadian Dollars as of October 2014