helping a friend here.... they have an 03 town and country and it has no heat, blower works, etc just nothin. any idears?

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

(1) Is water getting to the heater core?
(2) Is whatever is supposed to actuate the air (or coolant) valve for the heat moving?

I dont know, I dont know enough about T&C's to know whats supposed to go and do what lol

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

Sounds like a vacuum hose may have become detached, not allowing vent doors to function properly.

I would guess that most all vehicle HVAC systems these days vent doors operate by electronic or vacuum power.

Check around the Chrysler aftermarket fixit forums on this.

Most vacuum-operated HVAC systems default to the windshield defrost function in the event of a loss of vacuum.

Well that can't be it.. I can freeze off toes at will, legs, center vent and defrost ok, just no heat. I have this thing for the weekend to do my monthly shopping and it's butt cold here....

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

Heater core is probably filled with corrosion and debris. MOPAR is prone to issues like this, especially on their vehicles with a large amount of electronics. I'm guessing the radiator is filled with the green stuff instead of the orange. Either way, it's too late for a flush and fill...it will need flushed, heater core replaced, and refilled with the proper coolant.

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

Does the radiator have a removable steel cap on top? If the engine is cool enough, open it up and check the coolant level. If the radiator has a leak, the coolant level could be down enough to limit flow to the heater core, even though the plastic coolant reservoir still contains some coolant.

I'd go with low coolant or frozen coolant if the temperatures are low enough.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Coolant is topped up. First thing I checked, I will pull the core hoses and run some pressure through it, see if I get flow

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

I just fixed this on my mother's '98... IIRC the '03's have the same system. (a clymer/Haynes will tell you)

There are a few electronic door actuators in this systems - one moves the 'door' from defrost to vent to foot, the other actuator moves the door that cuts in the airflow from the heater core - this is the one that failed on my moms van.

The actuator itself is a plastic box, with an electric motor that drives a few gears (ends up driving a shaft) but also there is a position sensor (linear potentiometer?) the reads the shaft position.

The actuator fails so often (!) that Dorman products makes a direct replacement - $30 or so at any McParts

There are at least 3 of these in the front HVAC systems - same part number but mounted next to each other and one is 'upside down'. (one for the air path, one for driver heat/cool, and a 3rd for passenger heat/cool. Usually this means that one fails and only one front seat occupant has temperature controls (in my case, the passenger heat worked, but the driver side did not, and since you always assume they work together.....) do verify this. I'll finish the writeup for posterity anyway...


Where to find - remove the plastic panels that cover the area above the gas/brake pedals, and you'll see the actuators (and the shafts that they move) mounted to the center console

tools- flathead screwdriver for trim screws.
8mm(?) nut driver for a bunch of hex head cap screws (that hold the actuators on). You may want a socket and a large selection of u-joints, flex-drives, extensions, radian drives etc because getting at all of the screws was by far the most time consuming part of this. If the problem is the actuators, you will be on your back, head in the driver footwell, legs up on the driver seat doing work. Either weigh how good this friend is, or know that not having heat when a cold spell is about to hit (my area at least) really sux.

how to diagnose - Turn the van on, turn the fan on (any speed, slower lets you hear more). Remove the panels and find the actuators (you'll need a droplight or flashlight)

Select "defrost" and note the location of the upper(?) actuator. change the air path to 'footwell' and watch one of the actuators move - it should rotate through about a 180-270degree arc. At all times give the hvac computer about 5-10 seconds to tell the actuator to signal - ie: the actuator wont start moving when you move the controls - there is a delay.

With the fan still running, take the driver side temperature from cold to hot (and back, with a delay as described above). watch for the actuator to run the full arc and then all the way back - anything less than a half-rotation is a bad actuator (pretty sure, remember all the actuators are the same part number so they should all rotate the same amount)

Then with the fan still running, take the passenger side from cold to hot, (and back, remember to give it time...).

If the problem is an actuator - you'll see one not make its full arc, or not move at all. Go to McParts and buy a new one (I tried to repair one and was not successful - take apart the broken one if you want, its fun

The re-install is tricky for a few reasons
1) The actuators turn a square-shaped shaft, the new actuator needs to be installed in the same position as the old one.
2) after you install a new actuator, you need to tell the hvac computer to do a reset. This is usually by: (models with non-automatic temperature control)

a)start the van, let it warm up (and make sure the ac works - it checks heating and cooling, so you need both)

b) select 'cold' on both temperatures and 'defrost' position.

c) press 2 buttons at the same time - the AC button(?) and the rear wiper run(?) button - google something like "Chrysler minvan hvac test" for better detail. After holding them down long enough the lights on the HVAC control panel will start dancing and it will cycle through its test routine. If everything works, all the lights will go off and everything will be cool. If not, you'll get a blink code of some sort and you'll have to google that.

If it WAS the actuator, and you replaced it properly, AND the heat works, AND the AC works (doubtful on a 10 year old American product?) then you should now have heat.

Or if it wasn't a door actuator, at least you can rule those out

I'll try to check this thread. I better hit send before I lose this...

-John

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2009 Kia Sedona
2009 Honda Odyssey EX-L
12006 Jetta Pumpe Duse
(insert Mercedes here)

Husband, Father, sometimes friend =)

But for now buy them a Snuggie, go's perfect with the Town and Country.

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

hmm. I'll diagnose it, up to them to fix it. as for the snuggie. I made my own. you can crochet something fast when you're bored as hell

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

On the bright side, I'll bet the AC is ice-cold.

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

yep. that works eggcelent

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed