I fix my ford focus today I drill holes at each corner of the duct with a unibit and I used a hacksaw blade to cut the duct. Then I used a hack saw blade and tape half a utility knife on the hacksaw to stab and cut rubber gasket off on both side of the damper. I went to lowes and buy a small sheet of aluminum. I cut my duct hole opening 9"×4" and I cut the metal 10"×4" and I left 1\2 " on each end of the 10" and bend each end.I used a seam sealer from napa's auto parts # MS FS1W. I sealed 4 corners inner and the outside. I let sit for 24 hours dry. Normal dry time 30 minutes and you can paint. I recommend 24 hours dry time. Thanks mox x you save me a lot of time. Professional licence Heating Aircondtion Refrigeration Technician.
Going to try this repair this weekend. I will comment on how it goes. Thanks for posting makes a ton of sense to me even drilling the plastic out when you don't have a Dremel. As long as the end result is working HVAC even if it leaks who cares what it looks like. Thanks for posting I will update.
Good Luck. You can also cut out the middle piece so you have on big hole. Make sure you trim the rubber edges of the flapper. That causes the flapper to stick. Then use a piece of flashing (cut it slightly bigger and then tape it down with Aluminum tape)
@@moxiex2300 Worked out perfect! Huge thank you for putting this up. I used an oscillating tool to cut fairly precise squares out of each side. I then used silicone to reinstall the plastic pieces where they were and then on top of that Gorilla tape to keep it in place while drying and for support. Probably a hundred ways to put the pieces back in and or to close off the area. IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THOSE READING: Make sure not to drill or cut too deep as the door can be right behind the plastic.
Let it heat up before you try and turn it,if stuck, and leave it in the straight up position when you shut it down that way the sticky stuff won’t be in contact with any surfaces to glue it shut and it will still function as intended as a diverter for the air control system.
Big help. I used a Dremel with a cutting bit, and had my hole opened up in about three minutes. Rather than trim things, I thought that I'd try a different approach and lubricate the edges with some petroleum jelly in order to offset the stickiness. We'll see if it works. If not, I've already got easy access and can work on something more permanent.
@@leorickt.9604 More or less, yes. Son (who was the same age as the car) wrecked it a few months ago, so hard to tell how long this would have lasted. Were I to do it again, I would have put duct tape around the edges to deal with the stickiness. I saw that in another video.
This is probably what is wrong with ours and hubby watched this video. However, he said the video starts with this but doesn't show what you did to get to this point. Is there something you can post to let him know how to get to this open area? Thank you for this video and once he understands how you got to this point, he should be able to fix it. Ours isn't broken so that's why I think it's the sticking problem.
When my car is parked in the sun for several days not being used, is there a vent selector position that I should keep it in to prevent it from sticking down to that rubber? Luckily my 2006 vent selector is smooth but I want to keep it that way. In summer it's typically kept on dash vents, and in winter on dash/floor
Leave switch on the Floor option. Did that with mine but when the temp got into the teens it would still stick. That's why I decided to solve the issue this way.
I've been using this to hopefully get mine done. Unfortunately it's my first time using a dremel and I managed to saw through the top of the vent on the left hand side, I can't get to as much space as you've got. Can that be fixed with super glue or aluminum tape?
Hi....Yes you have to patch it. Use the pieces you cut out and then tape them back into place with aluminum tape. Another way is to cut out the center piece that I left in there, so you have ONE big hole. They get a piece of tin and tape it into place with aluminium tape. I have done it both ways and both have worked.
it's the only way to fo it realistically without pulling the dash...limited space to work with...I did mine this weekend and once it's taped up nicely, who cares...it fixes the problem.
I fix my ford focus today I drill holes at each corner of the duct with a unibit and I used a hacksaw blade to cut the duct. Then I used a hack saw blade and tape half a utility knife on the hacksaw to stab and cut rubber gasket off on both side of the damper. I went to lowes and buy a small sheet of aluminum. I cut my duct hole opening 9"×4" and I cut the metal 10"×4" and I left 1\2 " on each end of the 10" and bend each end.I used a seam sealer from napa's auto parts # MS FS1W. I sealed 4 corners inner and the outside. I let sit for 24 hours dry. Normal dry time 30 minutes and you can paint. I recommend 24 hours dry time. Thanks mox x you save me a lot of time. Professional licence Heating Aircondtion Refrigeration Technician.
Glad it worked for you!! I did my daughters car also. I just cut a big hole and covered it with Flashing and taped the edges with aluminum tape.
Going to try this repair this weekend. I will comment on how it goes. Thanks for posting makes a ton of sense to me even drilling the plastic out when you don't have a Dremel. As long as the end result is working HVAC even if it leaks who cares what it looks like. Thanks for posting I will update.
Good Luck. You can also cut out the middle piece so you have on big hole. Make sure you trim the rubber edges of the flapper. That causes the flapper to stick. Then use a piece of flashing (cut it slightly bigger and then tape it down with Aluminum tape)
@@moxiex2300 Worked out perfect! Huge thank you for putting this up. I used an oscillating tool to cut fairly precise squares out of each side. I then used silicone to reinstall the plastic pieces where they were and then on top of that Gorilla tape to keep it in place while drying and for support. Probably a hundred ways to put the pieces back in and or to close off the area.
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THOSE READING: Make sure not to drill or cut too deep as the door can be right behind the plastic.
@@jtapoling Im glad it worked out for you!!!!
Let it heat up before you try and turn it,if stuck, and leave it in the straight up position when you shut it down that way the sticky stuff won’t be in contact with any surfaces to glue it shut and it will still function as intended as a diverter for the air control system.
I tried that. When temp dropped into the teens, it would still stick. That's when I decided to fix the issue this way.
Big help. I used a Dremel with a cutting bit, and had my hole opened up in about three minutes. Rather than trim things, I thought that I'd try a different approach and lubricate the edges with some petroleum jelly in order to offset the stickiness. We'll see if it works. If not, I've already got easy access and can work on something more permanent.
Hope it solves your problem. I actually cut the center piece. Got a piece of flashing and covered the hole. Taped it on with Aluminum tape.
Did the lube work??
@@leorickt.9604 More or less, yes. Son (who was the same age as the car) wrecked it a few months ago, so hard to tell how long this would have lasted. Were I to do it again, I would have put duct tape around the edges to deal with the stickiness. I saw that in another video.
@@christopherjackson115 duct tape would likely let go as its adhesive would also melt when you had the vents producing heat
This is probably what is wrong with ours and hubby watched this video. However, he said the video starts with this but doesn't show what you did to get to this point. Is there something you can post to let him know how to get to this open area? Thank you for this video and once he understands how you got to this point, he should be able to fix it. Ours isn't broken so that's why I think it's the sticking problem.
When my car is parked in the sun for several days not being used, is there a vent selector position that I should keep it in to prevent it from sticking down to that rubber? Luckily my 2006 vent selector is smooth but I want to keep it that way. In summer it's typically kept on dash vents, and in winter on dash/floor
Leave switch on the Floor option. Did that with mine but when the temp got into the teens it would still stick. That's why I decided to solve the issue this way.
I've been using this to hopefully get mine done. Unfortunately it's my first time using a dremel and I managed to saw through the top of the vent on the left hand side, I can't get to as much space as you've got. Can that be fixed with super glue or aluminum tape?
Aluminum tape should work.
Thanks for the video. I’m having the same problem.
No Problem....Its a very easy fix and only takes 2 to 3 hours to complete
Do you have to patch the hole that you cut?
Hi....Yes you have to patch it. Use the pieces you cut out and then tape them back into place with aluminum tape. Another way is to cut out the center piece that I left in there, so you have ONE big hole. They get a piece of tin and tape it into place with aluminium tape. I have done it both ways and both have worked.
This works best with a Dremel Tool.
Just get a mew car this car has got a good drive train from Mazda but the ford trim is shite....like today's ford motor company products
What a hack job....
Did you see part two to see the finished product? Apparently not.
it's the only way to fo it realistically without pulling the dash...limited space to work with...I did mine this weekend and once it's taped up nicely, who cares...it fixes the problem.
@@joedurso5192 will show me more videos on this