Up a Creek without a Paddle

An uneasy night troubling over whether or not to attack the Jeep's innards. My last tests yesterday had made me very unsure that the diagnosis was correct. I was sure I could feel warm air coming out the passenger air vents despite this not happening since December 2015.

A double check this morning would mean a long drive to get the motor warm and I didn't feel like it. So mid morning set to work doing my best to find a not too windy spot blowing arctic air. At least it didn't rain.

First job (top left) was to take out glove box (UK & Japan readers: LHD car involved) alone a test of my nerves and dread of plastic knobs and tabs breaking. Dismount the servo motor for the heating controls and then burn a large (3" x 3" x 3") hole. My unconventional soldering iron was ideal as it has a sort of cutting tip and the first vertical cut went well but there was a loose connection which then made itself apparent when the iron held sideways. Tried opening up the iron to solve the problem but it had special screws which not even my set of adapters could solve.

Project seemed doomed until Monday when I could buy a new one but did try phoning MrB who is a real professional electronics expert. Luckily he was at home about to have lunch but said I could pop over to let him have a look. Not even he had the tools at home to help but he lent me a standard soldering iron so that I could get the job done.

Back home, set to work with the iron and though a bit more difficult as the head is not meant for cutting but it did the job. Remounted the motor and then watched what happened. As shown to left, the paddle nearest to me (and I assumed the one for the passenger side did move up and down but the far paddle behind the still in tact half wall partition did not move.

Bottom left - then cut out the middle wall and hauled out the "dead" paddle and could see the problem  -Top right - the plastic tube fitting at the right had broken. Sigh of relief as looked like I had not been wrong.

Put the new paddles in to place, connected the motor and watched. Yipppppeeeeeee, both paddles moved up and down as the motor went through a calibration test - bottom right.

Motor off again and the wall put back in place. Had hoped to "weld" the plastic but the round tip was not suitable. Instead used the tape patches which was in the replacement kit and which is the recommended way. Looked fine when done. Didn't, again as recommended, bother with the anyway seemly useless middle half wall.

Then took off with the dogs for an evening walk, passing MrB's to return the soldering iron. He happened to be outside and while I recounted my efforts, left the motor running. Having said my thanks, got in and tried the heating controls - HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF. Warm air coming out of all openings on both sides and when the dual zone controls changed, just out of the side one sets. Thank you once again MrB for again getting me out of the creek.

Cost of repair excluding my nerves 84€ and assuming free (No contract hours OAP) labour. Knowing now how the repair is done, I guess with the right tools, the job could be done in about half an hour. A trip to the local no doubt unfriendly Jeep dealer would have cost 2000€. You do have to ask yourself why manufacturers have such quirks - answer as we all know is to make extra money. The part that broke wouldn't have done so in the warranty period and thus no chance of them having to do it for free and not a safety issue which could be subject to a recall at their cost.

Finally my thanks to all the hundreds of Forum & YouTube contributors who had been through the same experience and described their adventures. And to the multitude of internet shops that offer replacement sets.