Centre Console Vent Issue – Now Fixed

[Backofthenet]

Hi All,

I am having the same issue with my vent albeit it still goes up and down but the down movement is not smooth - a little bit down then a few seconds before it then goes the final bit. Incidentally has only started to happen since car has been off road for winter (SORN) and I started it as i do occasionally and the jerky down movement has started.

Anyway I am under warranty till end Feb and was not planning to renew but also would have to tax the car then drive it 30 miles to my nearest dealer - who won't provide a courtesy car so it's a train home and back to pick it up.

Can anyone provide a link to where you can purchase replacements as having read this thread I'll take my brave pill and do it myself (try repair first)

[Tjp]

Firstly, thanks for the guides to fix this - it feels a bit like surgery when the car is in pieces !

I managed to lose a bolt - does anyone know the part number or where to buy spares ? Seems to be a t20 torx bolt? Struggling to find them but maybe I’m looking for the wrong thing

[cj10jeeper]

OK so I'll resurrect the old thread as feels annoying to open a new one on the same topic..

So had the F Type parked up for a few weeks (post eye surgery before you berate me ) and on opening up discovered the centre air vent was just a few mm raised. Not how it has ever been before.
Doesn't move up or down at all under power, but reasonably free to manually raise by a cm or so and close to a fraction up. I won't force it.
Battery is fully CTEC charged and yesterday ran the car for 20 miles and it never moved by playing with HVAC.
It's never previously struggled to open and close and super smooth.
Checked the settings an set to 'Always Open'
No codes showing related to air, HVAC, etc. via ODB port diagnostics
No noise of a motor trying, nor gear clicking, so I suspect the motor is the culprit, but it could be software not calling for it to move.

Will be easy enough to pull it out and I can see plenty of replacements on Ebay for around £100, but I like to narrow down options before just module swapping.

Questions:
Has anyone replaced just the motor and if so any part number? Probably cost as much as a unit...
Any variation by year in say 2013 to 2109 (assuming the top trim is interchangeable) as I just prefer later variants simply as less mechanical years of wear and tear, or I'll go for a EX53-014L21-BGW 2013

Thanks in advance for any thoughts

[scm]

Checked all the fuses? I couldn't see a fuse dedicated to that in my MY18 handbook, but ....

[cj10jeeper]

Checked all the fuses? I couldn't see a fuse dedicated to that in my MY18 handbook, but ....

No, but its a good call. I'll see what I can find on the wiring diagram and suitable locations to hunt for it. I have exact VIN specific Topix, but a 20,000 page manual is hard work

[genp729]

9 times out of 10, it's the silicon grease on the pivot shaft that has solidified and/or differing expansion rates of the vent housing around the pivot shaft. The actuator is relatively small considering the mass of the vent it has to shift and it has a wound spring to provide assistance. My vent plays up in cold weather, when the grease thickens and the housing contracts around the pivot shaft, but is fine after 30 mins of hot air or sat in the sunshine. 100's of reports of similar issues, but unlikely the actuator has failed. Relatively easy to remove and modify the pivot meachanisim, see Mr GB's YouTube video here for full guide --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xi2CAS6zMY

[cj10jeeper]

9 times out of 10, it's the silicon grease on the pivot shaft that has solidified and/or differing expansion rates of the vent housing around the pivot shaft. The actuator is relatively small considering the mass of the vent it has to shift and it has a wound spring to provide assistance. My vent plays up in cold weather, when the grease thickens and the housing contracts around the pivot shaft, but is fine after 30 mins of hot air or sat in the sunshine. 100's of reports of similar issues, but unlikely the actuator has failed. Relatively easy to remove and modify the pivot meachanisim, see Mr GB's YouTube video here for full guide --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xi2CAS6zMY

OK so I think I've eliminated any fuse issues due to everything else working, no specific motor fuse for this in the diagram and other parts of the circuit are fine, etc.

I'll go for physical as worth a go before shelling out on a new unit/motor.
Video is very helpful - thanks, although it does seem to reference the guide on here
On further reflection a month sat in an unheated garage with no use could be the final time/temp to cause a seize up.

I'll dive in when I get 10 mins and see what I find - thanks

[MajorTom]

Did you see that this thread was referred to in an article about buying a used F-Types?

https://www.theautopian.com/you-can-buy ... ford-edge/

For once a good article by someone who seemed to do his research and understands what the F-Type is about.

[cj10jeeper]

So grabbed an hour after being summoned for an afternoon walk and stripped the unit out and test fitted. All now working properly.

The shafts and hinges were no so much stiff as near totally seized up, so no wonder the actuator couldn't rotate anything.
Only variance I made to the methodology was to file out the bores of the hinges rather than sanding. Much the same end result, but with the right size file it was easier to profile it.

Just need to refit it in properly when I get another 20 mins of garage time, but problem solved, helpful guide too.
Saved £100 too which is always a bonus..

As a footnote interesting to note that my unit is a 07/2016 so must have been swapped out under warranty not long before I purchased the car.
Thanks for the input and pointers

[RPSN]

Did you see that this thread was referred to in an article about buying a used F-Type?

https://www.theautopian.com/you-can-buy ... ford-edge/

For once a good article by someone who seemed to do his research and understands what the F-Type is about.

Well spotted!