Loss of heater- 2013 F150 FX4

[steverinaz]

Hi all,

I want to thank all of you (and the developers/coders especially) for this gem...man, turning wrenches for 30 years and I had no idea how complex my girl Maggie, was!

So I have had the truck for 5 years, got her at 40k miles...not one problem til now, 110k miles. Did my PMs, oil changes etc, and now winter is coming to AZ, I turned the heat knob and got nothing but cold air. So I scoured the interweb, found videos/articles, etc. My head is about to explode! I did a flush, removed all the possible air from the heater core, so I'm thinking it's the blend door. Can't hear any of the actuators clicking; yet turn the ignition off and lots of normal sounds I hear.

Does Forscan provide HVAC testing- if so, which module? I have yet to find it...and, if anyone has an idea on what may be the cause- beers on me...I'm just bewildered at this point!

P.S. No DTCS other than occasional ABS, but no MIL on dash and she's a runner...

TIA,

Steve

[tractmec]

Hi all,

I want to thank all of you (and the developers/coders especially) for this gem...man, turning wrenches for 30 years and I had no idea how complex my girl Maggie, was!

So I have had the truck for 5 years, got her at 40k miles...not one problem til now, 110k miles. Did my PMs, oil changes etc, and now winter is coming to AZ, I turned the heat knob and got nothing but cold air. So I scoured the interweb, found videos/articles, etc. My head is about to explode! I did a flush, removed all the possible air from the heater core, so I'm thinking it's the blend door. Can't hear any of the actuators clicking; yet turn the ignition off and lots of normal sounds I hear.

Does Forscan provide HVAC testing- if so, which module? I have yet to find it...and, if anyone has an idea on what may be the cause- beers on me...I'm just bewildered at this point!

P.S. No DTCS other than occasional ABS, but no MIL on dash and she's a runner...

TIA,

Steve

From a fellow wrench puller that has been at this since 1972 I here ya! Need a manual have a look here: https://cardiagn.com/ford-manuals/

Diagnosing Coolant flow through the heater core has not changed actually as the coolant flows through the heater core even when no heat is being used (All temp control and air flow direction is done with air doors) so a feel of the hoses to and from the heater should tell you whether you have circulation. After 30 years that should be automatic as the first thing to check!

You did not specify what adapter you are using for this diagnosis! If you have an adapter that is not MSCAN capable you will not see any thing to do with the HVAC as it is part of the ICAN network in these trucks and only reports to the MSCAN network and depending on the options for whether you have a base system or your controls are in the touch screen center display or you have a dual zone system it will communicate to MSCAN through either the IPC or the BCM as a gateway module!

You may not see these even if you have manual HS/MSCAN switch as the modules on those networks may get declared AWOL before you can get the switch flipped over! This was one of the main reasons for FORScan to help develop adapters like the OBDLink EX and the Vgate vLinker FS because the manual switch or RTS relay would no longer switch between networks fast enough for networks like Central Configuration and ICAN and HSCAN 2 and 3 which also report thru MSCAN!

I suspect this is part of your problem! If the temp or blend door is going to full cold or if it is where it is stuck(step motor stopped at the cold step) or being held (binding or something stuck in it)( you can probably see this one if you take the glove box out) you would not be getting any DTC's(B1A/B/Cxx:xx B10xx:xx or B11xx:xx) related to it if you are not seeing any MSCAN networks!

At any rate your network tree in the Modules tab should list bothHSCAN and MSCAN networks and what is reporting to them! If you only see HSCAN you are missing most of the networks

Can't tell otherwise from what you have described!

[steverinaz]

TY @tractmec

I'm using a standard, Chinese ELM327 adapter..> no external switch...what adapter should I use then?

[tractmec]

TY @tractmec

I'm using a standard, Chinese ELM327 adapter..> no external switch...what adapter should I use then?

And so the question is answered as to why you are not seeing the EATC/HVAC modules as you are not likely seeing the MScan/ICN buss at all! You also will not see any DTC's from those Busses or modules!
Also forgot to mention that the heater doors are each driven through a small gear box with a small set of nylon gears which have a nasty habit of stripping teeth at least that is the common problem on the 2005 F150 and 2003 Expedition HVAC system. The 2013 may be different !

As I said in my post to you: FORScan helped to develop the OBDlink EX adapter available at scantool.net or https://www.obdlink.com/aff/forscan-ex and at Amazon.com and the VGATE vLinker FS available Here: https://vgate.pl/product/vgate-vlinker- ... ps-ms-can/ or is also available on Amazon.com(US site) or https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003116796694.html!

Hopefully this helps?

[rbentnail]

Blend door problems are a known, common problem on these models. The '13 is no different tho Ford did finally beef up the plastic gearing a bit.Looky here:

https://www.fjrowners.com/threads/need- ... ost-265377

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1668 ... vents.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1664 ... miles.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1641483-no-heat.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1601 ... eater.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1580 ... uator.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1565 ... 5-0-a.html

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1561 ... issue.html

[18Watt]

so a feel of the hoses to and from the heater should tell you whether you have circulation.

My experience has been that a low coolant level can cause poor (or no) circulation through the heater core. Even a slightly low coolant level. In my case it was due to a very slow coolant leak past the o-rings in the radiator hose quick-connects. I have a 2013 F150 with the 5.0L gas engine.

I’m not a mechanic, but I suspect it would be easier to eliminate a lack of coolant flow through the core. If you did end up with air in the heater lines, it can take several minutes with the engine running before the coolant circulates through the core, and you might need to add a little more coolant when that happens.

I wasn’t aware that the blend door actuators are also a common failure point, that’s good to know. I live in Minnesota, loss of heater function is not good up here, so I’m very interested in the solution you find.

Good luck!

[steverinaz]

Thank you all!!!

I got the USB scanner and lo and behold...there it was!!!

===HVAC DTC B1081:11-0A===
Code: B1081 - Left Temperature Damper Motor

Additional Fault Symptom:
 - Circuit Short To Ground

Status:
 - DTC Present at Time of Request
 - Malfunction Indicator Lamp is Off for this DTC

Module: Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning

===END HVAC DTC B1081:11-0A===

So, looks like I'll tear into it this weekend if not sooner...

[Took]

How did this repair go?

I have the same code and symptoms in my 2014 XLT (single zone HVAC)

I'm debating whether I want to repair myself or just let the dealer do it.

[steverinaz]

Have yet to do it @took...