I just spent 8 hours replacing the vacuum element on my defroster. The problem is that may ac was blowing out the defroster and the center vents. When it is hot outside it doesn't cool very well with the air going up thru the defroster.
This was a very challenging repair and I would not recommend it for the light hearted or not very mechanical inclined. By the way the all data instructions were wrong so I will do an overview.
1 Disconnect battery and Remove steering wheel. The video I watched said you needed a 4mm Allen to remove the airbag on mine it is a torx.
2 remove the instrument cluster
3 you have access to the vacuum element at this point
4 Take a small vice grip and lock down the rod that is attached to the defrost door.
5 disconnect the vacuum lines. The bottom one is red with a white stripe the one on the side is red with a blue stripe.
6 then i sharpened a long flat head screw driver put it in between the top of the vacuum element and the bracket, tapped with a hammer to gain a little room. Then from the same position I broke each one of the 3 retaining pins. Pull the pins out with the rubber washer and retainer and save to reuse later. I also PUT A PAPER TOWEL under while I was working so if anything dropped I could find it.
7 This is where things got really challenging. EPC shows that the pin that connects the vacuum element to the rod is held by an c clip. IT IS NOT. IT WAS A RIVIT. By this time i was fully committed. I used a soldering iron to melt the plastic around the pin and then used a Dremel with a cutoff wheel to cut the pin in and remove it (after trying many other ways). That worked well.
8 I then went to the hardware store and found that a 4mm screw x 10mm with a 4mm nylon lock nut fit perfect. Buy 3 of each because you will drop one or two 3 dollars in parts. I used blue tape to tape the nut to a 7mm nut driver and the screw to an L shaped Phillips head screw drive so i could hold it from behind and tightened it with enough play that it would still pivot.
9 Then take off the vice grips holding the arm. I then pushed the broken pins thru the retainer washers with a punch on my vice very carefully.
10 Then push the vacuum element into the bracket and while holding the element push the rubber washer and retainer on top of the plastic pen. once you get it started i used a screwdriver and needle nose to push it until it was fully seated. Then repeat for the other two pins.
11 attached The vacuum lines. Tested it and worked as it should. Closed Defroster door when running ac.
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