Dash Heater & AC fan stopped working

[Frankomd]

2019 Thor Freedom Traveler A30 with 9800 miles...
A coupe of weeks ago I took our motorhome in for a routine oil change (yes, I'm just too lazy to do it myself). En route we noticed that the dash fan was not working. There was no hot (or cold) air blowing from any vent or from the defroster. Everything else on the dash was working normally. I assumed a fuse had blown, but given the "interface" between the Ford F53 Motorhome Chassis and Thor-built and installed dashboard and switchgear I figured it might not be so simple. In the end I was right and I was wrong. Using my multimeter I determined that ALL fuses and relays in the power distribution center in the engine bay were intact. I checked the Thor Owners resource center to review any pertinent schematics, hoping to be able to determine the location of the blower motor and resistor so I could check them as well but could not find what I was looking for. I reviewed this site and thought there might be another fuse box down near the brake pedal inside the coach but couldn't find one in my rig. I checked the fan switch itself as best I could but couldn't find a convenient way to disconnect the wiring or the switch itself as it is really difficult to access. I then looked up under the passenger side portion of the dash and located what looked to be the fan motor (yay!) but it did not look like it was going to be easy to access to test. Well, lo and behold, I saw a wire just hanging loose nearby and thought it might be the source of my problem. I then quickly saw (well, mostly felt) what I thought might be the terminal the wire had fallen off of and decided to see if that was the case. Indeed it was! It pushed right on with a tight fit. Fingers crossed, I started the engine and turned the fan knob, experiencing the (fairly unexpected) joy of normal airflow, heat, AC, and defrost, thus solving the problem. I'll say right out of the gate that I'm a real DIY novice. I'll also say that I was dismayed that it wasn't clear whether this was a Thor issue or a Ford issue, and after contacting the local Thor dealer and local Ford dealer they suggested it was "the other guy." Lastly, how is it that a diagram showing the physical location of the blower fan and resistor isn't readily available on the Thor site? Or did I just miss it? And going a step further, and perhaps for future reference, is there a service manual that describes how to change out the blower motor and resistor? If so, where could such be found?

 

[dkoldman]

I would think that is clearly a Ford part / issue. How did Ford say it belonged to TMC? I mean I think you are talking Dash AC/Air Defrost and that is part of Chassis and should be in your Ford Manual, fuses instructions etc.

Regardless good fine. Based on how hard / easy it was to plug back into the socket should be clue as to what may have happened.

I am assume it was connected if it is 2019; so it must have slipped off, due vibration.

 

[The Gritz Carlton]

Probably got knocked loose with a slab of chipboard while they were building the cab...hanging on by a thread until now.

 

[Frankomd]

I would think that is clearly a Ford part / issue. How did Ford say it belonged to TMC? I mean I think you are talking Dash AC/Air Defrost and that is part of Chassis and should be in your Ford Manual, fuses instructions etc.

Regardless good fine. Based on how hard / easy it was to plug back into the socket should be clue as to what may have happened.

I am assume it was connected if it is 2019; so it must have slipped off, due vibration.

Right? I agree it seemed like a Ford issue. But a person who called me back from Ford Motorhome Customer Assistance (800-444-3311) told me their heuristic is, "if it blows but isn't getting hot or cold" then it's likely a Ford issue (like a condenser, evaporator, heater core, etc. issue), if it doesn't blow at all then it's likely a Thor issue (like specific wiring, connectors, vent actuators, etc. that may pertain to the particular arrangement in a MH). It seems to me if the fan motor was the problem it would without a doubt be a Ford issue, though.

Part of the problem where I live is that the nearest Ford service department capable of working on my MH is over 120 miles away. If it were closer I'd have been willing to just book an appointment at Ford to begin. In the end, though, the passing of the buck and distance from the Ford service department forced me to keep looking and checking which turned out favorably.

 

[The Gritz Carlton]

Ford stripped chassis comes with all the A/C hardware (engine stuff) in place. Thor builds/adds too it, the blower motor assembly, hoses, vents, dash controller, etc. The fan motor is on Thor.

 

[Frankomd]

Ford stripped chassis comes with all the A/C hardware (engine stuff) in place. Thor builds/adds too it, the blower motor assembly, hoses, vents, dash controller, etc. The fan motor is on Thor.

Thank you! That's really helpful. That's certainly what Ford was telling me. But as I mentioned, the local Thor dealer didn't seem to agree. They didn't seem to think the dash fan was their responsibility. Next time I'll check with the Thor factory. It strikes me that I cannot be the first person to come up against this kind of "border dispute" between chassis manufacturer and MH manufacturer. I assume the responsibilities of each must be spelled out somewhere, part by part, but I couldn't find it. It seems to me it should be crystal clear to avoid unnecessary time, money, and angst.

 

[dkoldman]

When my coach was brand new, I had trouble getting air in one tire. The Dealer said it was a Ford issue. I called Ford and they said it was not. I believed it was truly a Ford issue, however I called WBGO who said they actually put on the extensions ( a WBGO part). They sent me the tire extensions directly and I later had the Dealer put the extensions on under warranty.

I think in this case the AC/Heat/Unit is a Ford Part? I may be wrong, but I say so because it is in my Manual. Maybe if RV Mfg replaced the AC/Heater/Blower fan unit I could see it being a TMC / Dealer issue. The Problem is you didn't know why it was not working. Sounds like neither Dealer ( Ford or TMC dealer) did their job, they should have diagnosed it (both can charge for that). Had they diagnosed, they would have found what you did. Either way, both would have actually fixed and charged because the issue you described was no longer under warranty.

You had the best outcome based on both of their incompetence for an opportunity to fix yourself.