# 2001 Ford Taurus, no heat **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [February 11, 2015, 9:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-ford-taurus-no-heat/88998 "2015-02-11T09:49:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2015, 10:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-ford-taurus-no-heat/88998/21 "2015-02-13T22:44:39Z")
I’ve read that some of these stepper motors can be ruined by testing them uninstalled. They must be installed when first energized because the control module first puts them through a calibration to learn where the OPEN and CLOSED positions are. ---
**Author:** ![knfenimore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9fc348/32.png) [@knfenimore](https://community.cartalk.com/u/knfenimore)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2015, 11:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-ford-taurus-no-heat/88998/22 "2015-02-13T23:04:46Z")
This is the electronic and vacuum drawings for your Ford EATC ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2015, 5:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-ford-taurus-no-heat/88998/23 "2015-02-14T05:19:35Z")
From that first drawing it appears like the actuator may just be a simple DC motor rather than a stepper motor. Two pins for the motor, the current is reversed to go in the opposite direction is all. The other three pins appear to be used to determine the position of the actuator. With a variable resistor, sort of like how a fuel gauge sender in the gas tank works. Or it could still a stepper motor I guess, but the drawing is simplified. The stepper motor controller might actually be inside the actuator, and the two pins shown as going to the motor actually go to the controller and tell the controller to either step the motor forward or backward. Life is such a mystery … lol … ---
**Author:** ![MG-McAnick](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mg-mcanick/32/188_2.png) [@MG-McAnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MG-McAnick)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2015, 10:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-ford-taurus-no-heat/88998/24 "2015-02-14T10:17:13Z")
No, it’s not a stepper motor. I opened one up a couple of actuator replacements on other Tauri ago. It’s just a tiny reversible motor that drives a worm gear that drives three others. I have not had a chance to mess with it since I last posted. Maybe tomorrow I’ll have some extra time. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2015, 10:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-ford-taurus-no-heat/88998/25 "2015-02-14T10:45:27Z")
Things were a little simpler when there was only a lever and cable, huh? Someone (I have long forgotten who) determined at one time that with the EATC units the range of movement on the blend doors was less than what the actuator motors accounted for. A test was done which showed that if the unit was set on the minimum 60 or maximum 90 the door would move to the stops and the motor was still churning. This is probably what leads to stripped actuators in most cases. I’ve always kept mine set on 65 or 85 so as to provide a little range cushion so to speak and have never had any issues with broken levers or stripped gears. Or you could just say to heck with it and go flyin’… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2015, 1:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-ford-taurus-no-heat/88998/26 "2015-02-15T01:02:44Z")
“Tauri” . . . COME ON This is no political correctness involved here Nobody’s going to take offense if you just say Tauruses or Toreasses What I just said was pretty mild, in my opinion Please keep that in mind if you want to flag me Now that you’ve go me going, it’s Priuses . . . not Prii or what have you [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-ford-taurus-no-heat/88998.md?page=1)