# Windstar blend door repair **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** doors, windstar\ **Created:** [January 26, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windstar-blend-door-repair/25598 "2009-01-26T19:20:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![danajmcbride](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@danajmcbride](https://community.cartalk.com/u/danajmcbride)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windstar-blend-door-repair/25598/1 "2009-01-26T19:20:19Z")
I’m not the only one who has a broken blend door that cost more to repair than the cars worth ($1300). I’m thinking about buying a manual and DIY, but which one? There’s something called a digital repair manual? ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windstar-blend-door-repair/25598/2 "2009-01-26T20:04:18Z")
I’d save money and go with Haynes. They’re not as good as the factory manuals, but they are pretty good for most do-it-yourself projects. This will be a very labor-, and time-intensive project, but with a good manual you can fix it yourself. Try [Books4Cars.com](http://Books4Cars.com) for inexpensive used repair manuals. ---
**Author:** ![tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@tardis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tardis)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windstar-blend-door-repair/25598/3 "2009-01-26T20:59:48Z")
Search on the internet. This is such a common failure that some people have come up with some interesting solutions that don’t require taking the dash out. You may want to try one of them first. You can probably find specific instructions on one of the Ford specific forums. ---
**Author:** ![Beadsandbeads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@Beadsandbeads](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Beadsandbeads)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 12:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windstar-blend-door-repair/25598/4 "2009-01-27T00:49:28Z")
Certaily do what mc and tardis suggest. You can sign up at [AllDataDiy.com](http://AllDataDiy.com). YOu can also look at a manual that the library. If you are lucky, the library will have access to repair databases. The advantage of AllData and maybe other digital databases is that they have up to date TSBs available. If you are not very lucky with this model, you are probably looking at a couple of days to take out the front seats and carefully pull the dash back. Find a Windstar board. Someone there might have posted some shortcuts. ---
**Author:** ![Roadrunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Roadrunner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Roadrunner)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 1:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windstar-blend-door-repair/25598/5 "2009-01-27T01:28:54Z")
Are you sure you aren’t having a head gasket job done? OR, are you over-exaggerating? I had the electrical blend door motor replaced (by my independent tech/shop) in my '02 Chevy Tahoe for a grand total of (parts=$80 plus $65 labor (1 hour)) $145.00 (Canadian $.) ---
**Author:** ![tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@tardis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tardis)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 1:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windstar-blend-door-repair/25598/6 "2009-01-27T01:55:55Z")
Not all cars are exactly alike, believe it or not. With most Ford products, the dash has to be removed to do this. The $1300 figure is correct. ---
**Author:** ![Roadrunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Roadrunner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Roadrunner)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 3:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windstar-blend-door-repair/25598/7 "2009-01-27T03:26:22Z")
Geez, I don’t know what to say. The dash had to be removed in my Tahoe too. I watched while the tech worked on it. ---
**Author:** ![cabella](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@cabella](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cabella)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 3:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windstar-blend-door-repair/25598/8 "2009-01-27T03:27:39Z")
Try this, Dis assemble your glove box and you may be able to view your heating compartment. If you drill a hole through the plastic then with a screw driver finagle the door to be put in the right spot you may not need to pull the dash and be able to drive this thing until it breaks. It’s very MICKEY MOUSE but it does work. Once the door is in the correct location drill a self tapping screw to keep the door from closing ! Have fun, and remember if this doesent work your going to have to pull the dash anyway ! ---
**Author:** ![tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@tardis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tardis)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 3:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windstar-blend-door-repair/25598/9 "2009-01-27T03:34:26Z")
I don’t know, the Tahoe dash must be easier to remove. As I recall, one of the first steps for pulling the OP’s dash is to drop the steering column. ---
**Author:** ![Roadrunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Roadrunner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Roadrunner)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/windstar-blend-door-repair/25598/10 "2009-01-27T21:01:51Z")
Oh yeah, I forgot. It’s a Ford isn’t it. Heh heh