96 850R Wagon - no air thru defroster vents?

[DougM]

So I did my research on the site, but I'm still stumped.

My heat is working fine, blower works fine, but no matter where I set the dial--all the air comes out the main dash vents.

I checked the damper shaft and it is fine. I replaced the Vent Flap Air Distributor Motor (Volvo part # 9142629). And still no change.

Any suggestions?

[shiloh51933]

So I did my research on the site, but I'm still stumped.

My heat is working fine, blower works fine, but no matter where I set the dial--all the air comes out the main dash vents.

I checked the damper shaft and it is fine. I replaced the Vent Flap Air Distributor Motor (Volvo part # 9142629). And still no change.

Any suggestions?

I thought the default vent was always the front defoggers, anyway. Have you tried the air mix dial?
Are the climate control led lights blinking when you first start car? If you replaced flap(dampers) motor then maybe the control panel is faulty. You have a manual climate control system right.

[bmdubya1198]

The R should have ECC, and if there is an error you will see the blinking lights. I would check for codes in the climate control.

[DougM]

Car has the ECC. There are no flashing lights when I start the car. Temperature control seems to work fine. The fan adjusts speed fine. Just the know to control what vents are used doesn't change anything.

[scot850]

Welcome to the fun that is the Volvo heating/ventilation system, especially with ECC.

I'm trying to remember with the 850 system, but if I recall correctly there are 4 servo motors that affect how the air is directed. The servo motors can fail, but I have had problems with the connections between the motor and the flaps and the main flap actually sticking so it broke the motor drive.

My advice is to remove the RH/passenger side lower dash panel and then change the setting on the ECC (ignition on) and look at the motor and shaft for the main flap to the left of the opening. This shaft is the most problematical. The plastic drive breaks with age. On a 93 we had, I had to pull the whole dash to be able to replace the left flap on the main shaft. I was lucky to find a good used flap as they are not available new. The right flap can be replaced in situ and it includes the plastic drive for the servo motor that breaks. This may still be available new. I know guys have repaired it with a small pipe worm drive clamp.

I'd remove the servo motor and check the flap is free to rotate.

Neil.

[erikv11]

So I did my research on the site, but I'm still stumped.

My heat is working fine, blower works fine, but no matter where I set the dial--all the air comes out the main dash vents.

I checked the damper shaft and it is fine. I replaced the Vent Flap Air Distributor Motor (Volvo part # 9142629). And still no change.

Any suggestions?

What about calibration of the motor that was replaced, could that be needed still?

[BEJinFbk]

So I did my research on the site, but I'm still stumped.

My heat is working fine, blower works fine, but no matter where I set the dial--all the air comes out the main dash vents.

I checked the damper shaft and it is fine. I replaced the Vent Flap Air Distributor Motor (Volvo part # 9142629). And still no change.

Any suggestions?

I thought the default vent was always the front defoggers, anyway. Have you tried the air mix dial?
Are the climate control led lights blinking when you first start car? If you replaced flap(dampers) motor then maybe the control panel is faulty. You have a manual climate control system right.

Not the temp dials, the fresh air inlet wheel on the center dash vent itself.
If it's open, you'll always have air from that location. Just double checking.

[DougM]

I will double check later, but I'm almost positive the fresh air mix dial is working fine. I understand that if it is open, I will have air coming thru the dash vents--but if I set it to defroster with full fans, I should have air coming thru the defrost vents too--right?

Does anyone have a link to something that shows where all the vent motors are located so I can check each of them (and the shafts they control)?

[bmdubya1198]

Does anyone have a link to something that shows where all the vent motors are located so I can check each of them (and the shafts they control)?

^I'd also like to see some pics of these motors. My cousin's '99 S70 has been having a climate control issue since he bought it 2 years ago where only the passenger side vents blow hot with heat/cool with a/c. The driver's side blows the complete opposite of the passenger side. I'd like to see if I can check out these motors in his car to see if they're working right.

[abscate]

The 99 has a different system with a single motor controlling air flow. There is a mid year chassis change too

Fun fun fun