Cold air on passenger side???

A year ago we had a Jeep dealer replace the heater core...since then we get substantial cold air on the passenger side at the ankle level...cannot find the source. Have taken it back to the dealer who claims some "door" is (probably) worn and needs to be replaced...at a cost of $850!!! It sounds more like a control problem...understand there may be vaccuum switches involved?..Can anyone help??...Is there a diagram on line anywhere of the Cherokee's ventilation system??

The XJ heater box is a cash cow for the dealers, $850 is a bit high, most around here quote $600 and at 8 hours labor thats why. The entire dash has to come out and the work is pure labor. I'm looking at a new evaporator for my 98 and it's in the same ball park...
It is not complicated, just ALOT of work even with diagrams.

It sounds more like they buggered up the foam rubber weather seal around the blower motor when they took the dash apart. You're probably getting a leak directly from the engine compartment.

If it was a faulty flapper, the temperature would be the same on both sides of the cabin but the air wouldn't necessarily go where you want it.

Did the new heater core work ok after the dealer installed it? If so, and you started to get cold air coming in, maybe one of the 'doors' you mentioned inside your duct work is hanging/binding up and outside air from the cowl is leaking into the system??? Ive never had this area apart on my ride yet, and from what it sounds like, I hope I never have to, but my guess would be to look for leaks anywhere and wherever you can.

Thanks for the replies....yes, the heater core appears to work fine...at least for the driver's side....since this sounds like mostly labor..am wondering if I could do the work myself?....am willing...even if some special expensive tools are required....??

P.S. ...the dealer claimed 6 hours of labor and $270 in parts to make up the $850 quotation.....

Here is what is involved in removing the dash off a late model XJ

Click here....

This is a link from SilverXJ's dash removal write up....

Ivan

Ivan said:

Here is what is involved in removing the dash off a late model XJ

Click here....

This is a link from SilverXJ's dash removal write up....

Ivan

Click to expand...

Oh man, that sure got me off the fence about dealer/self. I'd rather fix a thrown track on a bradley, in a swamp, in the winter, while it's snowing....and up to my ass in winter alligators...

Ivan said:

Here is what is involved in removing the dash off a late model XJ

Click here....

This is a link from SilverXJ's dash removal write up....

Ivan

Click to expand...

Been there, done that, it sucked. I wasn't searching for leaky seals, but it is something I never want to have to do again.

RichP said:

Oh man, that sure got me off the fence about dealer/self. I'd rather fix a thrown track on a bradley, in a swamp, in the winter, while it's snowing....and up to my ass in winter alligators...

Click to expand...

OT: A thrown track on a Bradley? Not fun. Although try the M60A3, not exactly a cup of tea either. The Army did supply a hell of a breaker bar, though.

;-)

So, Did you ever find out what was cousing the cold air on your feet, I now have that problem. Air out of the defrost is fine but ai have a bad cold air leak on teh passenger side feet.

I have been having the same problem It's mysterious and frustrating. I cannot see a fault in the foam seal around the heater blower, and the fresh air door is also not hanging open. There seem to be no holes in the cowl vent either. My wife has to ride with a pillow over her legs on cold days! I even took off the right fender, hoping to find a hole there. No dice. I've put off pulling the dash, but will probably have to do that this spring, since I also am expecting to have to gut the interior for serious rust work on floors and rocker panels. But any new suggestions that might help for the remainder of the winter are welcome!

edit - by the way, it should be noted that when you turn the heater all the way to the "off" position, there is a door down at ankle level on the far right that opens directly and bypasses the heater entirely. It's always cold air there. The first thing to check would be that door, and its seals, to make sure that it isn't opening, and that its foam seals are intact. It might even be worthwhile taping it shut or covering it up to see if it helps. In my case, the air seems to be coming from higher up, behind the glove compartment, or perhaps over near the winshield pillar, and coming out under the dash.

Hey Guys,

Check the linkage from the vacuum motor to the recirculation door. Mine comes off from time to time and causes the exact condition you are describing. When you look under the dash directly up towards the glove box you will see a grille, the recirc. door is directly behind this grill. If you stick your finger through the grille and press on the door it should require some effort to move it. If it moves very freely the rod has probably came off. Look at the edge of the grille closest toward the back of the car, this is where it is hinged at, there should be a rod that attaches to the door slightly forward of the hinge centered. Mine comes off and will hold the door slightly open, allowing cold air to come in while the vehicle is moving. Hope this helps!

A few weeks ago i was riding back from VT in temperatures not reaching above zero in my friends XJ and i thought my toes were gonna fall off. The whole ride i was trying to figure out where the heck the leak was, because it felt like a draft. Near the end of the ride i was pushing on where i thought the draft was up under the dash and it felt like some flap opened and all of a sudden you could hear the air start rushing in and it was definately cold air from outside. From what you guys are saying about where your jeeps are blowin cold air sounds like exactly what i was feeling. Don't know if this helps, but i always just figured it was cause his was a rusty POS.

Also, his heat would kick on really high for a few minutes, then die down for a while and not really blow anything, then kick on high again.

MAXJ said:

A few weeks ago i was riding back from VT in temperatures not reaching above zero in my friends XJ and i thought my toes were gonna fall off. The whole ride i was trying to figure out where the heck the leak was, because it felt like a draft. Near the end of the ride i was pushing on where i thought the draft was up under the dash and it felt like some flap opened and all of a sudden you could hear the air start rushing in and it was definately cold air from outside. From what you guys are saying about where your jeeps are blowin cold air sounds like exactly what i was feeling. Don't know if this helps, but i always just figured it was cause his was a rusty POS.

Also, his heat would kick on really high for a few minutes, then die down for a while and not really blow anything, then kick on high again.

Click to expand...

It sounds as if your friend might have a vacuum problem.