I'm sorry to resurrect this but, I've searched and can't seem to find the thread that dealt with actually fixing the recirculation flap/door that seems to be at the root of the badly fogging windows in the X-type on cold days. Mine has gotten to the point of having to have the defrost on full blast just to be able to get around town. My pollen filter is clean and no moisture in the compartment. In fact the car has been in my heated garage for a month so it's dry as a bone everywhere. With AC on full, I can hit the recirculation button and nothing changes in sound or velocity. I'm thinking that door is stuck closed.

 

I have been having the same issues. Does anyone have detailed instructions on how to fix this? I have asked here a few times before but no one has responded.

 

Doh! It was in my AllData as TSB. I think I have a PDF file. I'll try and attach or PM you directly.

 

I'm about to go and play with my blend door actuator. Looks pretty straight forward BUT part of the instructions are to "ensure the blend door is in the fresh air position" before re-seating the actuator. Will this be obvious to me? How will I be able to tell what position the blend door is in?

 

I actually was under the dash for this before... I didn't finish the job because I couldn't get past the step where you remove the screws for the inlet door actuator... need an L-shaped star wrench for that... there's about 1" of room between the head of the screw and the "wall" of the center console... unless I was looking at the wrong actuator... I saw 4 of them... the one that resembled the position of what they are talking about in the tech bulletin was mounted on the left of what looked like the actual blower motor...or was I looking at the wrong actuator?

 

That's the one. You remove the upper stepper motor on the console side and then the actuator which is across from it where the blower motor is. The three screws for the actuator are the hardest to get out. I used a 3/32nds hex key, by feel more than by sight, rather than a torx bit.

The other part that is a bit time consuming is pulling the connector at the precise moment as you cycle the recirculation button. But, I will tell you that after you have made the adjustment, it's a world of difference. No more window fogging!

 

Thanks for the tip, Mohrd. I will try the hex key... why the heck didn't I think of that ;-)

I am actually thinking of affixing the air intake flap in the position to take fresh air and leave the actuator disconnected. Or do you think that would be a bad idea? It's just that once I get under there and get it fixed, I don't want to have to do that a second time.

 

I can't see why you couldn't leave it disconnected but you still have to have the actuator in place and shaft in the proper position, other wise the door will move freely. The connection to it doesn't see to power anything but that single door.

 

Rather than make my own thread asking pretty much the same question I've seen asked and answered, I'll ask here

When the windows are fogging up from this recirculation door, is it when the system is off or only when the fan is running? Tonight I drove the X I'm planning on buying and the windows seemed to fog up unless I had it on defrost, even if the system was completely turned off. Having the system turned on, but not on defrost, didn't seem to speed up the process anymore than having it turned off. Would the door be the culprit, or should I be looking for moisture in the car? It recently rained, and water poured out of the door sill when I opened the door, but the carpet didn't feel wet

 

If you have the system off and the windows closed your windows will certainly fog up eventually. You are essentially breathing on the windshiled. Eventually the moisture you are exhaling will condense on the windows. Fastest way to clear them is setting it on defrost and making sure the a/c is on. If it's working properly that should just take a few seconds to clear.

As for the moisture you describe, does it look like the door seals are intact? Do you notice any wind noise from that door area when driving? If it's quiet in the car most likely they are doing what they are supposed to. Not sure what you mean by pouring out of the sill.

 

Well the car isn't mine yet, it was only a test drive. The windows did fog up quicker and more than normal, as in quicker and more than any other car I've driven. I had to constantly turn on the defrost to clear it up. Not just the windshield, its the entire car that fogs up. The side windows were getting worse than the windshield, and mainly on the passenger side.

No noise while driving down the road, seals seemed to be fine. What I mean is, when I first opened the door to get in the car, water poured out from the door and I noticed some water was collected on the door sill. Not a lot, maybe half a liter or less. This is also something none of my other cars have done

 

Not sure if you figured this out, but I'm the guy you sent the TSB with the fix.

As for the blend door, with the pollen fliter removed, you can see that it is closed if a tannish door is covering the opening behind where the pollen filter would be. I used a long screwdriver to push open the door. When the door is open, you can see into the duct work and actually see your blower.

To get to the blend door from the inside of the vehicle would mean opening up the plenum. Not quite sure how to do this without extreme complication, small tools/hands and standing on one's head to get at everything!

BTW, if you lay on your back and position your head on the floor inside the footwell against the inner corner of the center console next to the firewall, you can fit a 1/4" torx socket/ratchet drive up in there to access the actuator screws. Don't ask me how I know - I would imagine it's obvious anyway! My abs are still screaming from doing this job

In addition, I put a small shop light in the removed glove box area so I could see!

I only wish the #%^*! glue had held so I don't have to go back in and do it again

As for now I slid a pencil under the blend door. Then I duck taped it so it won't slip into the duct and get caught in the blower. This allows just enough fresh air in to keep the windows defogged if I run defrosters on full blast. It's a temporary fix until I can get some warmer weather so the glue will hold.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Rob

 

i thought i was the only one with my jag windows FOGGING up when its cold, my windshield is fine but all the other windows FOG instantly. I see how to fix the module but is there a way to stop all my other windows from fogging up ?

 

JabNewB,

Window fogging is very common on the X. The car seems to be so air tight that fresh air must be brought into the cabin to keep this from happening. With the blend door closed, all the windows fog up. No fresh air is getting in. The windshield doesn't get as bad because air is blowing directly on it from the defroster. You can usually keep the rear window clear with the rear defroster.

However, when you are recirculating that cabin air, fogging becomes a real issue. Fresh air must be let in. That's why you must fix the blend door problem.

I found that the shaft must be rounded so much that I can actually move the blend door from the engine side of the firewall. I can open or close the blend door with a long screwdriver, even with the actuator motor still connected.

My "easy" fix was to tape a pencil under the blend door to keep it partially open. That allows just enough fresh air in to keep all the windows from fogging with the defroster on full blast.

You can also leave the back windows down just a bit to let fresh air in. Although this can get cold quick!

Hope this helps!

 

why put the door half way? why not all the way open? I dont see any advantage of it.

 

how do a go about opening the door, better question is where is it located ?

 

I would first check the carpet and especially under the carpet for moisture, if that seems fine I would then figure with the doord filling with water (seems odd to me but) that the car has been sitting for a long time. X-Types are prone to moisture problems, I personally had a leak in the windshield seal that rained havoc on my Transmission Control Module. But is people have been getting in and out in the rain or snow it will stay there because it's too cold to evaporate, and then will reform as condensation on the windows as the car interior heats, it took me driving windows open in the heat to evaporate the moisture out, now my windows still fog but not to the point it was before.

 

Sport30: Motor is slipping on the shaft. If I open the door the motor closes it. Must be catching just enough. Motor will not open door, however. I put the pencil in to keep the door from closing all the way.

JagNewB: See #12. You can access the blend door from behind the pollen filter which is in the engine compartment, under the plastic firewall cowling, right side of engine bay. I believe the pollen filter access/removal process is covered in FAQ section.

 

Thanks 4 the help

 

On my 2002 X-type: project time = 10 minutes. No window fog since then; about three years.

1. Remove glove box. (A few screws.)
2. Using a flashlight, sight the 'stuck-closed' blend door behind the resultant opening.
3. Rotate the blend door open with a stiff stick (2-3 feet long).
4. Now take a 6-8" 12 gauge bendable wire and hook it into the opening so as to prevent the door from closing. 5. Secure the wire in place by simply sqeezing it in place: a self-made clamp. (Or you could secure the free end to keep it in place.)

Dealer wanted $700 to disassemble the dash! LOL.