Jeep Cherokee (XJ): Heater-A/C housing

The heater-A/C housing assembly must be removed from the vehicle and the two halves of the housing separated for service access of the heater core, evaporator coil, blend-air door, and each of the various mode control doors.

WARNING: ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AIRBAGS, REFER TO GROUP 8M - PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEMS BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY STEERING WHEEL, STEERING COLUMN, OR INSTRUMENT PANEL COMPONENT DIAGNOSIS OR SERVICE. FAILURE TO TAKE THE PROPER PRECAUTIONS COULD RESULT IN ACCIDENTAL AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AND POSSIBLE PERSONAL INJURY.

REMOVAL

(1) Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable.

(2) Remove the instrument panel from the vehicle.

Refer to Instrument Panel Assembly in Group 8E - Instrument Panel Systems for the procedures.

(3) If the vehicle is not equipped with air conditioning, go to Step 6. If the vehicle is equipped with air conditioning, recover the refrigerant from the refrigerant system. See Refrigerant Recovery in this group for the procedures.

(4) Disconnect the liquid line refrigerant line fitting from the evaporator inlet tube. See Refrigerant Line Coupler in this group for the procedures. Install plugs in, or tape over all of the opened refrigerant line fittings.

(5) Disconnect the accumulator inlet tube refrigerant line fitting from the evaporator outlet tube. See Refrigerant Line Coupler in this group for the procedures.

Install plugs in, or tape over all of the opened refrigerant line fittings.

(6) Drain the engine cooling system. Refer to Group 7 - Cooling System for the procedures.

(7) Disconnect the heater hoses from the heater core tubes. Refer to Group 7 - Cooling System for the procedures. Install plugs in, or tape over the opened heater core tubes.

(8) Unplug the heater-A/C system vacuum supply line connector from the tee fitting near the heater core tubes.

(9) Unplug the heater-A/C unit wire harness connector, which is fastened to the heater-A/C housing next to the blower motor relay (Fig. 39).

Fig. 39 Heater-A/C Unit Connector

1 - BLOWER MOTOR RELAY
2 - VACUUM HARNESS
3 - HEATER-A/C WIRE HARNESS CONNECTOR
4 - HEATER-A/C HOUSING

(10) Remove the five nuts from the heater-A/C housing mounting studs on the engine compartment side of the dash panel (Fig. 40). Remove or reposition the evaporation canister for additional access, if required.

Fig. 40 Heater-A/C Housing Remove/Install

1 - HEATER-A/C HOUSING
2 - STUD
3 - NUT
4 - STUD
5 - RIGHT FRONT FENDER

(11) Pull the heater-A/C housing rearward far enough for the mounting studs and the evaporator condensate drain tube to clear the dash panel holes.

(12) Remove the heater-A/C housing from the vehicle.

DISASSEMBLY

(1) Remove the heater-A/C housing from the vehicle and place it on a work bench.

(2) Unplug the vacuum harness connectors from the floor door actuator and, if the unit is so equipped, the recirculation air door actuator.

(3) Disengage the vacuum harness from any routing clips located on the lower half of the heater-A/C housing.

(4) Disengage the heater-A/C wire harness connector and the blower motor relay wire harness connector push-in retainers from their mounting holes on the heater-A/C housing.

(5) Remove the blower motor and blower wheel unit from the heater-A/C housing. See Blower Motor in this group for the procedures.

(6) Carefully remove the foam seal from the flange around the blower motor opening in the heater-A/C housing. If the seal is deformed or damaged, it must be replaced.

(7) Pull the vacuum supply line and connector through the foam seal on the heater core and evaporator coil tube mounting flange of the heater-A/C housing (Fig. 41).

(8) If the unit is equipped with air conditioning, remove the screw that secures the clamp to the evaporator coil tubes and remove the clamp.

Fig. 41 Heater-A/C Housing Disassembly

1 - SEALS
2 - EVAPORATOR TUBE CLAMP
3 - CLIPS
4 - HEATER CORE TUBES
5 - VACUUM SUPPLY LINE
6 - BLOWER MOTOR

(9) Carefully remove the foam seal from the heater core and evaporator coil tube mounting flange of the heater-A/C housing. If the seal is deformed or damaged, it must be replaced.

(10) Use a screwdriver to pry off the two snap clips that help secure the upper and lower heater-A/C housing halves to each other.

(11) Remove the 14 screws that secure the upper and lower heater-A/C housing halves to each other.

(12) Carefully separate the upper heater-A/C housing half from the lower half.

ASSEMBLY

(1) Assemble the upper heater-A/C housing half to the lower half. During assembly, be certain of the following: (a) That each of the mode door pivot shaft ends is properly engaged in its pivot hole (Fig. 42).

(b) That the blower motor venturi ring is properly indexed and installed.

(c) If the unit is equipped with air conditioning, that the evaporator coil tube rubber seal is properly positioned in the grooves in both the upper and lower heater-A/C housing halves.

(2) Install the 14 screws and two snap clips that secure the upper and lower heater-A/C housing halves to each other. Tighten the screws to 2.2 N·m (20 in. lbs.).

(3) Install the blower motor and wheel unit in the heater-A/C housing. See Blower Motor in this group for the procedures.

(4) Install the foam seals on the flanges around the blower motor opening and the heater core and evaporator coil tube mounting flange of the heater- A/C housing.

Fig. 42 Heater-A/C Housing Assembly

1 - BLOWER MOTOR VENTURI RING
2 - BLEND-AIR DOOR PIVOT
3 - EVAPORATOR COIL TUBE RUBBER SEAL
4 - RECIRCULATION AIR DOOR PIVOTS

(5) Insert the vacuum supply line and connector through the foam seal on the heater core and evaporator coil tube mounting flange of the heater-A/C housing.

(6) If the unit is equipped with air conditioning, reinstall the evaporator coil tube clamp. Tighten the mounting screw to 2.2 N·m (20 in. lbs.).

(7) Engage the heater-A/C wire harness connector and blower motor relay wire harness connector push-in retainers with their mounting holes in the heater-A/C housing.

(8) Engage the vacuum harness to the routing clips and plug in the vacuum harness connector at the floor door actuator and, if the unit is so equipped, at the recirculation air door actuator.

(9) Install the heater-A/C housing in the vehicle.

INSTALLATION

(1) Position the heater-A/C housing to the dash panel. Be certain that the evaporator condensate drain tube and the housing mounting studs are inserted into their correct mounting holes.

(2) Install and tighten the five nuts onto the heater- A/C housing mounting studs on the engine compartment side of the dash panel. Tighten the nuts to 6.2 N·m (55 in. lbs.).

(3) If the evaporation canister was repositioned during the removal procedure, reinstall it to its proper position.

(4) Connect the heater-A/C system vacuum supply line connector to the tee fitting near the heater core tubes.

(5) Unplug or remove the tape from the heater core tubes. Connect the heater hoses to the heater core tubes and fill the engine cooling system. Refer to Group 7 - Cooling System for the procedures.

(6) If the vehicle is not equipped with air conditioning, go to Step 10. If the vehicle is equipped with air conditioning, unplug or remove the tape from the accumulator inlet tube and the evaporator outlet tube fittings. Connect the accumulator inlet tube coupler to the evaporator outlet tube. See Refrigerant Line Coupler in this group for the procedures.

(7) Unplug or remove the tape from the liquid line and the evaporator inlet tube fittings. Connect the liquid line coupler to the evaporator inlet tube. See Refrigerant Line Coupler in this group for the procedures.

(8) Evacuate the refrigerant system. See Refrigerant System Evacuate in this group for the procedures.

(9) Charge the refrigerant system. See Refrigerant System Charge in this group for the procedures.

(10) Install the instrument panel in the vehicle.

Refer to Instrument Panel Assembly in Group 8E - Instrument Panel Systems for the procedures.

(11) Connect the battery negative cable.

(12) Start the engine and check for proper operation of the heating and air conditioning systems.