Greetings,

I am new to this forum, and also to the Dodge truck family. I just bought my 97 Ram 1500, and it is in great shape. However, there's a couple of small things that I would like to take care of as soon as possible, including a problem with the heater selector.

No matter the position of the selector switch (floor, dash, combo, etc), the only area where I have air flow is through the defroster and floor vents. The heater selector itself is unresponsive.

Any help in typical problem areas to addres would be greatly appreciated! I'm handy witha wrench, and have always worked on my own vehicles, so I'm willing to dig into any task.

Thanks!

 

Not trying to steal the post but I was just getting ready to ask the same question. Just started 2 days ago. Air blows out the defrost and floor vents only. Change selector and no change. Fan works fine at all speeds and the heat changed with the temp ****. It worked fine up till 2 days ago. I was thinking that because we were at -2F outside something had froze but even with the inside of the truck heated up, no change.

 

i have the same problem....ive been told its a vacuum leak.....under the dash...follow the selector **** str8 down and youll see a little solinoid with small vacuum hoses going to it...thats the controller for the air flow directionality....kinda ghetto, but i just unbolted the solinoid and when i want defrost...i kick it up with my foot, and if i want vents....i stick my shoe up there and pull it down...like i said..ghetto, but i dont feel like tracing a vacuum leak

 

I have a 96 1500, 5.9 with the same problem. It is a vacuum issue. What I do when it doesn't switch is switch the controller to off, then switch to desired position and it works from the off position every time.

 

Try this on my '98 on the passenger side. The vacuum line will come though the firewall, it will be right behind or in the area of the valve cover. There will be a little tube thing about as big a round as a quarter and three inchs long the vacuum lines will be hooked to. Replace this item, it is a check and cost less than $10 at the dealer. This should fix the problem.

 

If all you guys determine that you have proper vacuum and your check valves are working as well, then I suggest you look at your lower vacuum servo. It is dead nuts center bottom of the dash. Hard to see and 10 times harder to work on. There is a plastic arm attached to the servo pushrod. This piece has limited life.

Start your trucks, find this servo and move your selector switch to all the different settings. If this servo moves back and forth, yet there is no change inwhere the air exits,then the other end of the pushrod is where your problems are.

Here a pic of what you are dealing with.

I hope you're all Star Wars fans because you'll need the force to reach these parts....LOL.


Good luck with ALL your rides.

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