Front HVAC Housing Removal and Installation

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

WARNING:
- REVIEW THE WARNINGS AND CAUTIONS BEFORE PERFORMING THE FOLLOWING OPERATION.
- ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AIRBAGS, Refer to: "Restraint Systems : Air Bag Systems" Service Precautions
- 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: Body and Frame, Interior Trim, Dashboard/Instrument Panel, Service and Repair, Instrument Panel Service Procedures, Instrument Panel Assembly Replacement, Instrument Panel Assembly

3. Recover the refrigerant from the refrigerant system. Refer to: Heating and Air Conditioning, Service and Repair, Refrigerant System Recovery, Refrigerant System Recovery

4. Remove the front expansion valve from the evaporator tube mounting flange. Install plugs in, or tape over all of the opened refrigerant line fittings.
5. Drain the engine cooling system.
6. Disconnect the heater hoses from the heater core tubes. Install plugs in, or tape over the opened heater core tubes.

Heater-A/C Housing Remove/Install:

7. Remove the four nuts from the heater-A/C housing mounting studs on the engine compartment side of the dash panel.
8. Disengage the front floor panel transmission tunnel duct from the adapter on the heater-A/C housing.
9. Remove the nut that secures the heater-A/C housing mounting brace to the stud on the passenger compartment side of the dash panel.
10. 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.
11. Remove the heater-A/C housing from 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 the nut that secures the heater-A/C housing mounting brace to the stud on the passenger compartment side of the dash panel. Tighten the nut to 11 Nm (95 in. lbs.).
3. Engage the front floor panel transmission tunnel duct with the adapter on the heater-A/C housing.
4. Install and tighten the four nuts onto the heater-A/C housing mounting studs on the engine compartment side of the dash panel. Tighten the nuts to 7 Nm (60 in. lbs.).
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.
6. Reinstall the front expansion valve to the evaporator tube mounting flange.
7. Evacuate the refrigerant system. Refer to: Heating and Air Conditioning, Service and Repair, Refrigerant System Evacuate, Refrigerant System Evacuate

8. Charge the refrigerant system. Refer to: Heating and Air Conditioning, Service and Repair, Refrigerant System Charge, Refrigerant System Charge

9. Reinstall the instrument panel in the vehicle. Refer to: Body and Frame, Interior Trim, Dashboard/Instrument Panel, Service and Repair, Instrument Panel Service Procedures, Instrument Panel Assembly Replacement, Instrument Panel Assembly

10. Connect the battery negative cable.
11. Start the engine and check for proper operation of the heating and air conditioning systems.