how do you get to the door that controls the air flow on a 97..I hear the blower but the air feels like it being restricted

 

Batteries known for leaking acid on HVAC vacum lines below battery in battery compartment and destroying them. Usually when you turn the control (i.e. Vent, Mix, Defrost) and nothing happens and you have restricted air flow indicates a vacum loss. Vacum is used to move the actuator panels that direct air to the vent openings. Source line goes from back of manifold (MAP sensor) through battery compartment down to the bottom of a check valve in the passenger fender. HVAC source goes from top of check valve through a large gommet on the firewall. Middle of check valve attached to vacum resivoir. Vacum lines are 1/8" plastic emissions line in a grey/black color and are burried in the wiring harnesses that are under the battery. My source line was in the top of the two wiring harnesses coming from the engine compartment. You'll have to dig in the wiring harnesses to find the source and HVAC supply lines. I sprayed everything with battery cleaner to get rid of any battery acid. I used 1/8" vacum line from Auto Zone and splices, cut the damaged vacum line back until good and spliced the new line in. I also bought about 3' of 3/16" ID rubber fuel line at the home improvement store and slid it over the repaired vacum lines as a protection sleeve for the 1/8" vacum hose. Lots of posts here on same subject. Do a search on HVAC vacumn lines. Easy fix. You'll have to remove the battery, battery tray, and wheel well access panel to get to everything. There is a bolt on the bottom of the passenger fender and one inside the fender. Loosening these up helps with access to the check valve (which I suggest you replace while you're doing all this). Good Luck.