AirLock™ — Fix for the Bronco A-Pillar Vent Bleed (Warm Air Through the Vents When Running Floor Heat)

[VantageLab]

If you've ever cranked the heat to the floor and still felt warm air pushing through the A-pillar vents, you're not imagining it. It's a known HVAC quirk on the Bronco and it's been bugging me since I got my '23 Badlands.


Introducing the AirLock™

The AirLock replaces your factory A-pillar grille with a spring-loaded cam pivot design that snaps fully open or closed in one motion. No tools, no tape, no adhesive — completely reversible. When it's closed, the bleed stops. When you want airflow back, one push and it's open.




Details

• Drop-in replacement for the factory grille
• Spring-loaded cam pivot — snaps open and closed on demand
• No permanent modifications
• Made in the USA from carbon fiber-reinforced plastic
• Available in Textured Black and Carbon Fiber Infused Finish

Where to get it

vantagelab.shop

Happy to answer any questions below.

— Mike | VantageLab

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[Motovita]

Did the warm air at that location bother you somehow, or is your concern that warm air was escaping that you wanted going to the floor?

 

[VantageLab]

Did the warm air at that location bother you somehow, or is your concern that warm air was escaping that you wanted going to the floor?

Personally, I wanted to be able to direct the heated air to the floor to warm up my feet when it’s really cold. The air coming out of the a-pillar never bothered me. But I have some customers who said they hate having the air blow at them from the pillars and that’s why they purchased them

 

[rayofsi]

isn't that for defrosting the side windows?

 

[VantageLab]

isn't that for defrosting the side windows?

Yes it is. I designed it to pivot open and closed so you can still defrost the side windows if needed

 

[popo_patty]

I just installed a set. Incredibly easy. Took me 30 seconds with a pick to pull out the old vents. It gets incredibly hot during the summer where I’m at so I’m stoked to give that extra boost toward the rear for my kids

 

[Eldowerks]

If you live in a cold-winter climate like Minnesota you know that the Bronco does a very poor job of putting heat on your feet.

As is, the only way to get discernible hot air in the floor area from the Bronco’s quirky air handling system is to use the airflow controls on the info screen to turn on airflow to the floor and dash vents and turn off the airflow to the windshield defrost, and then manually close the louvers on the four dash vents.

At that point a ton of hot airflow comes pouring out of the A-pillar vents, and still not a whole lot of heat gets to the floor.

So I anticipate being able to close the A-pillar vents with the Air-Locks should push a lot more hot airflow to the floor as well as to the windshield defrost if needed.

I will definitely be ordering a set.

 

[Knownman]

I've never even used the heat in my '21?

It's a SoCal thing!

 

[Bronco Toad]

If you have an actual winter as we do in Ohio the floor heat is not up to par with other Ford vehicles floor heat. If I turn on floor heat I would like it all to the floor.

 

[VantageLab]

If you live in a cold-winter climate like Minnesota you know that the Bronco does a very poor job of putting heat on your feet.

As is, the only way to get discernible hot air in the floor area from the Bronco’s quirky air handling system is to use the airflow controls on the info screen to turn on airflow to the floor and dash vents and turn off the airflow to the windshield defrost, and then manually close the louvers on the four dash vents.

At that point a ton of hot airflow comes pouring out of the A-pillar vents, and still not a whole lot of heat gets to the floor.

So I anticipate being able to close the A-pillar vents with the Air-Locks should push a lot more hot airflow to the floor as well as to the windshield defrost if needed.

I will definitely be ordering a set.
[/

Exactly! Great explanation

 

[VantageLab]

I've never even used the heat in my '21?

It's a SoCal thing!

You can cool your feet down too. After a long day at the beach, hot sand, flip flop tan lines… your feet deserve some AC (I kid — I used to live in SoCal, I get it)

 

[NC_Oak]

nothing against this product - I have my a pillars blocked with a printed insert. However, I don't believe there is a discernable difference in the floor heat or AC to the rear with the a pillars blocked and floor only mode. I didn't measure the velocity and in turn volume, but I couldnt really tell a difference with my hand. I did it to try to get more back for the kids but also when I shut the dash flow off (manual controls), it's cuz i was getting hot so wanted to the floor to be just the floor as mentioned above.

 

[Eldowerks]

AirLock set ordered.

Really curious to see how well they work putting more airflow on the floor.

Given the Bronco’s quirky air delivery system, even with the AirLocks I still anticipate maybe having to manually partially/fully close the dash vents to push adequate airflow to the floor.

 

[HalfmuleFarmer]

Two words: heated seats (and steering wheel). Okay that was 5 words.

 

[VantageLab]

nothing against this product - I have my a pillars blocked with a printed insert. However, I don't believe there is a discernable difference in the floor heat or AC to the rear with the a pillars blocked and floor only mode. I didn't measure the velocity and in turn volume, but I couldnt really tell a difference with my hand. I did it to try to get more back for the kids but also when I shut the dash flow off (manual controls), it's cuz i was getting hot so wanted to the floor to be just the floor as mentioned above.

Yeah it’s unfortunate how crappy the rear AC is, especially pre-‘25 broncos. I haven’t sat in one myself, but I imagine with the vents in the central console it helps significantly

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