The heater is of the type which utilises waste heat from the engine coolant. The coolant is pumped through the matrix in the heater casing where air, force-fed by a duplex radial fan, disperses the heat into the vehicle interior.

Fresh air enters the heater or the ventilator ducts through the grille at the rear of the bonnet lid. Air is extracted from the interior of the vehicle through outlets at the rear edges of the doors.

There are differences between the heater used on Base models and other versions in the Escort range. On Base models, a twospeed fan switch is used instead of the threeposition switch used on other versions. On all models except the Base version, central and side window vents are incorporated in the facia panel.

The heater/ventilator controls are of lever type or rotary type on later models, operating through cables to flap valves which deflect the air flowing through the heater both to vary the temperature and to distribute the air between the footwell and demister outlets.