I have a 2009 Journey 3.5 v6 AWD that I’m having a couple issues with.

First is a tune up. I checked at a local shop and he told me like $430. Wait, WHAT?!?!?!? $430 to change a set of plugs? He also told me it takes 3 hours and copper core plugs. Ok, now I know it’s been a while since I’ve really done any work on cars. I used to do all my own work, but these new computer controlled cars are a little more intimidating. I know it has a coil on plug ignition and the plugs are centered in the heads like a hemi so I don’t really see why it would take 3 hours. I know it’s a transverse mounted engine, but with the plugs on top, I don’t think it should be too hard to get to the back plugs.

So the questions for this are: 1, am I right thinking it shouldn’t take 3 hours and 2, does it really take copper core plugs? When I checked Autozone, it’s listing double platinum plugs. Also, what brand of plugs do you recommend? I’ve always been a diehard Champion user in my Mopars, but do they still work best in the modern engines?

The second problem is a little more complicated. Ever since we bought the car, it’s always had a heating problem inside. The are 4 vents in the dash, 2 in the center and two on each end. The 2 vents on the passenger side, one center and one near the door, have never blown hot, or even warm. It blows air just fine, just no heat. The left side has been fine, but recently even the left center has been starting to blow cooler. Even the far left by the drivers door is not as warm as it once was. Just enough to warm the driver, but anyone else in the car is out of luck.

I’ve done some checking online and I’ve found other people who have had similar issues and their fix was to simply flush out the heater core. Ok. I’ve done that before on other vehicles, but those cars didn’t have heat at all and the flush did help. My situation is different in that I do have heat, just not out of all the vents.

I guess the logical conclusion would be the blend doors on the ac/heater box. The shop I talked to wanted $80 just to check it out and diagnose it. That’s not counting any repairs. So the question is, how hard is it to get inside the dash enough to check the function of the blend doors? Do I have to pull the whole dash out or can I get to it thru the glove boxes?

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated. Having financial issues right now and $400 just to change spark plugs is just insane, especially when using cheap copper core plugs. I need help!!!