blower motor resistor worked once

[randymack]

so my fan only worked on High. everyone said repl ce the blower motor resistor. ordered it, put it on...turned on the fan and all 4 speeds worked. great. put it all back together, tried it again...back to only workin on high!

re took out the resistor. cleaned wire connections. jiggled wires....


nada.


so if that new one is workin, what failed now?

 

[Boze]

I've had that problem with electronics alot on the ship. Resistors don't usually just crap out right off the bat when you change them out, even if they are getting an over voltage. It takes a little bit, (time depends on alot of things including the voltage they are made to handle compared to the voltage that is being slamed through them). Anyway, I would say you have a short somewhere in your system and it's burning up your resistor. As a resistor degrades it takes a higher and higher voltage to get through them...so that may be why your fan only works on high. But you know what man? It could be something as simple as a switch, or a bad connector...who knows? That's the trouble with electronics. Your best bet is to go buy a good multimeter, find a good wiring diagram for that fan, (one that has all your values on it...what your voltages should be, what your resistor should ohm out at, etc) and do some troubleshooting. -OR- forego the purchase of a multimeter and the trouble of finding said tech manual and just buy a new fan! LOL!!! Hell, that's what the Navy would do, (guess that doesn't say much for my troubleshooting abillities does it?)

Good Luck!
-Boze

 

[xt master]

Common problem with all Chrysler products.My wife had a mini van stupid thing blew almost every month.Changed the actual fan then the resistor it was good for the next 2 years untill we sold the van.

 

[SteelHeadz]

I cant help but ask, when you said you installed the resistor and tested it, then put it back together..Did you test the resistor OFF the HVAC housing and ran it through all the settings and worked then but didn't after you re-installed it to the HVAC housing ?.

 

[Crazy4diesels]

That resistor pack depends on air flow to keep from burning out. If you tested it outside the heaterbox like Steelheadz asked you might have blown it out. Look at the coils inside the resistor assy and see if they look OK. Check them with a meter (you should get a fairly low ohm reading on each one). Was your old one blown out? The fact that you had all speeds for a little while would suggest that the wiring, switch, and motor are all probably OK. Yes, for some reason these modern Chrysler resistor packs seem to blow out often (the ones in the 60's and 70's used to last forever). Best of luck - John

 

[randymack]

you know i did check it while it was still hanging out off the housing. didn't think that mattered.

damn i dont have a meter! should i return it and say it must be bad?

 

[xt master]

You can try to return it,but most places do not take back electrical,or electronic devices if they where open for that reason.

 

[Crazy4diesels]

A test light type tester might work - or maybe even a small 12V light (like a license plate lamp). You should get enough current to flow through each resistor element to make the bulb glow. Don't use a big bulb (might draw too much current). You might also be able to see the burnt out elements just by looking at them closely. Best of luck - John

 

[randymack]

Re: blower motor resistor worked once/SOLVED MY PROBLEM

The resistor DID INDEED fail because i used it while off the housing!

new one attached,then tried...working perfectly again.


thanks all

 

[gjktj]

Re: blower motor resistor worked once/SOLVED MY PROBLEM

The resistor DID INDEED fail because i used it while off the housing!

new one attached,then tried...working perfectly again.


thanks all

I just bought a new resistor, due to same issue, can anyone tell me how to install in an 03?