Expert: Rob Painter - 1/21/2011

Question
I recently purchased a 1992 Cad Deville with 98000 miles and the eater blower wont cut off without the removal of the fuse which also disconnects the digital dash also the gas and heat display the letter "c" on their display can you help me please

Answer
Hello,

Its kind or no heat. of strange as to how these Cadillac questions run in groups. This weak it is heater blower issues. Last week, it was their garbage "anti-theft systems.
The week before it was engine overheating.

These are all common issues with Cadillac.

Yes, they can be a great car. I have owned 20 of them and worked on thousands. You would think for the money they cost new, they would have made a better car.

Your car is too old to buy new parts. Not only were these problems of engine over heating. (you drive one of these engines over 220 degrees, the engine is junk, and there are no good used engines in a junk yard) and the heater blower problems both date back as 1982. Cadillac never fixed these issues and continued to rip the consumer off, knowing that these were long standing problems.

Cadillac ran their control for blower speeds one of two ways and I honestly don't remember  when they switched the problem from a non-serviceable resistor module under the hood on the passenger side, to the body control module (computer), however the result is the same, either the blower runs without a key in the ignition, until your battery is dead, intermittent blower speed issues or blower quits working all together.

Bottom line-Cadillac has had 30 years to fix a known common problem, but instead just ripped their owners off!

Cadillacs are a nice driving car, but to me there is no excuse Cadillac got away with common problems like they have had for years.

Because you won't find any parts for this, you will need to do a Mickey Mouse bypass, leaving 2 options. You either have high blower or none, but most people are happy with that instead of having to remove a fuse like you are.

Go to the parts store and get the highest amperage 2 pole (On-Off) switch you can find. Get a package of red (10 gauge) or black (12 gauge) of 10' of wire. Get a small package of yellow butt connectors, a cheap test light if you do not have one, Small box of yellow scotch locks and adjoining connectors, an in-line fuse holder and a 20 amp fuse and a roll of electrical tape.
Hopefully for tools you have a pliers, wire stripper/crimper.

At the car-----Find the connector for the heater blower motor, either under the hood or under the dash. In your case to find it, put the fuse back in and see where the blower noise is coming from. There is one power wire that can be unplugged going into a round unit. Leave unplugged for now.

Remove the black plastic hush panel under the driver's side dash, under steering column,

At the steering column, you will see 2 separate harnesses going to the top of the steering column.

You will need to find switched power. One harness should have a purple wire in it. In this harness you are looking for power with ignition power. Once ignition key is turned off, there is no power. You will find which wires are constant and switched, by connecting the test light wire to any ground. I commonly take the alligator clip to a steering column bracket. Poke one wire at a time until you find the wire only has power with key on.

Install scotch lock with pliers on the wire you found. Run your new power wire to one side of your switch. Connect the other switch wire to your new wire going to blower motor.




Find a boot on the firewall where wires are running through to engine compartment if blower is under hood. Use a steel hanger and poke through boot. Take end of hanger inside card and loop it. Put your new wire through that loop and squeeze with pliers. Tape tight. Under the hood, slowly with even pressure back and forth, pull you wire through.

Cut off that end and strip it. Install a butt connector on one end of the wire, then the in-line fuse holder. Install butt connector on other end of fuse holder. Tape these connections thoroughly.

Run your wire over to the blower connector. Cut connector giving you plenty of room so you can strip your new wire and the power wire into blower wire.. Connect to blower wire and tape. Reinstall blower power wire. After checking all connections, install the fuse into in-line fuse holder.

Turn ignition on and see if blower comes on, if not just flip switch and it will work. Turn off ignition and blower should not be on. Then drill a hole in the hush panel, mount the switch. Reinstall hush panel--your done! You only have high blower, but it shuts off with key out, and it is the best you will do. Don't try using different resistors to control speed or a three pole switch. All you will do is start a fire.

Good luck!

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