Expert: Roland Finston - 2/8/2012

Question
Hi Roland,

I enjoy reading your helpful posts. I, too, am having an issue with my HVAC blower on my 2001 T&C with ATC.

It started acting up by blowing at high speed regardless of the setting and would blow higher with the power to the HVAC turned off. The only way to stop it was to turn off the car. After researching the symptoms on the Internet (including here), it sounded like it was the blower motor resistor. After purchasing a new one for $76 at the local auto parts store and easily installing it, I thought I had things solved as the blower would now respond to the different speed settings.  However, that lasted about 10-15 seconds before quitting all together. Turning off the HVAC power (no full blast blowing any longer) and then turning it back on would allow another 5 seconds of operation until quitting again. Faced with a full-on blower or a short-acting blower in this Minnesota winter, I went back to the old part (#5179985AA which has fins on the resistor vs. posts on the replacement one-an Echlin BR303). Do you think the replacement part is faulty or is something else amiss here?

Thanks for your help!
Warren

Answer
Hi Warren,
I wonder if the blower motor fuse might have a crack in its wire which opens when in use and then closes when it cools down? That would be fuse #10 in the main box. Also, I am working with the '02 manual and it shows a different electronic sort of blower power module rather than a resistor block. But that may not have been the case in your '01 model. Please let me know what happens at the fuse?
Roland