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Fan speed switch not working.

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by kbmcmahon, Jan 17, 2010.

  1. Apr 24, 2013 at 6:55 PM
    #161
    Tim Buckley

    Tim Buckley Member

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    My fan just started acting up a few weeks ago. Played with the wires going to the resistor and tapped the blower motor and imagine that. POS started working. Ordering a new resistor from rock auto and am going to try to clean up the wires. This is my first Toyota, can't say I'm impressed... Still upset about my truck lunging forward at stop lights.
     
  2. May 9, 2013 at 10:02 AM
    #162
    kryten

    kryten Well-Known Member

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    1" lift from 3rd gen suspension, 265/75/16 ATs
    Have the same symptoms (fan only working on high setting) on my '07 since last summer. Checked the wiring harness and the white/blue wire is discolored (burned). I can see that without even removing anything. Wiggling the wire results in getting all the fan speed settings back. I suspect it won't last for very long.

    I will be ordering parts from the TSB and hopefully the fix will go smoothly as it seems to be the case for everyone.

    I already did the overhead temp/compass display re-soldering couple of summers ago. Small things like these happening every once in a while are disappointing and annoying on a not too old truck. Thanks TW once again.
     
  3. Jun 21, 2013 at 12:30 PM
    #163
    Kenobe

    Kenobe Well-Known Member

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    I let this go on for about 15k miles. It got to the point even after I regreased the pins it wouldn't take long for another outage to occur. I was done.

    I had the dealer do the TSB for me. I printed out the TSB and they followed it to the letter. Yeah I didn't feel like crawling under the dash and crimping wires so I paid for a younger back at the dealer to do it for me. Cost me about $250 but the end result was great.

    Interesting to note that all four of the wires had discoloration from heat - it was only one wire the first time I looked at it. I wonder at what point the insulation would have fully melted and caused a much bigger problem?
     
  4. Jun 21, 2013 at 12:47 PM
    #164
    Sandman614

    Sandman614 Ex-Snarky TWSS elf, Travis #hotsavannahdotcom

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    Tim
    Garner, NC/Boone, NC
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    $250 OUCH. I'm sure you have younger backs that would charge a lot less and do just as good of a job. But yea this is a bad problem. I let mine go for a while before I finally did it. I don't know how much longer that insulation would last. I changed the resistor and spliced new wires (Emergency vehicle wiring) in with a new plug (chevy plug delphi p/n from Mouser/Newark).
     
    Last edited: Jun 21, 2013
  5. Jul 3, 2013 at 9:52 AM
    #165
    cdd

    cdd New Member

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    Charlie
    Nashville
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    running boards
    My fan only works on high now, too.....but it worked correctly intermittently for a while; now it only works on "high"...Where is this resistor?
     
  6. Jul 3, 2013 at 9:56 AM
    #166
    Kenobe

    Kenobe Well-Known Member

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    Passenger front kick area, under the dash, just a little to the left. 4 wires in a connector. Wiggle that connector and see if your fan works again.

    If you disconnect that connector the resistor is sitting in the top of it, hidden from view when connected underneath the fan box.
     
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2013
  7. Jul 26, 2013 at 6:38 PM
    #167
    Rickerwill

    Rickerwill Member

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    Bagged rear, custom grill, wheels and tires, hard rollback tonneau cover, Pioneer GPS touchscreen head unit, alarm, trailer brakes, Weather-Tech mats
    Having been on here for a while as only a bystanding reader since I bought my '11 AC, I have done a bunch of searches and found lots of help. Thanks to all!

    On this topic, I learned all about the resistor, the bum plug and lead wire, the upgraded blower and all the related stuff to know. Having experienced the same "noisy on high, only, and nothing else" symptoms a few weeks after buying my used Taco, I delayed taking it in for warranty service. Before going down to the stealership, though, I pulled out the cabin air filter and found it clogged with cottonwood tree seeds! I suppose the PO parked under one with the engine and fan running at work or something. I pulled out all I could and inserted a new filter, but I am guessing a bunch of that junk got into the blower motor and caused the resistor to, um, resist, and burn out.

    When I got it down to Toyota, they found some bits of seeds I had left behind and noted "rodent infestation" in heater assembly, so no warranty joy for me. I know mouse nests when I see them, nd there were no feces in this clump, so I am confident it was just sucked into the air intake. They even told me they found evidence of similar rodent damage in the engine air intake. Duh! Why would mice only nest where high velocity air is sucking in past them?

    So, their bad assumption made me ineligible for the warranty resistor replacement and I just ordered up a new one, plus the blower/fan assembly. I'll do the work and know it was done right.
     
  8. Sep 12, 2013 at 3:09 AM
    #168
    Flugelhornjazz

    Flugelhornjazz '06 4.0L 4x4 6-sp MT Access

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    AFE CAI, all synth fluids, 2.5" exhaust w/ FlowMaster, Optima Deep Cycle battery, Fog mod, SnugTop cap, HID headlights, silicone hoses
    Nausetnuts, EXCELLENT find regarding TSB-0149-11. The connector, White/Blue supply wire, and resistor are heat damaged/brown on my '06 ride. I will order the harness and updated resistor and be done with it...already installed the upgraded fan motor and it's been noise free for over a year. :cool:
     
  9. Sep 12, 2013 at 7:49 AM
    #169
    cdd

    cdd New Member

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    I found the resistor very easily and the white/blue wire was a little brown right by the connector. But I simply sprayed electrical contact cleaner that I got from Home Depot onto the connectors (both the wire end and the resistor connector, re-inserted the connector several times, and its been working fine since....
     
  10. Dec 7, 2013 at 5:05 AM
    #170
    magicbyswh

    magicbyswh Member

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    So I just found this thread and my 2006 Tacoma is blowing on the high setting only. I am a novice on auto repair. If I am correct I understand this repair is under the glove box area. How difficult it it to get to and replace the items shown in the TSB-0149-11 bulletin? from what I have gathered in this thread I will unplug and then remove the resistor and then have to replace it and then cut the wires on the plug. Once they are cut I have to splice the new wires then plug it all back up. Are they any videos showing this? I do not want to pay the dealer if it is something a novice can do. I am willing to give it a try. Also does the glove box have to be removed? Any further help is appreciated.
     
  11. Dec 7, 2013 at 5:12 AM
    #171
    Gregman

    Gregman Well-Known Member

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    It's not hard guys, just go do it and be done with it. I've had no further problems with mine since replacing the pigtail.
     
  12. Feb 8, 2014 at 1:29 PM
    #172
    Cooney850

    Cooney850 New Member

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    Thanks for the in depth insight . That's super helpful for replacement.however, it may not need to be replaced . Try to spray some contact cleaner on the connections first then plugging it back in. It worked for me. If that doesn't work, then replacement is the way to go. Thanks for all the info.
     
  13. Feb 9, 2014 at 3:34 AM
    #173
    magicbyswh

    magicbyswh Member

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    I got mine to work by just replacing the resistor. So far so good and did not have to cut and splice any wiring. I do have the new wiring if ever needed but so far just changing the resistor did the trick.
     
  14. Feb 9, 2014 at 4:38 PM
    #174
    Digitos

    Digitos The Chalupa: No ordinary Taco

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    Does a bed mat count?
    I just ordered the resistor and wire harness pigtail from E-bay for considerably less than my local Toyota dealer wanted. Reading through the long history of this thread, there doesn't seem to be a lot of mention about the role that a dirty or neglected cabin air filter plays in the equation. I see some posters mentioning they were unaware that a cabin air filter even existed. I think this oversight might also be playing a part in the failed/noisy blower motor problem as well.

    I plan to remove the blower motor, clean and lubricate the output shaft/bearing, then start with a fresh air filter. I think this should be standard procedure when replacing a failed resistor, but that's just my opinion.

    PS: Dielectric grease is an insulator, not a conductor.
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2014
  15. Feb 9, 2014 at 5:33 PM
    #175
    possum77

    possum77 Member

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    I've changed 2 resistors out now on my 06. Both resistors
    had the two inter wires (blue/white and the blue/black)
    burnt, with the smaller blue/black burnt the worse. The last
    one I changed was 3 myths ago and the grey plastic was burnt
    badly enough to smell it burning.
     
  16. Feb 9, 2014 at 6:13 PM
    #176
    Digitos

    Digitos The Chalupa: No ordinary Taco

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    Does a bed mat count?
    Those of you who have replaced the resistor more than once, Did you use the OEM part number, or did you use the upgraded part number from the TSB? (87138-04052)

    Specifically, I would like to know if the upgraded resistor is solving the problem or not. How long between failures?
     
  17. Feb 10, 2014 at 6:33 AM
    #177
    possum77

    possum77 Member

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    Yes I used the new resistor. The motor pulls
    Up to 20amps on #12 & 14 wire. The plug
    attached to the wires is just a bad design.
     
  18. Feb 10, 2014 at 10:30 AM
    #178
    Rickerwill

    Rickerwill Member

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    Bagged rear, custom grill, wheels and tires, hard rollback tonneau cover, Pioneer GPS touchscreen head unit, alarm, trailer brakes, Weather-Tech mats
    I am grateful for all this good info on this common problem. I had already replaced both the resistor and the blower fan assembly, and all seemed fine for a short while. When it failed again, I removed the fan and "shocked" it on my bench with a Craftsman lithium ion cordless tool battery (19.2 volts) and it hums along just fine once again.

    I suspect the motor had some minor corrosion or the armature brushes were not cleanly contacting or something, but the little jolt (less than a second of wire touch) seems to have brought it back to life. All is good (for now) and I am happy to have a heater in the truck again.
     
  19. Feb 10, 2014 at 9:47 PM
    #179
    anphonic

    anphonic New Member

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    I replaced the resistor on my 06 Tacoma today. 78 and change for it and the connector. Tried just replacing the resistor first but no luck. So I swapped the connector when I got home and to my tools. Still so luck. So I sat down in the passenger seat feeling slightly defeated and kicked at the blower motor. Low and behold it came on and worked at all speeds. hopefully it keeps working as it was stuck off and its been below freezing most days. Next time I'm skipping straight to percussive maintenance!
     
  20. Feb 11, 2014 at 5:09 AM
    #180
    Digitos

    Digitos The Chalupa: No ordinary Taco

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    Does a bed mat count?
    This is why I was saying it would be worth the effort to clean and lubricate the blower motor whenever you replace the resistor and plug. I think contamination on the motor brushes and/or the bearing may be contributing to the problem.
     
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