2nd blower motor, resistor, and connector replacements. Year 2021

Thank you. You all are very helpful and appreciated so much. Thank you for the links, and necessary information to set me free from the hamster wheel. Finally, I am able to progress towards a permanent solution .
And now, job is done. Arrgh. Still, I have a part

$13 90980-10916 6" 12ga Harness NEW

90980-10916 not configured.

What's working:
New design resistor
OEM 87138-04070

New design resistor connector
OEM 82141-04Q80

New design blower motor
OEM

$156 87103-04044 Genuine Toyota Parts - Motor Sub-Assy, Blow (87103-04044)

87103-04044

What I cannot figure out:
New design motor connector
OEM 90980-10916
10916 connector
I have this part but I do not know how to install this without disconnecting terminals already wired in with truck wiring. The terminals fit tight directly placed onto the motor splades currently. This part would prevent someone from reversing the wires to the connection causing the motor to blow backwards. I accidently did this and noticed very little air from vents.


TOYOTA Genuine Updated Blower Motor Resistor & Pigtail Connector for Tacoma 2005-2017
Parts 87138-04070 & 82141-04Q80





Upon connecting a non OEM motor connector (not pictured), the terminals within bent, arced, and burnt the white plastic piece. Once I removed the charred plastic connector portion, life became easier. I reshaped its not-so-badly burnt terminals with a little squeeze from my pliers, one at a time. Each terminal was then slipped onto the motor one by one and the connections are firm. No play in either direction.
All connections and wires are cool to touch, and...while all working in harmony. Believe it or not.

Thank you for you time.

 

Hopefully you’re not replacing it with the same brand resistor and connector you installed that failed last time. If it’s the one in the pics. I see what might be your problem. CHINA. A heat sink won’t fix bad quality.
I would get the OEM ones made in Mexico or elsewhere. Maybe a Dorman though not sure where they’re made.
https://www.carparts.com/details/To...VFopaBR1xEgktEAQYDiABEgLRfvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

You do know that the air isn't heated until after (downstream) of the resistor.

The issue is with the connectors that have a loose fit between the male and female terminals. When the fit is loose there is resistance that is basically a heater. This in turn heats the terminals that causes them to get more loose.... until they don't work at all. That and passengers that cannot keep their feet off the connector.

 

I used to run through blower resistors every year.. I ran my resistor out of the air flow housing for a few minutes while checking wiring and it blew . The thing is desperate for cold air flow. But if you buy a new resistor from Toyota they will give you a new pigtail to splice into your truck wiring for the updated resistor design. At least that was the case with my '07. No issues since then.

 

The problem isn't the resistor itself getting hot, the problem is the tiny connectors manufacturers use now for high current loads can't handle it.
Once theres a bit of a bad connection it starts heating up which makes the connection worse which generates more heat and so on until the connection is broken or it goes up in smoke.
All manufacturers have this issue because they keep making the connector pins smaller and smaller same thing with fuses they are running up to 20 amps through a fuse no bigger than a pencil eraser with contact points on the fuse the size of a pencil point.
All that said you should still check current draw on the blower motor, it should be no more than 75-80% of the fuse rating.

 

Another point to note on these loose connections. The higher the resistance the slower the fan rotation and the less cooling effect on the resistor body...

 

Yep, it's a connector issue between the female and male terminals as mentioned. One of these days I am going to pull the resistor myself and check it, as I may have a 2012 but Toyota can't seem to clean up their act with the garbage they release after 15 years apparently.

While you are at it, pull your climate control and check the large connector. Had I not pulled my climate control every so often I would had missed that the full 12V high speed fan pin was starting to burn the heck up in there. I ended up getting a used climate control unit in superb condition and tweaked the pins on climate control side and all has been well since.

 

Make sure when you replace the resistor you use the updated pigtail and resistor design. I would try this before attaching thermal paste and a heatsink.

$69 TOYOTA Genuine Updated Blower Motor Resistor & Pigtail Connector for Tacoma 2005-2017 - Parts 82141-04Q80 & 87138-04070

https://www.amazon.com/TOYOTA-Genuine-Resistor-Connector-2005-2017/dp/B07PV1BLCN

 

Part numbers on the bag match the numbers at McGeorge Toyota parts online. Resistor definitely looks like an improved design. The old style OEM is discontinued. Parts fit 2005 -2020 (and likely 2021), but you have to buy the new style connector like it shows on Amazon. Good find!

 

If you get the replacement connector the wire colors are not exactly the same. They should be connected as such:
Green with Yellow Stripe to Green.
White with Black Stripe to White with Black Stripe,
Blue with Black Stripe to Blue.
White with Blue Stripe to White.

Note: This is not my image and I did not make those shitty crimps. I would have soldered them and then heat shrink.

 

You should be able to make it work Billy, just make sure the pigtail connector terminals mate up to the resistor connector terminals real tight. Good luck!

 

I have yet to see a Dorman part last very long I don't know how they get away with selling such crap parts, many of the Youtube guys call it the wallet with wings.

 

Thanks YotaProject.
I had already ordered the parts to fix China resistor. Even with the heatsink placed on the resistor... still the China resistor became scorchingly hot anyway and failed.

Thank you DM93. The popped China resistor is going back for a refund. The new non-OEM TikScience motor connector melted. The new non OEM blower motor with the beefy contacts surprisingly puts out half the air, even on high. The Advanced Auto lifetime warranty blower motor lasted about a year until fan cage and motor shaft separation recently. Wonderful and quiet air flow though before the deep humming vibration.

Thank you DavidsTacoma for the newly designed updated oem parts.
The New Design OEM resistor and connector was replaced yesterday.

Thank you JimmyH for the wiring diagram. I became stumped upon the last two connections. I use household wire nuts. I can grip both wires very tight with one hand and twist the stripped ends clockwise. Then I twist on the wire connector until very tight. They have never loosened and the cluster looks awful. A bouquet of awfully colored wire nuts. Your connections look way better.

Thank you 12TRDTacoma. I have had to go with all OEM replacements as well. Swapping everything as one large climate control system would have saved me time and worked perfectly for me. I am used to the days too when, never, have I had to replace these types of parts before. Especially repeatedly in such a small time frame. Maybe one blower speed switch on a 70 Chevy Impala after its engine was replaced with a new Target 350 8 Cylinder engine that ran on regular leaded gas. The ac compressor never leaked and s new muffler lasted for years.

Well, with the new design and look of the resistor and the different looking connector installed and working on the 2012 Tacoma, my demons are put to rest. The connectors are still way too small, I agee, and way too close together. I may have to do without the white plastic connector part, and wrap each connector with electrical tape and plugging each one into the motor manually. The wires are too close to passengers, and positioning them out of the way made them touch and snap at the motor connector since there is no white part of the connector installed. The new 3rd party connector burnt this off ...

So now..awaiting an OEM latest design blower motor xxx44 and the updated OEM connector(s).
You all are the very best and everything you have shown me..I am humbly grateful for.

 

Thanks for this thread. Quick question: I am looking into replacing my blower motor. What is the recommended "best" blower motor for a second gen?

 

The fine folks here recommended Toyota OEM blower motor part #

$156 87103-04044 Genuine Toyota Parts - Motor Sub-Assy, Blow (87103-04044)

87103-04044.
Hopefully someone can confirm this with up to date info. So far, I am still forever grateful for their help and their recommendations. Thank you for your time.

 

Did you get it fully installed? Did you have any improved air flow/force with the new blower?

I'll have mine for install tomorrow.

 

Thanks for posting this, exactly what I was looking for.