AC Blower Motor Recall on Tacoma’s

That's a shame. How long did they last in between?

 

A few thousand miles at best. My dealer finally got fed up with it and got a “heavy duty” aftermarket one and it never failed. I went through 3 OEM ones in about a year plus and then drove it for 4 years on the last one and sold it with zero issues.

 

What a PITA

 

I'm on my 3rd one in just over 2 years. they actually fixed the blower this time.

 

It was. I spent the first 18 months working on my second gen. The driveline vibration would literally make you nauseous it was so bad. I ran the gambit of issues BUT to their credit, they eventually fixed them all and the truck turned out to be great after that. I also have that “VIP” alert (not in a good way, BTW) in the system of two local dealers. After the crap we went through I’m a marked man. I no longer get surveys from Toyota. Lol.

 

I think I'm marked as well, haha! That's why I didn't bring up the blower this time because I have a larger issue I need taken care of and don't want them to get sour .

 

When it was last fixed, was it repaired using the "new, upgraded" part, or was it merely replaced w the same original defective fan part?

 

I'll have to check the service paper but pretty sure it said replaced with new, upgraded.

 

Has anyone been able to purchase he new part for DIY installation?

 

Very interesting remedy for a dealership to entertain. Any chance you have a part number on that somewhere in your paperwork, or on the fan motor itself that you can share w the forum? This would be real nice-to-know info.

 

I think he had that on a 2nd Gen, would the part be the same?

 

I suppose I missed that tidbit. I suppose it is unlikely to be the same. While I honestly doubt that the blower is completely unique to the Tacoma, I don't have a mechanism for cross-referencing what other vehicles in the Toyota or Lexus line or elsewhere this identical fan was used, or for what years. It just doesn't seem practical or likely that this particular fan, be it Gen 2 or Gen 3 Tacomas, is completely unique to this single vehicle.

We (well, at least me) have no way of digging out this information.

As an example, I have a friend who is an automotive rebuilder. Some of the Suburu line has the same parts as some Toyotas--things like control arms, etc etc. However, it is far more difficult (at least here) to get Suburu parts, so he buys the Toyota part instead. Before this was completely figured out, he'd buy some parts via Suburu, and they'd come w Toyota packaging even. Same part, way more expensive if specified for Suburu. I suppose when I get challenged on documenting this, I'll have to ask him specifics, but for now, take my word for it. There are many interchangeable parts across manufacturer lines, and between manufacturers. We simple folk just haven't figured this particular one out yet.

 

I doubt I do. I sold that truck a couple of years back but the one they put on it the last time fixed the issue.

 

My Toyota owners app says this

 

Alright, man. Looks like new part? But still broken. Here's the details:

INTERIOR COMPONENTS ~|~CUSTOMER STATES HEARING A TICKING NOISE WHEN HEAT IS ON, PLEASE CHECK ~|~CONFIRMED NOISE, FOUND LOOSE BEARING IN BLOWER MOTOR REPLACED BLOWER MOTOR WITH NEW OP-870151 .3

PARTS
NAME PART # QTY
MOTOR SUB-ASSY, BLOW 0400809104 1

 

Yes, that's the part number for the new upgraded fan 0400809104 And you say that new one has broken? Has the plastic fan broken off the spindle, or has it broken in some other fashion?
The service writeup for your original fan seems odd, they say a bearing problem, but not the busted plastic fan like the rest of us have been experiencing.

Tell us what's broken on the new fan unit.

 

I gotta check, I don't have my truck right now as it's at the dealer for other repairs. It does seem odd, I'm not sure how loose bearing would warrant replacement unless it was just precautionary. But, either way, the same rattle/gurgle sound is back when I start up or turn off the fan.

 

Hmmmm. The broken fan makes a very characteristic and recognizable rumbling sound when it breaks. There have been vids posted on this forum demonstrating this sound and I'll edit one in if I can find it.

 

Ok, thanks. Mine is like a loud purring/rattling when it's turned on or off.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGCvgaiqSsI

The sound most have described in initial failure is the rumbling sound heard in only the first 5 seconds of this video. Once the motor shaft starts "cavitating" in the plastic fan spindle, it starts making more of the buzzing sound you hear in the rest of the video.

This 2nd video has more of the characteristic rumbling sound heard in early failure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wm_oxC2VsxE

Of course there are other sounds associated with perhaps something that has fallen in there past your cabin filter, like twigs, small furry rodents, etc. You can take out the panel in the back of your glove box, remove the plastic cover from in front of your cabin filter, remove cabin filter, and see the fan/check to make sure there is no debris in there, as well as look directly at the fan when you turn it on and see what's making the noise.