Replacement of HVAC Blower Motor Resistor

Check the connector. I made a post on page 1 check it out!!!

 

Well the improved design blew after only 2 months! I'm trying to get it replaced under warranty, if not I might try a Toyota part. The supposed ceramic coating was just a dab of silicone, I just peeled it back and yup the little resistor is melted. BTW, I do NOT have a wiring or harness issue.

 

My 2010 Tacoma (71,000 miles) has had the blower motor a couple times only work on the highest speed, but back to normal (working all speeds) after a couple hours. Yesterday, 3 months later it did it again. The first product failure on my 2010, perhaps?
What's the opinion as to getting a new resistor, Rock Auto, Toyota dealer, ??

 

^Well, based on Humpty Dumpty's posts I'd just get the OEM Denso resistor. The supposedly better Airtex P/N 4P1650 appears to be just hollow marketing-speak.

 

Well, it couldn't be any easier to find! Just look up from where a passenger's left toe is pointing to!





Sure enough, a burn color on the plastic housing.

 

OK, so I plug it back in after I took the photos above and the fan works at all speeds again. Is the resistor really bad or just a connection issue?

 

From your own pic you can see the toasted wire. The wiring for the blower was too small a gauge. Only by using a larger gauge, as identified in the TSB, will you be 100%.

In your current situation your fan will work for a while but will go out again. The worry is with that wire getting so hot, it will certainly melt at some point and possibly even start a fire.

Again, the TSB (T-SB-0149-11) can be found here on Tacomaworld.com. Another link:

http://www.tacomahq.com/1089/broken-fan-tacoma-heater-air-conditioner/

 

Thank you for clarifying. The issue didn't begin to happen until this last year, and my truck is 5 years old with 70,000 miles. I am assuming the TSB is not a recall, so no warranty for me, yes?

 

This connector has ports which make connection via spring pressure. now if yours looks like mine and you can very easily see which line is burned, chances are the connection in there is not tight enough making for a loose or bad connection hence where the heat comes from. Solution? get something very small and gently lift the the connector to create a tighter connection. Re-install the resistor and BAM no more intermittence. This may not be the case for all but certainly worth attempting before ordering a new resistor! The connection being loose is the culprit. That's what causes the heat, and why the wire is burned. If the gauge was too small this would have happened in less that 1000 miles.

 

David K if you have t seen my post on page one you shod check it out. I had the exact same issue. Fixed mine by bending the pin over a year ago still works fine.

 

Thanks... do you have any photos of this "lift the connector" step?

 

According to the TSB, under-sized wire is not the problem. The root cause is bad dimensional control in the (Delphi) resistor receptacle, causing poor fitment of the harness connector in the receptacle and arcing. The improved (Denso) resistor has tighter dimensional control of the receptacle.

Note the replacement pigtail has the same connector and same sized wire as before.

 

Thanks Ken.

 

i have a 07 tacoma and my wife was driving it over the week end and the fan worked fine, today it woudnt work at al,l we have to use my truck because my chair lift is on it and we really need the heat

 

also someone checked the connector no difference ?

 

Gary its people like you saving people like me tons of cash. Sure enough on my 07 it was a single connector in the resistor harness causing it to malfunction. I just cleaned and used used the proper grease and it works fine. If anyone does need the new pigtail , eBay offers the new pigtail along with the resistor for under forty dollars now. Its a long way from 1200$. My local dealer wanted 124.00 for the resistor and two hours labor for fixing this problem. Again thanks for writing suck a good article along with great pics. Roger

 

Need to check mine too . Also wire connector at climate control switch overheating too. Will try to bend tab to tighten connection.

 

Awesome Post, Thanks so much.

 

I have this same discoloration too...did your turn out to be the resistor causing the discoloration?

Had any issues with your ign 1 no. 2 fuse blowing by chance too?

 

Did this today, the most time spent was going to get that silly 5.5mm socket.

Thanks a lot OP for writing this up!