Replacement of HVAC Blower Motor Resistor

Thank you for the in-depth explanation!

 

This is why this is such a great forum. I've been monkeying around with the connector to the resistor block for a couple years. I knew it was the connector because I can always push on it and all of the fan speeds start working. But only for a few minutes until the first bump in the road. I've tried wedging it with cards, wrapping around with wire, trying to hold it in the correct place but none of that worked for long.

This idea of taking out the block and slightly bending the 4 blades towards the snap-clip side, I believe is going to work. Hopefully for good this time, we will see.

 

Gm and others have the same problem.To much juice bad connections.easy fix.After it is broken..

 

This statement is incorrect, as dielectric grease is an insulator and should only be used externally, NOT on the pins themselves.

Check this video out =>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuKAmaIkA-U

 

Yeah I realized that after the fact I posted it. Thanks for calling my statement out on it as many if they followed my statement would have had poorly flowing electrical current through the plug. There is a clear grease that I have seen put on some plugs and that was the one I was referring to. It took me a while to realize it was NOT dielectric grease.

Maybe you know what it is called? I sure as hell don't, but that's the stuff I suggest putting on.

Edit: Just watched the full video you posted. Voltage maintained the same if you applied the grease from pin to pin (which is what happens inside an electrical connector to mating connection) So my previous statement still stands true.

 

This is the only thing I use on electronic connectors and used it on my spark plug coil connectors. =>

 

^
You were correct in your first statement, because putting insulating grease can only cause a connection to have poorly flowing electric current through a plug and will never help make the contact better in the long run.

The person in that video was pressing down on the contact one time and i would not trust a connector in your Tacoma, which is vibrating with a force less that he applied over the long term. He may be right making contact one time, but i would not recommend putting it on pins, like you said in a moving vehicle IMHO.

 

Regardless of how you cook it and cut it up, the plug remains stationarily in place securely with a locking mechanism built into it. The only way that plug is coming off is if you take it off yourself or if it breaks which i less than likely given that it never sees drastic temperature changes in the cabin like it does under the hood. My point is the chances of vibrations seen by that plug are going to be nil or misnomer.

 

Question.. been running great since I changed the resistor.

However, I think the actual fan motor is next. Starting to make a loud clicking noise. Hear it when heater is on 1-3 speeds. Super loud. Sounds like it's going to slowly click until it stops moving, but keeps spinning. For now.

Is it on the way out? Thinking I should have a new one ready and waiting.

 

Subbed, thx for photos & write up!

 

Yup... Ok so today my motor went out again. (Just like it was doing before I replaced the resistor) a tap down below and it kicked on again.

My fan motor for HVAC is clicking n winds slowly to speed at lowest setting. I can hear it struggling, or maybe something is stuck in there. A leaf. I just replaced the cabin filter.. Noise drowns it out on 3-4 speed. High heat. But it's still cutting in and out at times. And now it's cold as hell.

Could be a short, loose cable (all seem fine) or something else. Any suggestions?

 

Those are not high torque motors. It does not take much to keep them from spinning up. I would check to see if anything fell down when you pulled the filter. It can happen very easily. A shop vac works to pull stuff back up.

 

Well, it has been clicking long before I changed filter. I'm thinking I didn't need to change the resistor. And something else is going on. Just a guess though

 

Update on my post above. The blade bending "fix" worked for a couple months then started having connector positioning problems again. So I bit the bullet, ordered and installed both the new resistor block and the new harness connector. Just shy of $50 off Amazon from some Toyota dealer.

So far so good, we will see.

 

Is there any reason Toyota hasn't issued a TSB for this? or a recall if it is causing actual fires inside the vehicle?

 

I just bought a new model blower, no more problems... And I haven't heard of truck fires

 

See post #70. I was skimming through this thread and read that, realize now he was talking about 3 GM vehicles: Hummer H3, GMC Canyon and the Chevy Colorado, but saying they were all issues with the blower motor resistor causing fires.

 

Very helpful information here.

Super! Thanks a lot everybody

Waldo

 

I have the same issue happening in my 2012. The only difference is my high won't work but the first 3 settings do. The coupler behind the fan switch panel has one connector that is burnt and discolored (white wire with brown stripe). When I first had the problem I was told to check my cabin filter to make sure it wasn't clogged. As this would cause the fan motor to work harder and overheat. The filter was dirty with 32,000 miles at that time. I installed a K&N cabin filter which is staying pretty clean. I keep my truck garaged and don't drive it very often. My question is has anyone had the same symptoms? Fan switch on high not working? The original resistor is still installed. Can someone post a link to purchase the harness connector and newly designed resistor?

 

Thank you so much. I was going insane driving from Boise to SLC this week. The drive was a killer going from high A/C to no A/C and back again. The drive home is going to be so much nicer!