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How do you know if your car blower motor is bad?

Author of the blog (work in a car repair shop)
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How do you know if your car blower motor is bad?

You might also hear ongoing whirring noises, or noises that change or get louder if you increase the fan speed. These are all signs of problems with the blower motor. In some cases, you may even notice smoke or smells of burning while driving, in which case you should pull over immediately.

How do you tell if it's the blower motor or resistor is bad?

Signs of a Bad Blower Motor Resistor Loss of HVAC fan control (total or certain speeds) The fan only works on its highest speed setting. No air coming from vents. Intermittent or inconsistent fan speed.

Can you drive with a bad blower motor?

Should you drive with a bad heater blower motor? A bad heater blower motor will not affect the safety of your car, with the possible exception of you not being able to clear the windshield of snow, ice, or condensation if the defrosters don't work.

How much should it cost to replace a blower motor?

Replacing a blower motor costs $450 on average with a typical range of $250 to $800. With a warranty, you might pay as little as $150 for labor alone. For high-end models, like those with large motors or access issues, you might pay as much as $2,000.

How much does it cost to replace a blower motor in a car?

Is there a fuse for the blower motor?

Can a bad blower motor cause no heat?

Problems with Your Blower Motor or Blower Motor Resistor Without it, there's no circulation of air—hot, cold, or otherwise. The blower motor resistor is the part that controls the fan speed of the blower motor. Both of these components can fail, resulting in the heating system simply not working.

What can cause a blower motor to stop working?

In most cases, a blower motor resistor fails due to corrosion or overheating. Sometimes, the mechanical resistance to the motor rotation causes an excessive electric current that can overheat and prematurely damage the blower motor resistor.

What happens when a blower motor relay goes bad?

If the blower motor relay develops any sort of problem that hinders its ability to properly limit and distribute power, it may cause the blower motor fuse to blow. Any sort of electrical spikes or excessive current from a bad relay will blow the fuse and cut power in order to protect the system.

What happens when the blower motor resistor goes out?

If the resistor shorts or fails, it may cause the blower motor to remain stuck on one fan speed. The heating and air conditioning systems may still function at one speed, however the resistor will have to be replaced in order for full functionality to be restored.

What happens if blower motor fails?

If the blower motor resistor fails, the blower motor will still work, but it will be stuck on one speed in most cases. If you remove the resistor completely, the blower motor fan will still work at one speed, in most car models. This is because usually the resistor is not used for the highest speed setting.

How long does it take to replace a blower motor in a car?

How Long Does It Take To Replace A Blower Motor In A Car? It generally takes about 4 hours for an experienced technician to do a blower motor replacement. If you are doing it on your own in your garage with common tools, you can expect the job to take 6 hours or more.

How often do blower motors go out?

How many ohms should a blower motor have?

How Many Ohms Should A Blower Motor Have? A good blower motor is expected to read over 0.5 Ohms.

How do you test a blower motor relay?

Connect a test light or multimeter to the ground (black lead). Turn the ignition key to the on position (engine off), and remove the relay. Using the probe, test all terminal sockets in the relay connector. Two of the four should have power.

How do I test a fan motor with a multimeter?

Inspect the Motor Windings With a Multimeter To begin, set the multimeter to read ohms and then test the motor's wires and terminal. You should test the windings for a “short to ground” in the circuit and open or shorts in the windings.

Is it hard to replace a blower motor?

The replacement of the blower motor is common and straightforward, so most shops will perform the repair — many on the same day.

Where is a blower motor located?

The blower motor is usually under the dashboard on the passenger side. Blower motors that make loud squeaks or rattling noises may be worn out and on the verge of packing it in, but sometimes those noises are caused by leaves or other debris that can be cleaned out after the motor is removed from the vehicle.

Can a blower motor be repaired?

There are a number of things that can go wrong with your heating system, but if the air stops blowing altogether and the same is true on cold air settings, a blower motor replacement is likely in order. The good news is that it's a fairly straight forward repair.

What is the difference between a fan motor and a blower motor?

What Is a Blower Motor? Unlike the condenser fan motor, the blower motor is located indoors. It's the component that blows cool air through the ducts and into different parts of your home. So it's essentially your air mover.

How many blower motors are in a car?

The number of blower motors in your vehicle depends on its climate control system. Some cars have one blower motor, but that may not be the case for some SUVs and vans. They may have two motors, one in the heater box and another in the vehicle's rear area.

Why is my blower motor so loud in my car?

Loud noises you hear when your car's heater or air conditioner are on typically indicate a blower motor issue. The good news is that a blower motor problem like this can be the result of something as simple to fix as debris or trash that got caught in it.

Where is the blower motor relay fuse located?

Under the instrument panel, look under the glove box. On the right side of the fender wall you will find another fuse box. The blower motor fuse is easy to replace.

How do I know if my heater fuse is blown?

You can quickly determine by checking resistance with a multimeter. A good fuse will have nearly zero ohms of resistance, if the fuse is blown there will be no reading.

Why is my car not blowing any air?

Here are some of the most common causes of why air doesn't flow out of your vehicle's vents: Your air intake is clogged, meaning that air isn't getting in from the outside at all or isn't circulating properly. There is a blown fuse in the ventilation system. Electrical issues such as a bad relay.

Why is my car blowing cold air when the heat is on?

Low Coolant Level The coolant (usually a mixture of water and antifreeze) in your engine doesn't just work to keep the engine from overheating: It's also the source of heat supporting the heating system. If there isn't enough coolant in your system, the heater core will blow cold air into your car.

How do I know if my blower motor resistor is bad?

No air from the vehicle’s vents Another symptom of a faulty blower motor resistor is no air from the vehicle’s vents at all. Power to the blower motor is fed through the blower motor resistor, so if it fails or has any issues power can be cut off to the motor.

How do I know if my air conditioner blower is bad?

Inspect your air filters. Lots of times, airflow restriction from a dirty filter will cause a blower motor to overheat. The excess heat in the motor will cause its performance to degrade, and the motor may fail altogether. If your blower has a fan belt, take a loot at it. If the belt is snapped, then the blower won’t work.

What happens when the blower motor on a car goes bad?

A bad blower motor will sometimes overheat, causing a “hot” smell to come out of your air vents. In the worst scenarios, your blower motor may actually start to burn. Yikes! What causes a bad blower motor?

What are the symptoms of a bad blower motor relay?

If you notice bad blower motor relay symptoms such the car heater blower not working, you need to test the relay. For blower motor switch symptoms like the blower not working or only working on some speeds, consider checking the switch for damage. Most bad blower motor symptoms that involve speed problems are attributable to damaged resistors.

Below you will find two interesting articles on a similar topic 👇

Is there a fuse for the blower motor?

Are blower motors expensive?

Tired of looking for a video for your question?

Video Answer below 👇

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