Thanks for a thorough answer, you're really a well of knowledge about the escorts.
However, the blower motor situation just got more silly and complicated -- this is for a 99 Escort.
I've noticed that occasionally,after not driving for a while, when I turn the ac on, the blower motor works on the low setting, but when I crank it up, it shuts off, and it won't work on low again. Sometimes it works on low for a while and then shut off.
When I check the voltage, it obviously gets the positive when it works, but when I crank it up, the voltage disappears. Now I know that when there are problems at different blower motor speeds, it usally means that it's a bad resistor - however, when you have a bad resistor in Fords (this was the case in my friends Focus).. then AC will work at high speeds, but not low.
Now it gets more silly. When I disconnect the positive from the blower motor and check the voltage, I get full 12V's when I turn on the fan on all speeds.
What the heck could it be? Is it the resistor? Blower motor (used replacement that works sometimes), relays? Circuit braker? Or maybe a larger problem with the electrical system (but if that was the case, i'd see symptoms in other places)...
any idea? Thanks in advance.