1996 Dodge Grand Caravan LE AC/Heater Blower, Relay and Resistor Block Problems 101

[michfixit]

This thread was very helpful to me.

My blower only works on high. I replaced the resistor block. Same results. Now what to do....????

1. Could it be a corroded wiring connector? It doesn't look all that great.
2. Is there only the one fuse for the blower? It does work on high, so I am not sure here. Is there a fuse I should be checking?
3. Please don't tell me I have to replace that awful relay...

I am lost on this issue. Help??

Thanks!

[michfixit]

Originally Posted by michfixit

This thread was very helpful to me.

My blower only works on high. I replaced the resistor block. Same results. Now what to do....????

1. Could it be a corroded wiring connector? It doesn't look all that great.
2. Is there only the one fuse for the blower? It does work on high, so I am not sure here. Is there a fuse I should be checking?
3. Please don't tell me I have to replace that awful relay...

I am lost on this issue. Help??

Thanks!

Updated info: It *seems* as though this situation of only high-speed blower occurred before and then it went away and all speeds worked fine. Now it is back. This makes me think the connector is bad, maybe causing intermittent failure. Anyway, the new block didn't solve it and when looking at connector it looks pretty rusty. I had to work it a LOONNGG time to get apart and even used vice grips.

Maybe that is my key that I might just solve the problem w/ new pigtail??

[michfixit]

"Blower only on high" problem is SOLVED!!! Yipee!!

This update might help someone. I have fixed my problem w/ help from this thread, so I hope I can also help someone else out.

I went to the junkyard to rip out another wiring harness for $1, thinking I will have to splice in another and replace mine - rather than paying $30 for a new one. Yes, we are cheap, correct?

Anyway, while tinkering at the junkyard I noticed that the blue colored cap on the harness just pops right off. Hmmmm....This exposes the connectors better, revealing the skinny black prongs you can push back to allow each wire to be pulled out of the harness. Hahahaa...cleaning is all that is necessary - NOT a new harness!!

Two of my 5 connectors on the harness were quite corroded, but w/ some electrical connection cleaner and a really thin screw driver I just did the best I could in hopes of scraping off the corrosion to make good contact. I could not get these 2 wires out of the harness since they must have gotten too hot at one point and melted the release prong to the metal and so they wouldn't come out. The rest came out easily. With these 2 bad ones, I just, like I said, did my best to clean them while they were stuck in the harness. Back and forth in in/out over and over w/ a skinnnnyyyy screwdriver - scraping the crud. This worked ok....since voila! I have all my blower speeds working now!

Remember, try cleaning the wires by releasing each of them out of the harness, or you might also try just spraying down the entire harness w/ cleaner. This took a little time, but it was definitely quicker than splicing in a new harness from the stealership.

Also, I put on some electrical grease to prevent corrosion on my new connection.

So, w/ a new resistor block and a cleaned wiring harness, one can be back in business! No splicing and no stealership ripoff....Hahahahahahahah!!!!!!

[Alphabravo]

Thanks for posting the fix.

[Philbert75]

I just wanted to tell you that your info on the Blower Motor only running on hi speed helped me to fix the problem. I pried out the resistor block from under the hood of my 98 Plymouth Voyuager with a long skinny blade screwdriver. i stuck the blade under the right side of the block and pried it out gently from that side. I then pulled it out by hand from the left side. I looked at the little coil resistor wire connections on the block and could see were one of the connections was broken loose.. I called my local auto parts store and they had one available for just $10.50. It is a touchy issue to remove it and also put it back in, but if you are patient, it will come out and go back in with little loss of blood. Before you go to the local dealership to buy this part, check with you Autozone, Advanced Auto or O'Reillys autopart stores and you will find it there at a verylow price. Thanks again for all your good advice.

[HeadlessHorseman1]

Originally Posted by Philbert75

...It is a touchy issue to remove it and also put it back in, but if you are patient, it will come out and go back in with little loss of blood.

Hehehe... I lost blood when I replaced the Resistor Block. Everyone, beware! And, btw, congrats on saving yourself around 100 buck$ by fixing this yourself. -HH

[case548]

I just changed the blower motor resister on my 2002 Chrysler Town and Country mini van. Couldn't have been easier. Open glove compartment, put all of the wife's cosmetics in the box the part came in. Squeeze each side so the front drops all the way down. The resister is staring you in the face. Un plug, un bolt, rebolt, replug. Close the glove compartment. 5 minutes. Part was $13.50 on Amazon.com

[RIP]

This video shows how to troubleshoot and replace a front blower resistor on 4th generation vans (2001-2007) It has helped many on this and other forums: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsazws_za4k