Heat/AC Fans broken!

[jodyap]

My heat/ac fans 1-2 broke about a year ago. Now my fans 3-4 broke. My car only has 60,000 miles on it and has has tons of problems already. Does anyone know if these are easy to fix so I can save some money? Please let me know how to fix these. Thanks.

[MalibuSean]

no but i'm having the same problem with mine, 1-2 don't work... 3-4 haven't gone out yet... anyone have an answer for this?

-MalibuSean

[millworker]

under the dash on the pasenger side is your fan just behind the fan is a resister with a plug on it. two small bolts hold this in place with a electrical plug on it. this resister looks like a small computer board about 2 inches by 3 inches its cost is around $16 at carquest

[Mesa98]

Like many other Malibu owners I have this problem on my '98 Malibu, and would like to replace the resistor on my own. However I have not been able to find any detailled instructions and/or diagrams on the web. If anyone is aware of a source or link for this information I would appreciate it if they could post a reply.

Thanks,

Kelly

[BeatnikTermite]

You will need: 1/4" Socket set, universal joint, patience.

1. Remove the plastic cover from the underside of the passenger dash. (Four screws with socket set) Note how the two air ducts on the left and top are connected, and how the other cover piece is connected to the piece you are removing. This is helpful when you go to reinstall it.
2. Slide the black hanging module to the right and pull it down carefully. push it to the right side being careful not to damage the wires.
3. Remove the blower motor power cable located on the forward side of the blower.
4. Remove the jumper cable link to the bad resistor located on the resistor near the forward side of the blower.
5. Remove the blower motor. (Three screws with socket set) You mat not need to do this, but it helps give you some room to work, and lets you see the resistor before proceeding.
6. Look in the open hole from the blower toward the fire wall to see the green resistor that looks like a computer board. Study it; Get to know it; Cause from here on out you will hate it.
7. Remove the two screws. This seems simple enough. Wrong. (This is where you might need the U-joint on your socket set and the patience)
8. Install new resistor. Mine was $19 at Carquest, and looks different than the original. It is longer, and black not green. (again: Two screws, U-joint, patience)
9. Install Blower motor using three retained screws if you removed it.
10. Connect the blower motor power, and the resistor jumper.
11. Test the blower fan settings, and smile.
12. Align and push the Module up into the slot and slide it to the left.
13. Install the cover using four retained screws. This is where it helped to pay attention to the ducts and the other cover.

That's it. It is an easy job, that takes a long time. I screwed around with mine for over an hour. Most of the time was wasted on the resistor's two screws. This is why I suggest a 1/4" socket set. I think I wasted a lot of time with the U-joint and reducer on my 3/8" set. You will also have a backache after this since you spent an hour laying ofer the seat bottom and the door jamb.

[Joelb251]

Yup, that sounds about right. I cannot say that I have replaced one on a Malibu, but I have on many other similar GM vehicles, and they are all that easy-yet agonizing . I usually a flex extension instead of a universal joint, but same result.

[rcohen_malibu99]

By the way Chevy probably knows about this defect! I have asked all the Malibu owners to e-mail me if they have this problem, because I think GM should pay for all of this!!!! It is a true hidden defect!
Rick

Originally Posted by Joelb251

Yup, that sounds about right. I cannot say that I have replaced one on a Malibu, but I have on many other similar GM vehicles, and they are all that easy-yet agonizing . I usually a flex extension instead of a universal joint, but same result.

[Jace0938]

Originally Posted by BeatnikTermite

You will need: 1/4" Socket set, universal joint, patience.

1. Remove the plastic cover from the underside of the passenger dash. (Four screws with socket set) Note how the two air ducts on the left and top are connected, and how the other cover piece is connected to the piece you are removing. This is helpful when you go to reinstall it.
2. Slide the black hanging module to the right and pull it down carefully. push it to the right side being careful not to damage the wires.
3. Remove the blower motor power cable located on the forward side of the blower.
4. Remove the jumper cable link to the bad resistor located on the resistor near the forward side of the blower.
5. Remove the blower motor. (Three screws with socket set) You mat not need to do this, but it helps give you some room to work, and lets you see the resistor before proceeding.
6. Look in the open hole from the blower toward the fire wall to see the green resistor that looks like a computer board. Study it; Get to know it; Cause from here on out you will hate it.
7. Remove the two screws. This seems simple enough. Wrong. (This is where you might need the U-joint on your socket set and the patience)
8. Install new resistor. Mine was $19 at Carquest, and looks different than the original. It is longer, and black not green. (again: Two screws, U-joint, patience)
9. Install Blower motor using three retained screws if you removed it.
10. Connect the blower motor power, and the resistor jumper.
11. Test the blower fan settings, and smile.
12. Align and push the Module up into the slot and slide it to the left.
13. Install the cover using four retained screws. This is where it helped to pay attention to the ducts and the other cover.

That's it. It is an easy job, that takes a long time. I screwed around with mine for over an hour. Most of the time was wasted on the resistor's two screws. This is why I suggest a 1/4" socket set. I think I wasted a lot of time with the U-joint and reducer on my 3/8" set. You will also have a backache after this since you spent an hour laying ofer the seat bottom and the door jamb.

I have tried with these instructions AND SUCCEEDED! Thank you for writing these!!! They were very helpful!

[wpbharry]

Jeez, you guys are great. Wish I had had this excellent advice when the '98 was in "the house". Seems simple. Ditched that last month.

So now it's an '04 Maxx, pretty good so far. Minor hiccups, nothing major. Best car, so far, out of the box. That includes a Honda Accord in my past.

rcohen, you're a great guy, no doubt, but give it up. Go to the Chevy dealer and treat yourself to an '04 Malibu or Maxx. Take advantage of the $4,000 Owner Loyalty rebate. More than makes up for the hassles. Bite the bullet. Some things are worth fighting for (like the Prez election), but NOT a '99 Malibu.

[nashvillehusky]

Any hint on a part number for the improved resistor? thanks.

[smartinez0307]

my 1 & 2 went out, so I took the car to the dealership at 23,000 miles, they replaced the fan, now the air blows out fine, but now you can hear the motor of the fan blowing. Also when i turn the air on for inside only, on frequent stops and pauses on the breaks, the air goes back to coming from the outside. any ideas on why it does this? Dealership says that this is a frequent thing....i feel my leg being pulled on this one

[psychobadboy]

Originally Posted by smartinez0307

my 1 & 2 went out, so I took the car to the dealership at 23,000 miles, they replaced the fan, now the air blows out fine, but now you can hear the motor of the fan blowing. Also when i turn the air on for inside only, on frequent stops and pauses on the breaks, the air goes back to coming from the outside. any ideas on why it does this? Dealership says that this is a frequent thing....i feel my leg being pulled on this one

They replaced the whole fan cuz of the 1 & 2 control problem? I hope that was covered by warranty, cuz it was only a blown resister...that's a common problem with the pre-2004 Malibus. I had that problem as well in the past.

Anyways, GM used a faulty control panel for the air recirculation and never bothered to replace it as the years went on. So every once in a while, the control will automatically set itself back to the "outside air setting." I don't know if they fix this problem at the dealers...it's not a big deal for me, so I never bothered.

[ukemigrant]

Originally Posted by BeatnikTermite

You will need: 1/4" Socket set, universal joint, patience.

<snip>

That's it. It is an easy job, that takes a long time. I screwed around with mine for over an hour. Most of the time was wasted on the resistor's two screws. This is why I suggest a 1/4" socket set. I think I wasted a lot of time with the U-joint and reducer on my 3/8" set. You will also have a backache after this since you spent an hour laying ofer the seat bottom and the door jamb.

Hi BeatnikTermite, thanks for your great instructions here. I am experiencing just this problem on a 2000 Malibu and was quoted $86 to replace it from where I bought it (down to $76 'cos I'm related to a worker there).

I will be buying the part myself and doing the work - with instructions like these how can I go wrong ?

I assume there was never a recall put on this problem then?

Cheers, Sam.

[GYSGT]

when replacing the resistor you will need a 5.5 mm socket.
The following is a site that shows how to repair the A/c- heater controls:
http://www.imcool.com/articles/airco...Repairable.pdf

It took me 30 minutes total to do this repair and it fixed the problem with the a/c cutting in out.

[gapboi210]

Why after all the problems you've had, would you go but ANOTHER Malibu? Seems crazy. All the problems with resistors, manifold gaskets, brakes, theft systems, A/C control panels and GM doesn't care. Then you would go buy another GM product? I can tell you I won't ever buy another GM. Going back to Honda and Toyota. 199,984 miles and 302,218 miles and never a problem.