Blower Motor Resistor Replacement (with pics)

[fred and mimi]

Originally Posted by PashaDNN

I knew I had to change the blower motor resistor because on my '02 Sebring LX the 1-2-3 options on my fan didn't work, and 4 did. So I did a little bit of researching (mainly on this forum and a few other Chrysler pages) and went straight to the dealership.

The part cost less than CDN$10 and took me no longer than an hour to install (the reason it took me a whole hour was because I was working with a complete lack of tools.) Those two bolts that hold in the resistor took me longer than anything.


This is what you should be looking for:

To get to this, I reccomend moving your passenger seat all the way back (as well as tilted all the way back).. under my glove-box there was a foam'ish covering being pretty much held on by one bolt, remove it.

Now you should have access to your blower motor resistor and a whole bunch of other fun, colorful wires.. lol, something like this:


Just remove the two bolts holding in the resistor, it should slide right out. But this is where i encountered quite the obstacle.. I'm > 6ft tall and getting to the 2nd bolt was hell, as it's conveniently hidden 'on the other side' of the resistor.. out of reach from anyone with big arms/shoudlers/hands.. Anyway, replace the old with the new (in the same slot of course):

<-new / old->
put bolts back on, foam'ish cover back on, and you're done!
(see where the bolts go on my old resistor? note how chewed up it is, i was having a field day trying to get the f**ker off.)

I'm gonna sleep off the back-ache and i'll be back fixing the sucker before too long.

Enjoy!

It was a piece of cake after reading your directions. The part was $34.00 and it took about 20 minutes. Thanks for your help, it was greatly appreciated!!!!!

[Joshie2]

Well I have those same symptoms on my wife's 2001 Sebring.
Blower only works on 4 (high), so thanks to PashaDNN for the instructions with lovely pictures and happyfamilyman for the 8MM socket tip, I got the resistor assembly out without much trouble.
I'm about 6', but found by pushing the seat back and lying scross the door sill on my side (saving my back) I could get the assembly out with the connector still attached.
The Chrysler maintenance manual suggests removing the connector first, but I doubt the manual writer had done that. In fact it was a task to remove the connector after the assembly was out of position.
The manual then suggested testing both the resistor and switch with an ohm meter. Unfortunately both passed, so now what?
Next I'm going to try both the switch and resistor under load, by using a few temporary wire connectors.

[Harryc3]

Thanks for all posts on this subject.
I replaced the resistor in my Sebring 2001 Convert with the latest one.
Part #5174124-AA.
Being 6'5" and 240 lbs I did it in 30 minutes from outside the car leaning in with the passanger seat all the way back and on my knees.
Alls well and no aching back. Thanks again for all the help. Cost $36.57

[ned26000]

Hi all,

I have a Sebring 2004 LX Sedan. Blow motor stopped working three weeks back for no apparent reason whatsoever - well, all speeds except for the highest speed. I live in Canada and the dealer offered me a part at 48$ + 15% tax. Got the part in Rochester Hills, Michigan for 36$ tax included. The part is thicker than the original one. First though that I got the wrong part or that there was a difference between the Canadian vs. American parts, yet then found that I am not the only one with such problem. Will try to enlarge the slot tonight and get the thing in.

Thanks to everyone for posting their comments, especially to the guy who posted the photos. I'm 6'2'', 220ish pounds not into acrobatics, yet a bit of twisting and turning was required to get the part in and out. Taking the actual resistor off was much more painful than it should have.

[yesfan2]

Aloha,

The same thing happened to my 1999 Sebring Convertible last week. Thanks to the info here, I was able to replace the Blower Motor Resistor in less than 30 minutes. And it only cost me $26 from the dealer. The part number is 04885844. Here is a picture of the resister:

http://www.geocities.com/ebayesfan2/04885844.jpg

Good Luck!

Eddie

[richarde]

I just replaced the blower resistor in my wife's 2001 Sebing. I found out that you should not try to remove the connector from the socket/resistor while the socket/resistor is still fastened to the duct. First remove the 2 bolts holding the socket/resistor and remove the socket/resistor and connector together. Then you can see and remove the red lock tab that locks the connector in the socket/resistor. I had to file the opening for the new designed resistor module and replaced the socket/resistor with the connector inserted in it with the red lock tab inserted. It took less than an hour and yes I removed the negative battery terminal first to prevent possible air bag deployment.

Note: I could not remove the connector from the socket/resistor while it was fastened to the duct because you can not see and can not get to the red lock tab.

[yesfan2]

Aloha,

Well, I replaced the resistor on my '99 Sebring, it worked for a week and then it quit again. I think it blew the resistor when the fan was in dial 1, any idea will be really appreciated.

Thanks!

Eddie

[richarde]

Originally Posted by yesfan2

Aloha,

Well, I replaced the resistor on my '99 Sebring, it worked for a week and then it quit again. I think it blew the resistor when the fan was in dial 1, any idea will be really appreciated.

Thanks!

Eddie

Maybe you got a defective part is the new part the same design as the old one or is it the new design?

[Harryc3]

Originally Posted by richarde

Maybe you got a defective part is the new part the same design as the old one or is it the new design?

Scroll up to Look at my earlier post for the replacement part #

[mezr]

I got here late!, I just came from my dealer. The cost was $45 for the resistor and $90 for labor. Plus taxes I ended paying $ 142.
Mario

[IMOSS]

Kurt hant: I have a 98 Sebring Convertible with the same problem. IE no blower on speeds 1 or 2. Only 3. Can't find the blower motor resistor under the glove box. Where did you find it on a '99? (hoping it's the same for a '98)

[IMOSS]

Originally Posted by Kurt hant

Hey Thanks for the pics VERY HELPFUL!!!! Have a '99 that had the same problem. 20 minutes work and $21.99 from the dealer now it works perfectly. I'm over six feet tall and it was still not much of a problem getting to it. Biggest headache was putting the sound absorbtion cover back on, Tried to finnesse it fo a few minutes and then did it my way with a hard shove went right in. Thaks again

I'm having the same problem with my '98 Sebring convertible. I've looked under the glove box but can't find the blower resistor as described in your posts. Anyone know where I can find this guy on a '98 Sebring?

[hilandrew]

Anyone have a part number for an 02 so I can buy it online? The stealership wanted 50 bucks for it.

[jgraziano]

Originally Posted by hilandrew

Anyone have a part number for an 02 so I can buy it online? The stealership wanted 50 bucks for it.

The first dealer I went to wanted $35 but didn't have it in stock. The next one wanted $50 but had it. I told them the first one was only charging $35 so they gave it to me for that price. It was the green one with the horns and the extra component on top, so I had to use a dremel type tool to grind away some more of the slot. Mine is '03 Sebring LXi four door.

$35 for the part, $250 for the doctor bill. Just kidding. Actually I found it easier to go in from the driver side and lay across the driver seat with my head up under the dashboard.

Note to anyone doing this. If you want to test it before re-mounting it, just run the blower for a couple of seconds, long enough to verify it works. There is a reason it is in the duct - to keep the resistors cool so they don't burn up.

[IMOSS]

Important note to anyone replacing the blower motor resistor in thier Sebring Convertible. The design of the resistor changed somewhere along the line. The photos you see of the "credit card" looking resistor is in the '01 '02. If you have a '98 '99 Sebring, it looks completely different. It's has two "coils" inside of it. I hunted and hunted for a resistor that looked like the photos posted on this thread. Then found the design had changed.