89 max blower motor troubles
10-02-2003, 12:09 PM
#1
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89 max blower motor troubles
nice forums... looks like the PHP founders website [techimo] glad to be here!
Alright, i suppose ill cut to the chase: [1989 maxima]
i was driving down the road on a nice hot summer day about a month ago, and while enjoying the Air Conditioning at full blast.. it decided to stop working. The fan quit working all together, and would not react on any of the 1-4 switch positions. However when i push the AC button in and turn the switch up to 1 or higher, the AC will kick on. If im driving fast, as in down the highway, i get wind forced Air Conditioning to come through the vents. But when i press the vent direction to sayyy defrost, it will not switch over.
Does this mean that my blower motor is shot? or is it a relay? im reluctant to purchase a blower motor as they cost quite a bit, and it costs a lot to take it into a *nissan certified* dealership to get it fixed.
what's your take on it?
thanks
Alright, i suppose ill cut to the chase: [1989 maxima]
i was driving down the road on a nice hot summer day about a month ago, and while enjoying the Air Conditioning at full blast.. it decided to stop working. The fan quit working all together, and would not react on any of the 1-4 switch positions. However when i push the AC button in and turn the switch up to 1 or higher, the AC will kick on. If im driving fast, as in down the highway, i get wind forced Air Conditioning to come through the vents. But when i press the vent direction to sayyy defrost, it will not switch over.
Does this mean that my blower motor is shot? or is it a relay? im reluctant to purchase a blower motor as they cost quite a bit, and it costs a lot to take it into a *nissan certified* dealership to get it fixed.
what's your take on it?
thanks
10-02-2003, 12:15 PM
#2
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 580
I have a similar problem. Occasionally my blower motor will not come on. I'll turn the swtich to any of the positions, 4 usually, and after say 5 minutes the blower comes on. Sometimes i have to get my passenger to kick the metal box on their left side under the dash to get the motor to start moving.
10-02-2003, 12:19 PM
#3
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i have tried the "wait it out" and "beat it to death" tricks... so far i still have no blower motor. Ive driven about 3 hours straight and still not gotten anything out of it, im stumped 
ill have to take it to blue springs nissan here in a few days, i am hopeful it is as simple as a busted ground wire, but there's that little glow in the back of my mind that knows the motor is toast, and only a couple of benjamins can fix it
ill have to take it to blue springs nissan here in a few days, i am hopeful it is as simple as a busted ground wire, but there's that little glow in the back of my mind that knows the motor is toast, and only a couple of benjamins can fix it
10-02-2003, 12:23 PM
#4
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 358
Originally Posted by DPA
i have tried the "wait it out" and "beat it to death" tricks... so far i still have no blower motor. Ive driven about 3 hours straight and still not gotten anything out of it, im stumped
ill have to take it to blue springs nissan here in a few days, i am hopeful it is as simple as a busted ground wire, but there's that little glow in the back of my mind that knows the motor is toast, and only a couple of benjamins can fix it
ill have to take it to blue springs nissan here in a few days, i am hopeful it is as simple as a busted ground wire, but there's that little glow in the back of my mind that knows the motor is toast, and only a couple of benjamins can fix it
10-02-2003, 12:35 PM
#5
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unfortunately Kansas City is not well known for trustworthy businesses, especially not in an air conditioning repair shop. i would rather pay the premium of Nissan looking at it and knowing im getting a part warranty with very edgy service than to be screwed out of money for the possibility of a working AC.
this is my personal preference
this is my personal preference
10-02-2003, 12:46 PM
#6
Do you have a multimeter?
Check the connector at the motor for voltage.
Chances are you can diagnose the prob within a couple of hours.
Y pay a dealer to diagnose and repair it when they truly are no better than any other repair shop?
Check the connector at the motor for voltage.
Chances are you can diagnose the prob within a couple of hours.
Y pay a dealer to diagnose and repair it when they truly are no better than any other repair shop?
10-02-2003, 01:20 PM
#7
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yes i do have a multimeter and a book 2 inches thick about the car, unfortunately it doesn't tell me where the blower motor is so that i can test it. it gives me an entire trouble tree on it and where to test and how to cull off specific parts so that i can diagnose all 14 possiblities, but it would help if i knew where any of this crap was!
I would love to fix it myself as that is usually default for me, but i need to know where the blower motor is, can you give me a location or what it lies next to?
I would love to fix it myself as that is usually default for me, but i need to know where the blower motor is, can you give me a location or what it lies next to?
10-02-2003, 02:30 PM
#8
I've been fighting this same problem for years. It's not the blower motor, it's the A/C control head - the one that has the blower speed switches in it. After giving my mechanic a royal headache to run the problem down, he replaced it with a salvalge control head. That only lasted 1 year before it started doing it again. Concluding that these control head failures are common, I just had it replaced again, this time with a new unit from Nissan (ouch!). Since my mechanic was doing it, didn't get a chance to buy it at a better price from Courtesy Nissan like I usually do.
Futher corobation: The control head just failed on the other 1990 Maxima (GXE Autotragic) in the family also so now we've done 3 control head replacments. Symptom just like you described all three times. I kept one of the old ones, and will someday go in and see if the switches can be refurbed.
Futher corobation: The control head just failed on the other 1990 Maxima (GXE Autotragic) in the family also so now we've done 3 control head replacments. Symptom just like you described all three times. I kept one of the old ones, and will someday go in and see if the switches can be refurbed.
Originally Posted by DPA
nice forums... looks like the PHP founders website [techimo] glad to be here!
Alright, i suppose ill cut to the chase: [1989 maxima]
i was driving down the road on a nice hot summer day about a month ago, and while enjoying the Air Conditioning at full blast.. it decided to stop working. The fan quit working all together, and would not react on any of the 1-4 switch positions. However when i push the AC button in and turn the switch up to 1 or higher, the AC will kick on. If im driving fast, as in down the highway, i get wind forced Air Conditioning to come through the vents. But when i press the vent direction to sayyy defrost, it will not switch over.
Does this mean that my blower motor is shot? or is it a relay? im reluctant to purchase a blower motor as they cost quite a bit, and it costs a lot to take it into a *nissan certified* dealership to get it fixed. what's your take on it? thanks
Alright, i suppose ill cut to the chase: [1989 maxima]
i was driving down the road on a nice hot summer day about a month ago, and while enjoying the Air Conditioning at full blast.. it decided to stop working. The fan quit working all together, and would not react on any of the 1-4 switch positions. However when i push the AC button in and turn the switch up to 1 or higher, the AC will kick on. If im driving fast, as in down the highway, i get wind forced Air Conditioning to come through the vents. But when i press the vent direction to sayyy defrost, it will not switch over.
Does this mean that my blower motor is shot? or is it a relay? im reluctant to purchase a blower motor as they cost quite a bit, and it costs a lot to take it into a *nissan certified* dealership to get it fixed. what's your take on it? thanks
10-02-2003, 02:35 PM
#9
Additional info: I almost got into a lawsuit situation with a local Nissan dealership over this. They were fooled as to the cause of the problem, and were getting ready to install a new compressor, new dryer, ect to the tune of about $900 before I called a halt. My independant mechanic saved my **** on this: Can you imagine the dealership taking all that stuff back off and refunding the cost when it didn't solve the problem? I don't think so - hence the lawsuit I almost got into! <Whew !>.
10-02-2003, 02:50 PM
#10
if you have to kick it to get it to spin it sounds like the brushes are gone in the motor...time to hit the bone yards.
the blower motor is right behind/below the glove box..you'll see a round black thing that's going into a black panel. stick your head in and take a look..you'll see it.
the blower motor is right behind/below the glove box..you'll see a round black thing that's going into a black panel. stick your head in and take a look..you'll see it.
10-02-2003, 02:54 PM
#11
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thanks for all the replies, at least i have some opinions and help as the the source of the problem. The motor hasn't worked since the day it died, despite many attempts at "jump starting" it. hmm, well ill go out there with a multimeter, a pair o needle noses and a bad attitude and see if i can't get this bad boy figured out.
10-09-2003, 10:43 AM
#12
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Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 201
It's right underneath the glove box. Take out the glove box. Take off the panel underneath it. Then you'll be able to see it. There are only 3 bolts holding it on. Undo the electrical harness and air tube. Then replace with one from a junkyard. You should be able to do this in 30 minutes and for less than $30.
10-09-2003, 11:17 AM
#13
:shameless plug:
i'm selling a fan/motor for $10 bucks.
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=254287
i'm selling a fan/motor for $10 bucks.
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=254287
10-13-2003, 08:01 AM
#14
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Posts: 5
On my 1994, I was able to get the blower motor out without removing the glovebox. 3 screws is all that needs to be removed.
Mine had the same problems. I removed the blower motor. Disassembled it, (very easy) and cleaned it out very well. It had a lot of black dust in it.
In the end, I replaced it. It works great now!
If you want to test it out, just take the motor out and wire it directly to a battery. Be careful, cuz if it does work, it will spin like crazy.
-Vic
Mine had the same problems. I removed the blower motor. Disassembled it, (very easy) and cleaned it out very well. It had a lot of black dust in it.
In the end, I replaced it. It works great now!
If you want to test it out, just take the motor out and wire it directly to a battery. Be careful, cuz if it does work, it will spin like crazy.
-Vic
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