alexiswi

Hi,

I bought a used 95 Maxima last December. It had some small issues, but the price was right. One of those issues was that the previous owner had managed to break the **** off the blower control switch, which they solved but just shoving a pair of needle nose pliers in the hole and turning the blower up and down that way. Until they wore the switch down to a nub. This wasn't a huge problem as the switch was in the on position (3 or 4 I'd guess) and it being December in Southern Oregon, we needed the heater all the time. Having it blow all the time got annoying as the weather warmed up and then the blower motor died a slow, drawn out death, punctuated with being tapped on with a rubber mallet intermittently to keep it in this world just a tad longer. I suppose that's to be expected when it's been running on 3 or 4 every time the car has been on for who knows how long before I even got it.

I just replaced the blower motor. New one works a like a charm. Now I'm on to the blower control switch. I found a replacement (just the switch, not the whole HVAC cluster) and I pulled apart my center console to get to the old one.

But now I can't get it out of the HVAC cluster. Based on looking at the new one (which is identical to the old as far as I can tell) there doesn't seem to be anything that should hold it in the cluster save two small tabs built into the plastic cluster housing (one on top, one on bottom). It's easy enough to lift one tab and begin dislodging the switch. It's tougher to do both at the same, but it's possible. However, even with both tabs pulled away, I can't budge the switch out of the cluster housing.

I've googled and googled, read post after post on a number of forums, but I can't find anything addressing replacing the blower control switch. I was hoping I could find something to reference for some clues at least, if not an actual walk through. But no luck. Even when I find posts that refer to the blower control switch as being the suspected problem, they inevitably turn out to be a bad blower motor or resistor.

We're going to visit my wife's ill grandfather next week and are looking at around 25 hours of driving all told, and I'm trying to have the HVAC system fully functional before then.

Has anyone had any experience trying to replace the blower control switch?

Thanks!

CS_AR

Welcome to Maxima.org. Where are you located? Do you have any "you pull it" type salvage yards in your area? I've lifted the tabs and pulled open one control. Sometimes they can be stubborn. I usually keep a spare control in my workshop. Usually I just find one in a salvage yard and replace the whole thing.

Fakie J Farkerton

iTrader: (51)

You pull it and the like is a great place for the climate control.

I would definitely get the fan new as it's pretty inexpensive. Think I paid $30 at napa.

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

The reason you can't get the old switch to come out is that there are 3 clips holding it in. The 3rd one is on the side towards the outside of the case (opposite the printed circuit board). The tab you have to lift up is in a recessed opening.