oobnuker

2001 GXE Auto

When I picked up the car 5 months ago, the fan worked only on the "4" setting, manual climate control. I figured the fan blower resistor unit was bad and eventually replaced it - problem solved. For a few weeks. Yesterday it just went haywire and is stuck on the "4" setting, except it doesn't matter where the dial is - even OFF. The fan won't turn off.

Am I looking at another blower resistor? Or?

Anyone ever heard of this? I couldn't find anything.

SubwayVQ

Did you replace with a quality resistor or the cheapest one you could find?

oobnuker

It was a Dorman branded one from Amazon. It was definitely cheap. Like $25.

SubwayVQ

I would go on RockAuto and buy one that has the heart next to it, meaning that it is a good, popular choice.

oobnuker

Yeah none of the non-Auto Climate Control units have hearts next to them and they are all around the same price...

$20-$30

Anyway - you think the resistor is the problem? I can return it to Amazon within the next week or so.

oobnuker

I took the resistor out and it looks brand new. No scorch marks or visible issues - unlike the one I replaced which was clearly burnt. I had to pull the two fuses in the engine bay to kill the fan. I'm guessing my climate control unit may be the problem.

Any thoughts? Anybody?

oobnuker

Funny through Google I found this: https://maxima.org/forums/5th-genera...-turn-off.html

Although searching in the forums I couldn't find any relevant posts.

oobnuker

Just wanted to follow up with this. I ordered the HVAC fan switch off of eBay for $30 and that solved the problem. Getting it out was a little involved but patience is key. When I disassembled the old switch the damage inside was clear as day. It had internally melted and shorted out. The plastic that supports the contacts for each fan position had melted so much that some of the contacts no longer...made contact. So the fan literally would not turn off. I am assuming that the switch may have heated up from prolonged use by the prior owner with the fault blower resistor so the fan was stuck on high speed the whole time.

So to recap: I got the car in March and the fan only worked on high. Replaced blower resistor and got all 4 speeds back. That lasted for a couple of months and then it was stuck ON all the time. I had to remove the fuses and drove with no fan for a while. Replaced the fan speed switch today with a part from eBay and problem solved.

I think the same part is available from most auto parts stores but it was like $50 instead of the $30 I paid on ebay. Got the same part, brand new, just cheaper.