The heater in my car makes this loud grinding noise whenever its cold outside. It usually starts when the fan speed is at one and then will continue until the fan speed picks up to 3 or 4 when it will eventually stop. Once the fan speed drops again and the car warms up it will stop grinding all the time and only do it when going over bumps or making right turns (making a left turn will make it stop).

The sound is coming from under the glovebox in the lower right side of the passenger foot well. Does anyone know if this is something that is easily fixed/replaced? It's really annoying but I think I'd rather deal with it than pay tons of money to get it fixed. I uploaded a video of the issue and placed a link below.

Thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov-kP1bioXg

 

to be honest i have the same problem in my 2002 maxima gle. But it is not as bad as yours only when it's freezing but once the car warms up it goes away

 

FWIW, my '02 Maxima's heater blower started grinding ever so lightly on speed setting 1. Within a year, it went to burning out the resistor, and grinding horrendously on speed 4, the only speed it would work with the burnt resistor.

It got to the point where it would actually start burning the motor would get so hot. I eventually replaced the blower fan, but not the resistor. Just watch around for a part-out. Blower motors can be had for $40-50.

 

Is it easy to replace or is it a situation where I should get the part and take it to a shop? I don't have much experience doing stuff like that and I live in an apartment so I don't have a workspace either.

 

It is very easy. The glovebox comes out by removing 6 screws. The blower motor is held in place with 3 screws and one electrical connection. If you buy a new aftermarket motor it will be cheaper than the OEM, but you must splice the wiring and transfer the blower fan to the new one.

Oh, and every new aftermarket motor that I have heard sounds like crap. Usually a very annoying whine on all fan speeds. Just FYI.

Actually they are so ridiculously easy to replace you can't really go wrong by trying out a good used one for cheap. If it craps out, just replace it again.

 

Thanks for the info. I'm curious to find out if it is the motor or the blower fan because it really sounds like the fan is the issue since it only grinds when I turn in certain directions or when it's cold. I could be wrong however, I suppose I'll have to figure that out.

 

The blower came in the mail today from a salvage yard in Minnesota. Removing the glovebox was just as easy as oldngivout said it would be. Six screws, a little pulling from the bottom and that's it. The worst part of the entire thing was getting the glovebox back into place because you have to align the bottom right side properly or the glovebox won't sit flush in the right side.

Thanks for the help!

 

I just WD-40'd the sucker and it has been silent ever since.

 

Hello There,
was the problem solved by changing the blower motor? I have the same problem and I opened the assembly, checked for anything blocked=found nothing.
I cleaned the fan and ran it while holding it in my hand. The fan worked perfectly,
but when I put it back and the first right turn, it is happening again.
Please let me know what happened after you replaced the motor.

 

I take the motor out once a year and lube it. It seemed to work well the first couple times, but it usually comes back after a week or so now. I might look for a new motor soon.

 

I tried the oiling route and finally ended up replacing the original with a motor from NAPA. So far ok...after three years