I have a '96 Caravan, when we turn on the heater (this just started, not sure if it's doing this with AC yet), it will only blow if it's turned full blast on the blower. All or nothing. I was told that this may have something to do with the cold (it's been fairly bitter cold here the last couple weeks, temps in the teens), but I'm not completely satisfied with this explanation. Any ideas?
You need a new blower motor resistor.
It could be the damper door is not opening. When the blower is off the damper will close. If you hear the blower and not getting any air it could be the damper door electric motor.
I concur, that's a distinctive failure mode that's a dead giveaway...
And if you replace it and it goes out again you need a new blower motor.
Larry
The doors have nothing to do with blower motor speed. If you don't have the first 3 speeds and have high, replace the resistor as stated above
Glenn Beasley Chrysler Tech
Failed blower motors tend to not work well at high speed. Not what the OP described.
Think.
What Max is saying is the thing that can croak the resistor module is a failing blower motor. For instance, if one of the armature windings is shorted...
Should I assume that this is a dealer part?
How easy is this to replace myself?
Thanks.
No.
Easy.
Welcome.
I don't think Max said that.
I do think the part number for that resistor has superseded something like 6 times since it was introduced.
I think it's because they're shit to begin with.
I think that if there were a problem with shorted windings, the switch would be the pattern failure (it's not)
I think I install about four of these a month.
In my Intrepid, the blower worked on high only. Replaced the resistor and got one day out of it. Blower worked on high only. Replaced blower motor assembly and resistor and it's been working great ever since. Bearings were going bad.
Larry
: > Larry : : Failed blower motors tend to not work well at high speed. : Not what the OP described.
I *think* he meant wait and see if the resistor fails again before you waste $200 on a new blower motor considering that the original resistors tend to be failure prone.
Still don't see anything like; the thing that can croak the resistor module is a failing blower motor. For instance, if one of the armature windings is shorted...
I'll keep that in mind if a 96 Caravan ever morphs into an Intrepid.
And what does that have to do with bearings freezing up?
Larry
: > Larry : : I'll keep that in mind if a 96 Caravan ever morphs into an : Intrepid.
Ok, you have a reading comprehension problem. Sorry...
No worries - he clearly has comprehension issues that nobody here is going to solve for him...
Exactly.
No, I just don't see things that aren't there.
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