850 Blower Motor

Hi-

I recently (~3 weeks ago) purchased a 1993 Volvo 850 GLT with ~120k miles on it. About a week later, I smelled and saw smoke coming from the vents, and the blower motor ceased to work. Lights on the ECU have been flashing. Car does have ECC.

Diagnostic codes showed shorts on the damper motors (all of them), no power on the temperature sensors, and no signal from blower motor power supply.

My intuition (and intensive Google searching) indicated that it was probably just the blower motor, but perhaps also the power supply, so I ordered both.

After pulling apart the glove box, knee guard, etc., I was finally able to get the blower assembly out. I connected the motor straight to the battery and it didn't turn, while the new one did.

Replaced the motor, reconnected all the cables.

Start the car up, no go. Blower motor doesn't turn, still have flashing lights, still have error codes about inlet fans being seized or shorted.

Tried replacing the power supply, that didn't change it either.

Any ideas? I really don't want to have to take it to the dealer (inconvenience and cost).

Thanks,

Noah

Reply to
lorang
Loading thread data ...

Noah, Just going with the basics here - when the old motor seized, perhaps a fuse blew. Apparantly there is lack of power to the blower.

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

Reply to
Jamie

Reply to
Jamie

Don't want to assume but did you check your:

[1] Fuses [2] Ballast Resistor

Jamie wrote:

Reply to
WyleECoyote

I vote for a bad blower motor resistor module- It is to the left of the blower motor in the duct work, held in by a few torx screws. follow the wires back from the motor to the module. Runs about $60 online. I don't know how to test it.

Reply to
JDG

As I mentioned in the first post, I replaced the resistor module with a new one, and it still does not work.

Fuses are all fine as well.

JDG wrote:

Reply to
lorang

Reply to
WyleECoyote

If you call the resistor module a power supply-OK. But I don't think of it that way. The other thing that happens is the capacitors in the ECC control module- the rectangular box in the dash with knobs on it for settings and temp selection LEAK and short the board. This sudden death is witnessed as masses of white smoke coming out of the dash as the printed circuits within the module fry. That is $750 +, and the ECC module was changed after 1993. A salvage yard might have one for $150-200 .Clearly an expensive gamble to try replacing it. Mechanically it is easy. Remove radio and pop it from below by releasing some push tabs and maybe a screww in back. It unplugs from the harnesses easily. I nursed my 93 850 for years.The 94 and on ECC module is different and I don't think it will work. If you open the case of the ECC you can smell the burn and see the burns around the black and silver capacitors on the circuit board. Make sure you have your radio code before you remove it. Good Luck.

Reply to
JDG

If you call the resistor module a power supply-OK. But I don't think of it that way. The other thing that happens is the capacitors in the ECC control module- the rectangular box in the dash with knobs on it for settings and temp selection LEAK and short the board. This sudden death is witnessed as masses of white smoke coming out of the dash as the printed circuits within the module fry. That is $750 +, and the ECC module was changed after 1993. A salvage yard might have one for $150-200 .Clearly an expensive gamble to try replacing it. Mechanically it is easy. Remove radio and pop it from below by releasing some push tabs and maybe a screw in back. It unplugs from the harnesses easily. I nursed my 93 850 for years.The 94 and on ECC module is different and I don't think it will work. If you open the case of the ECC you can smell the burn and see the burns around the black and silver capacitors on the circuit board. Make sure you have your radio code before you remove it. Good Luck.

Reply to
JDG

Many times multiple strange electrical problems on 850s mean that the electrical portion of the ignition switch is failing. I don't know if that is your situation, but given the high failure rate of these things then changing the original one on a '93 would at least be good preventative maintenance and might fix some of your problems.

John

Reply to
John Horner

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.