2001 Dodge Stratus Blower Motor

Ok, it seems to be a fairly common problem because I've found a lot of
information on the internet about it. Last night the a/c blower motor
stopped working on settings 1,2 and 3 but still works on 4.

I got the part number of the blower motor resistor from here:

http://autorepair.about.com/library/faqs/bl705e.htm

Which also has a picture.

I went to the dealer at lunch today and was told part number 4885919-aa
was superceded twice and they are now selling part number 5174124-aa.
However the price is now $34.50 and the screw holes look like the left
one is in the wrong spot, as compared to the picture. I pointed this
out to the parts guy who said I'll need to cut the tab off on the left
side. That didn't sound right so I had him call one of the technicians
in and he said for the Stratus the screw holes are in the right place
and I don't need to cut off the tab, that is what they do for Durangos.

Does anyone know if the picture on the web page above is incorrect or
is the part not a direct replacement? I'd like to hear from someone who
has done this before I pull the dash apart and order the part because I
am not a skilled mechanic and don't want to do this myself if I need to
start modifying parts or modifying the car.

Thanks.

 

I can't tell you about the part being correct, but just a heads up that if
the resistor has gone out, you are possibly looking at having to replace the
blower motor, as well. When the motor starts drawing too much current, it
burns out the resistor. Happened on my Intrepid. Replaced the resistor and
it worked less than one day.

Larry
Behold Beware Believe

 

If what you are saying is the part you are trying to install does not line
up then turn it around!!! Also you may have to modify the box to make this
new part slide in. They should have told you that

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

 

I recently did this fix on my wife's Sebring, thanks to info from Glenn
and others here and a good set of pictures here-
here:http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=294308
Time 1 hr+ 1 hr of filing= 2 hrs.

I pushed the passengers seat back and got on my side to get at the
location. Definitely use a socket wrench to remove the two bolts and
drop the assembly first because the connector is very difficult to
remove when in place.
Our original resistor was made in Mexico, the replacement a very crude
looking part from Slovenia. Since this new part was thicker I had to
file away one side of the slot in the air duct. Chrysler must have bent
their quality control to pass this non conforming part. If it doesn't
fail within 5 years as did the Mexican part I'll forgive them.

Good Luck...

 

It is a redesigned resistor. Your parts department should have told you
that the HVAC box would need to be modified in order to get the new
resistor in it.

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler tech

 

<snip>

To answer my own question - when I got home tonight I took the old part
out. It seems the drawing on the web site was incorrect, at least for
the 2001 Stratus (maybe it was for another model). I went ahead and
bought the part.

I am 6' 2" 285 lbs so I had to remove the front passenger seat to get
in there ) Four small bolts, no big deal. Quite a tight fit for a big
guy )

Yes, I couldn't undo the latch on the connector because I was very
cramped and my hands were slightly too big. Removing the assembly was
the only way I could get it apart.

Now that is interesting. The part I bought here in Michigan was made in
the USA. I believe it was even made locally at one of the plant
suppliers here. I went to Sterling Heights Dodge which is only a mile
from the plant where they built the Stratus. Maybe that makes a
difference on where the part comes from. The local MOPAR distribution
warehouse is also the MOPAR headquarters.

I couldn't get a file up there, it was too cramped for me. I pulled out
my never-before-used Dremel tool and it only took about 20 seconds to
widen the slot. Wow, talk about a Christmas present from 10 years ago
finally coming in handy ). For those who haven't seen this part the
original part is about the size of a credit card in size and thickness
and looks like it is made of plastic. The new part is made of a ceramic
material and is about 6 times wider with little prongs sticking out.

Thanks. It took about an hour to do it. 20 minutes of that was time
wasted trying to get to the part until I took the seat out )

 

No, what I was saying was the picture did not look like the part. In
the picture both bolts were on the south side, on the part there was
one bolt on the southeast side and one bolt on the northwest side. If I
turn the part around the bolt holes are in the same spot as they were
before I turned it around. I apparently didn't make myself clear in the
previous article.

Anyways, I took the original out when I got home and the picture turned
out to be wrong. I bought the part and this guy at the parts counter
told me I'd have to cut the hole bigger but it wouldn't be hard to do.
It wasn't because I used my Dremel tool (for the first time, yea!).