Why does the HVAC motor only run on high, '96 T&C LXi?

[Fieronut]

I have a '96 T&C and the heater/AC fan only runs on high. The other settings produce NOTHING. It's very frustrating. Where do I start?

TIA
John

 

[Mike (archive)]

I have a '96 T&C and the heater/AC fan only runs on high. The other settings produce NOTHING. It's very frustrating. Where do I start?

TIA
John

Sounds like a bad blower motor resistor.

 

[Dave Gower]

I have a '96 T&C and the heater/AC fan only runs on high. The other settings produce NOTHING. It's very frustrating. Where do I start?

The resister is burnt. When this happens you only have high because that setting bypasses the resister element. It's on the firewall as I recall in front of the passenger. Doesn't plug in, you have to solder the wires. As I remember, it was awkward, the brake cylinder got in the way. Replacement unit not expensive tho.

 

[Bill Putney]

I have a '96 T&C and the heater/AC fan only runs on high. The other settings produce NOTHING. It's very frustrating. Where do I start?

TIA
John

As the others have said: blower motor resistor. It may be that the resistor simply failed on its own, but often, the motor being near its end of life will overload the resistor and cause it to blow. If the new resistor blows again within a short time, then you can suspect the motor itself needs replacing - or measure the curent draw of the motor now and compare to the specs for it.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

 

[Joe (archive)]

As the others have said: blower motor resistor. It may be that the resistor simply failed on its own, but often, the motor being near its end of life will overload the resistor and cause it to blow. If the new resistor blows again within a short time, then you can suspect the motor itself needs replacing - or measure the curent draw of the motor now and compare to the specs for it.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

Since it's a T&C LXI, it may not have resistors. The automatic A/C in Chryslers uses a "speed controller" that costs $500 where resisters would cost $10. I'll just stick my neck out and say IF you have automatic a/c THEN you probably don't even have resistors.

 

[Ted Mittelstaedt]

Since it's a T&C LXI, it may not have resistors. The automatic A/C in Chryslers uses a "speed controller" that costs $500 where resisters would cost $10. I'll just stick my neck out and say IF you have automatic a/c THEN you probably don't even have resistors.

It would be very easy to go to a wrecker, find a blower motor resistor, and wire it in with an extra switch that is mounted to the bottom of the dash. The resistor needs to be in the air stream as the airflow through the plenum cools it. Or if you want to get fancy you can build an electronic version here:

http://www.electronickits.com/kit/complete/motor/ck1400.htm

That is what I'd probably do since you can vary the motor speed to the exact setting you want.

Ted

 

[philthy]

why not just get the blower module instead of the resistor? since theye is bound to be one there too???