# Blower fans, resistors, and fuses - O my!



## originaliowan (Nov 9, 2009)

I have reached the end of my ability solve my problem....please help a broke student so that my car once again has air again!

My troubles began a few weeks ago when out of nowhere (well, kinda: i smelled a funny "electrical burning" smell for a few days before it stopped working), my blower only blew on high. This seems suspiciously like a resistor problem. Well, I did not know that at the time, so I replaced the blower motor itself. To my satisfaction, the system worked once again once reassembled, but still had the funny electrical smell. Of note, the 2 fuses near of drivers knee designated for blower fan motor were still in working order.

Round 2. After about a week of no problems, my blower fan stopped again. The funny electrical smell still present (when the fan was on, but especially when first starting the fan after it being off), I went looking on the internet for ideas. Thus, I replaced the resistor with a new one (I have the automatic climate control, and replaced the resistor with an automatic climate control resistor as well), and was able to warranty the blower motor as I was unsure if the blower motor was bad. Of note, the two 15amp were both burned through when this all happened.

Round 3: After new resistor, blower motor, and two 15 amp fuses installed, my fan stopped working AGAIN! But this time it only took 10 seconds. The funny electrical smell was still present, and the two 15amp fuses smoked again.

I am at a loss. My next step is to put in some larger fuses (25amp) and see what happens. Any ideas? Please help!


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## Faja (Aug 31, 2009)

I think you have a short in your wiring somewhere. I would trace the wires from your blower back to the fuse box


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## JNCoRacer (Apr 18, 2003)

What Faja said.

Dont go putting bigger fuses in. That wont fix the problem. It'll create a bigger one...like a an actual fire. Trace the wires, find the short, and you should be ok.


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## originaliowan (Nov 9, 2009)

*Needle in Haystack*

Thanks for the advice. I've considered this possibility, but at first glance thought it to be impossible to find a "short" in the mess of wiring under the dash. 

Now, with your encouragement, I took a closer look today and am pretty sure it would be the definition of finding "the needle in the haystack" by finding an electrical short in that mess. I think I'm screwed.


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## Faja (Aug 31, 2009)

originaliowan said:


> Thanks for the advice. I've considered this possibility, but at first glance thought it to be impossible to find a "short" in the mess of wiring under the dash.
> 
> Now, with your encouragement, I took a closer look today and am pretty sure it would be the definition of finding "the needle in the haystack" by finding an electrical short in that mess. I think I'm screwed.


Then now would be a good time to try to untangle the mess before it becomes worse. If you have a burning smell it means that you have or had a short somewhere which in turn means that a lead wire is touching a ground wire and eventually it might catch fire. Check the wires going to the blower and resistor in particular since that seems to be the only device giving problems right now, they should be color-coded so you can follow them more easily, if they are bunched up with some other wiring, then separate them carefully and I guarantee you will find where the exposure is. It might look like a tough job but it only takes patience and time. Also if you decide to tackle this job by yourself, make sure you disconnect the negative terminal of the battery before messing with the wires. Good luck.......


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## originaliowan (Nov 9, 2009)

*It has found homeostasis*

So my Max has found a strange, yet happy medium with my electrical saga.

For recap: new blower motor, new resistor, new fuses.

The fan will run, work perfectly, not create any "stink", and not burn any fuses AS LONG AS the fan is only on settings 1 or 2 (with 1 being low, and 4 being high)

As soon as the fan is allowed to move to setting 3 (either manually, or in automatic mode), the fuses burn and the stick comes. Now it appears that the stink is directly related to the fuses burning. But why is the tipping point bewteen #2 and #3? Weird!


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## Faja (Aug 31, 2009)

originaliowan said:


> So my Max has found a strange, yet happy medium with my electrical saga.
> 
> For recap: new blower motor, new resistor, new fuses.
> 
> ...


Try this: disconnect lead wire from blower, run a new wire directly from fusebox (you can tap into the existing blower motor fuse) to the blower and turn on all settings and see what happens. My thinking is still there is something still whacked with your wiring and is possibly shorting or overheating and drawing more current that it's supposed to which obviously would explain the blowing of the fuse. Also check the ground wire on the blower.

PS: you may have found a temporary workaround but the issue is still there.


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## PathfinderOwner (Dec 10, 2009)

Did you reslove the issue with your blower motor? I have a '99 pathfinder and the blower motor quit. I was out of town and my family isn't sure if it was running when it quit or if one day they started the car and the blower wouldn't come on. Either way, I have checked all the fuses and after reading this post, I'm wondering if it may be the resister. Can someone tell me where the resister is located? I can start there then follow the wiring if needed. 

Thanks!


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## Faja (Aug 31, 2009)

If it were the resistor the blower would still work at the highest speed as it bypasses the resistor for that setting. Most likely if it's not working at all the possibilites are:

1. Blower motor is dead
2. No power - could be fuse or wiring

Double check your fuses, also check the ones in the engine bay. If you have a multimeter, check for power at the blower itself. Resistor is normally attached on the blower motor assembly which is in the console area of your front dash. If you need the FSM for your car let me know and I'll point out the link to it.


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## PathfinderOwner (Dec 10, 2009)

Thanks! Please, do, point me to the FSM.





Faja said:


> If it were the resistor the blower would still work at the highest speed as it bypasses the resistor for that setting. Most likely if it's not working at all the possibilites are:
> 
> 1. Blower motor is dead
> 2. No power - could be fuse or wiring
> ...


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## Faja (Aug 31, 2009)

PathfinderOwner said:


> Thanks! Please, do, point me to the FSM.


Take out the spaces in n i c o c l u b and copy and paste into browser:


http://www.n i c o c l u b.com/FSM/pathfinder/1999_Pathfinder/


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## originaliowan (Nov 9, 2009)

*The SAGA continues...*

Well ladies and gentlemen, the SAGA continues. For the past several weeks I have been "making due" by manually limiting my fan speed to only 1 or 2. In fact, I even made a 2000 mile drive cross-country to see my parents for the holidays...no problems - no stink. Then, as my father and I were trying to make sense of the situation and perhaps find the source of the "issue", we turned the fan onto speed 3 and the stink came and for the first time on speed 3, the fan stopped spinning. The fan will only work with the fan on high. When the fan is allowed to be on high, the same distinctive stink comes back, complete with smoke coming from the air vents. (Of note, I did put two 20A fuses in (instead of 15A), as that was all the station had when I needed them).

Now, if you were to read this for the first time, it would appear that the resistor is bad as the fan only works on high. But, this has only happened recently, and the fan has been working wonderfully on 1 and 2 for weeks, AND remember, the resistor is brand new only a few weeks ago.


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## internetautomart (Mar 8, 2004)

I would remove the blower motor and inspect the inside of the housing for mold and other crapola


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## nickdoof (Oct 9, 2008)

Dood.. 
You have taken nothing away from the replies these good people have given you. DO NOT put any higher than a 15 amp fuse in there. This will allow higher amperage to your blower motor, which in the case of a amperage spike could FRY your motor and other components with a high chance of causing an electrical fire.

You don't want that, do you? FIND THE SHORT, it will fix your problem permanently.


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## javishm (May 13, 2013)

I have this same issue with my ac system just mine is a nissan xtrail which is giving me this problem. As soon as i hit the 3/4 mark on the switch it will blow the fuse and resistor. Changed motor 3 times and resistor 6 times. Still no clue what is causing it


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