Heater fan works for a while then cuts off till it cools down
What can go wrong with a blower motor?
There are
several things that may cause your blower motor to stop working. The
simplest cause would be a blown fuse. If you replace the fuse and it
quickly blows again, then you probably have an electrical short.
Disconnected wires on the exterior of the blower motor can also cause it
stop working, and if your blower motor gets dirty, it can get clogged
or muddy which keeps the fan blades from spinning.
How do I test my blower motor?
When
you are troubleshooting your blower motor, it is best to start by
running the air conditioning or the heater to see if you can hear the
sound of the fan. If you can hear the fan, it could be clogged or
corroded with dirt. If you do not hear the fan, then you may have a bad
resistor, blown fuse, or a loose wire. Next, you should replace any
blown fuses in your car's fuse panel and try to start the blower motor
again. If another fuse blows right away, you have an electrical short.
If it doesn't blow out and the motor is still silent, then something
else is wrong. In the case where the fuse lasts for a little while as
the fan spins but then the fuse blows again, that usually means you need
to replace the brushes on the motor. Finally, you can pull the motor
out and visually inspect it for loose wires. If you don't see any and
still want to test, try hooking it up to the battery to see if the motor
will start. If all these tests still find you with a dead blower motor,
it's definitely time to replace it.
How do I replace it?
Usually
located under your vehicle's instrument panel, the blower motor can be
removed and replaced. You'll need to disconnect the blower motor
connector and remove the retaining screws holding it into place. Detach
the fan retainer clip from the motor shaft that's located in the center
of the blower wheel. You may need to save that piece if you are not
replacing the whole motor. Inspect your new motor to ensure nothing is
broken and the blades can properly spin. Re-attach the fan retainer
clip, the retaining screws, and the connector so you can test your new
blower motor out.
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