98 Jeep Cherokee 4x4 blower quits
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98 Jeep Cherokee 4x4 blower quits
The blower for my air quits. At first, it was a relay problem. Replaced it and the air came on just fine...
... for about 2 weeks then on the way to work it just stopped. Turning the fan speed control, air on and off, banging the area under the glove box and the console had no effect. It wasn't even intermittent. It just stopped.
Today, for no reason at all, it just came on. I had the fan on (vent). It stayed on for awhile then off again. Went to grocery shop, back in the Jeep and it came back on again.
When I replaced the relay, I replaced the resistor too just to eliminate that issue later on.
So I suspect a ground issue. Problem is, I don't know where to go after that. Is it buried deep in the dash? Is it on the firewall under the hood? Where is the whole blower system ground suspect if it is indeed a ground issue?
I'm so freaking sick and tired of this issue. I've gone without air during our hot summers here in Arizona thinking it is a monster expense to fix. Getting it back to life via a $10 relay reminded me how nice it is to have air. My Jeep blows it nice a cold too, when it blows.
I've considered everything, even hard wiring the battery via a high amp switch to the blower itself. I'd rather have it work like it should though.
So.... I read about melted wires. I checked the whole assembly behind the glove box. To the resistor, the relay, to the motor. No sign of melted wires at all.
I'm at my ropes end. I would appreciate any and all advice I can get before I bake to death in our 110+ temps.
Thank you all for your time!
Hop
... for about 2 weeks then on the way to work it just stopped. Turning the fan speed control, air on and off, banging the area under the glove box and the console had no effect. It wasn't even intermittent. It just stopped.
Today, for no reason at all, it just came on. I had the fan on (vent). It stayed on for awhile then off again. Went to grocery shop, back in the Jeep and it came back on again.
When I replaced the relay, I replaced the resistor too just to eliminate that issue later on.
So I suspect a ground issue. Problem is, I don't know where to go after that. Is it buried deep in the dash? Is it on the firewall under the hood? Where is the whole blower system ground suspect if it is indeed a ground issue?
I'm so freaking sick and tired of this issue. I've gone without air during our hot summers here in Arizona thinking it is a monster expense to fix. Getting it back to life via a $10 relay reminded me how nice it is to have air. My Jeep blows it nice a cold too, when it blows.
I've considered everything, even hard wiring the battery via a high amp switch to the blower itself. I'd rather have it work like it should though.
So.... I read about melted wires. I checked the whole assembly behind the glove box. To the resistor, the relay, to the motor. No sign of melted wires at all.
I'm at my ropes end. I would appreciate any and all advice I can get before I bake to death in our 110+ temps.
Thank you all for your time!
Hop
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Thanks for the suggestions! I have read numerous times about the HVAC and the control panel.
If it IS a melted wire in the control panel, can you suggest what to replace the melted wire with? A higher gauge wire/cable? Is there a source for higher performance electrical cabling for my Jeep?
Hop
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So I took Turbo X_J's advice and pulled that trim bezel and unbolted the HVAC control unit from the dash. It HAD to be the control panel because that is the only thing I hadn't checked and a lot of people have had issues with it.
Well guess what? No melted wires. I was very sad. After replacing the relay again, AND the resistor, I figured, CERTAIN, that the issue was the HVAC control panel. To make sure, I tested for voltage from the panel and it was there. To the resistor, the relay, etc.
So angry yet not yet defeated, I lifted the hood and touched the connector to the blower from the firewall side. WOOSH! The blower came on! FINALLY! I found my demon!
So I bandaid fixed it with some gorilla tape to hold the cable against the blower housing for now. The air works fine.
But I'll need to address that connector. Unfortunately, I don't see the connection as I do in my Hayne's book. It appears to connect to the motor (can't get it off with gentle pulling) but the other end just snakes through the firewall.
I suppose I can build a new connector and fish the old wiring out, pulling the new wiring through, or buy a connector. I have no idea where to look for that.
But... late as it may be for this thread, I finally found my blower problem. Anyone that walks down this same path would be wise to play with the cable to the blower while the system is on. An unskilled newbie like me would have liked to have known that. hehehehe. Live and learn!
Thanks to all of you, again, for all the wonderful advice and wisdom. I know a lot more now than I did when I posted this. All of you guys are awesome!
A happy ending! I'm cool (climatically) again.
Hop
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