Blower Motor Problem

[Towncivilian]

The auto HVAC control models don't have a blower motor resistor, they have an auto A/C amplifier which is considerably more expensive. But you're correct that it may be the cause of your issue.

[Draxanoth]

I never did manage to fix mine, it just started working again one day for no reason. My blower fan has gone out again though and I may have more clues this time.

I have a 1991 Nissan Hardbody without AC. I replaced the blower motor resister already thinking that was the issue but it had no effect.

What does seem to have an effect is the circulation selector. When my blower motor isn't working, if I slam my vents from internal circulation to fresh air hard enough, the blower comes on. That points to the selector system right? I think in my truck it's done via cables? When the blower does come on now it rarely maintains a consistent speed, I don't think full speed is even selectable, and it makes a clicking noise at the low end. I'm not sure if that's an indicator something is going on with the blower itself too, or if the selector is doing something weird and it's not getting enough power.

I haven't been able to change my vent selection in years, it's been stuck on windshield/feet forever, but I didn't care because that's the only one I used. I'm wondering if my blower fan selector is stuck in a similar fashion now, but I'm not sure how to get in there and see.

Also racerx2oo3, I'm sorry for not sending you a PM back. I couldn't remember my password and wasn't getting the reset e-mails to get back in. I don't appear to be able to send PMs either now that I'm logged in again.

[pathy00]

2000 Pathfinder, 3.3L V6
Manual HVAC system
No in cabin air filter

I have been reading the posts to solve my blower motor problem that started last summer and am still having trouble. Some help would greatly appreciated.

Last summer while using the A/C, all of a sudden we got a terrible smell and white smoke in the cabin. We immediately shut off the A/C, shut the truck off and let it cool down. We drove home with the windows open. Through the posts we discovered that the blower motor was the problem. It was definitely was. Upon removal, we discovered the blower motor got so hot it ceased and melted the outer housing.

I ordered a new one from Nissan and replaced it. Nothing happened. Replaced a blown fuse. Nothing happened. Next we removed and checked the blower motor resistor. It appeared to be damaged either due to age or other. There was some corrosion on the circuit board area but the contacts looked fine.

Ordered a new resistor, replaced the fuse and resistor. Bingo ! Everything worked fine... For about 9 months. Now the fan only works on high speed. We replaced the fan switch since we read somewhere that the switch could be the source of the problem. Nothing changed. The fan still only works on high.

We tested the relay and it seems to be working fine. I took out the blower motor and it is moving freely by hand. The resistor looks like it is damaged though. Two of the contacts are burnt looking. Not sure how brown they should look. Everything so far points to the resistor as the source of the problem when the fan only works on high as per threads. In hindsight, the resistor may have been the problem and caused the blower motor to go. Not sure though and we had no warning.

We don't have an in cabin air filter and upon looking in the area of the glove box and blower motor, there is nowhere to clean out leaves or debris.

We put in an order for a new resistor and relay; am hoping that this will solve the issue. It will be about $125 in parts, but it is cheaper than sending it to the Dealer for a test and possible work. There is a 1 year warranty with the resistor, but only if Nissan inspects and diagnoses the truck to ensure that the part was defective as opposed to something else being wrong with the vehicle that may be causing the resistor to go.

Fairly new to the club and enjoying it very much.

Any suggestions ?

[Buzzman]

I just replaced my fan amp/resistor unit yesterday. Fan only ran on high.
Easy enough to replace, and the dealer had one in stock. Roughly $50.00.
The old one was definitely fried.

Re: your situation, I can't see the resistor taking out the blower motor. The other way around, maybe.
I've seen a few posts on here over the years for bad fan motors.

As for the cabin filters, the 2000 Pathfinder did not have them factory installed.
If you want them, you can install them yourself next time you have the glove box out.
There's a whole thread in the "how to" sticky:
how-to-replace-cabin-air-filter-t440515.html

[pathy00]

Thanks for the feedback Buzzman.

Here is an update.

We replaced the blower motor relay and resistor last Friday. Turned on the system and everything worked - yeah !

The next day we went on a road trip and the A/C worked fine on all speeds. The third day after the new installs, the fan only worked on high speed. Later on that same day we turned on the A/C and it seemed to work on all speeds, intermittently. Then only on high again. Yesterday (day 4) the fan only worked on high again.

Is this possibly a defective resistor or something else ? Is it easy to test a resistor ? If so, how ?

When the A/C compressor comes on, it is quite a bit louder in comparison to my XTrail. Is it supposed to be really loud ? In previously owned Sentra and 2 Altimas they were all pretty quiet too.

Not sure what to do next. I think we are going to have to take it to Nissan to look at it (really don't want to).

[Towncivilian]

I have a very loud compressor too, Nissan said it was OK when they replaced the low pressure line.

Did you use an OEM resistor pack? Can you inspect the wiring to make sure the harness is free of corrosion, damage, etc which may have caused damage to the new resistor?

[pathy00]

Good to know that were are not the only ones with a loud compressor - thanks.

When we installed the new second OEM resistor, from looking at the wiring harness on the outside and inside, it appeared to be clean and corrosion free. I will check it again once I take it apart today or tomorrow.

I am going to do another ODBII scan on the truck to see if anything changes. We were getting a PO325 generic code (knock and possibly oxygen sensor from what I can find so far). There is a second code but the OBDII reader will not give it to me until the first code is fixed or erased. Is it possible for this type of code to cause problems for the blower motor system electrically ?

Maybe the recirculate function is getting stuck occasionally ? When we replace the switch it looked okay, but perhaps that is part of it.

[Towncivilian]

Generic code readers can't read body codes, nor can the HVAC system even throw a code on our models. There's a self-diagnosis procedure for the auto HVAC controls, but not for our manual knob controls.
It's also weird that your code reader won't display all current / pending codes. What kind of code reader do you have?

Recirculation getting stuck shouldn't interfere with blower motor function at all. I've also never heard of it getting stuck, either it fails open or closed.

[pathy00]

I have a 'ScanTool Can OBD2' unit for 1996 and newer ODB2 vehicles. It was bought at Canadian TIre in 2008. Not sure if the US vs. Canadian units are any different. They are probably all made in the same place; this one was made in Taiwan.

The code PO325 that appears as 01/02, is in yellow status and not a pending code. According to the book, 'if more than one malfunction is present that causes more than one DTC to be set, only the code with the highest priority will contain freeze frame data...' There is no freeze frame data for my truck or first code either.

Since my last post, I am intermittently getting a funny burning smell and the blower motor itself has been sounding strange. A couple of times the blower motor sounded like it was having a hard time spinning and possibly starting to cease. The resistor is still only working on speed 4 and the A/C works fine. The smell is similar to what we noticed after the blower motor fried; not as strong and with no smoke. We are thinking that the replacement blower motor (from last July) is defective and may be the problem. Buzzman mentioned that some blower motors have been bad in the past. That would make sense considering the original one lasted for 13 years and then the OEM replacement did not even last a year and possibly caused a lot of other problems. Not sure if another OEM would help or if I should go aftermarket, unless I get a shop to replace it with a warranty this time instead.

We are concerned that something else may go wrong with the HVAC or otherwise on the truck if this problem continues.

[Robyns99Path]

Sorry to repeat the same story, but: I'm helping a friend with her 99 Pathfinder. Blower worked on high for a while, now doesn't work at all. It has the amp, not resistor. Unplugged the connector to the motor and put 12v to the motor terminals... it works. How can I be sure the amp is bad? I'd hate to waste the $$$ and it not be the problem.

[pathy00]

I understand that the fan amp is the same as the resistor depending on your model and year of Pathfinder. Don't quote me though; I have just started this repair saga. Perhaps someone else can confirm for us.

Have you checked the fuses or relay for the blower motor ?

In my case I have the resistor and I recently took it to a mechanic (cringe...). They confirmed that it was the resistor and installed a new one. The next step was to check the blower motor (less than 1 year old OEM part) to see if it was a problem or not. My blower motor was still working on high with a defective resistor (the resistor is bypassed on speed 4). I am not sure if the shop checked the current on the motor, but they did take out the blower motor and noticed that although it would spin, it did not freely. They ordered a new blower motor and I looked at it prior to installation and it spun freely. I decided to replace the blower motor and everything works fine now. I went for aftermarket replacement parts the second time around since the others were OEM and failed me. Not sure about the resistor, but the motor is a TYC brand out of Japan. Physically, it looks like a better built motor than the Nissan replacement.

I would recommend disconnecting the blower motor and giving the fan blade a good spin with your hand. If it spins freely (no hesitation until it stops after a full spin or more) then it should be fine. If you notice that the fan blade hesitates partway around the spin (slows down or stops) then I would recommend replacing the blower motor. If your blower motor is defective or slowly dying for some reason and you replace your fan amp (presuming it plays the same role as the resistor) then you will likely blow another fan amp.

Is the blower motor the original to the truck or has it been replaced in the past ?

In one of my previous posts, there was mention of some posts about bad blower motors out there and that they could take out a resistor.

Good luck !

[Colombia81er]

Ok so my 98 path has the dreaded blower issue only works on HI. No biggie but when everyone complains is too cold it starts to get annoying.

So i went today to the junkyard and bought amp relay to come to find out my car doesn't have the cut out. Since i have the 3 control knobs. So i guess i have to look for the other one thats located under the blower am i correct ?

If anyone wants the amp let me know

[Towncivilian]

You need a new blower motor resistor pack. Aftermarket parts are fairly inexpensive, as is the dealer part. You'll find the resistor pack under the airbox assembly, it'll be connected by a 4-wire harness.

[Colombia81er]

So this is the correct one towncivilian??

[Towncivilian]

Yes, exactly.

[Colombia81er]

Yes, exactly.

Do u know up to what year they have this part? Cause my local junkyard has 99-02 so don't want to drive out there for no reason.

[Colombia81er]

Yes, exactly.

Do u know up to what year they have this part? Cause my local junkyard has 99-02 so don't want to drive out there for no reason.

[thetaxi1331]

These directions sound doable for a novice DIY person. Would anyone happen to know the fan control amplifier for a 2007 pathfinder? I want to check if I can find the part online before tacking apart the system. Much appreciated!

[craigseattle]

Anyone have problem getting the glove box housing out?
I've got all the screws out, and the housing is loose, but there's
2 hidden hooks or something upper left and right corners that refuse to let go ...??
I've gently reefed in different directions as hard as I dare,
but any more will crack the plastic ....

1999 Qx4
(there's no wood or plastic trim along the top like
some of the pictures show....)

[rigoestremera]

I have a 2000 infinity qx4, my heater didn't blow so I changed the fan control amp, it worked perfect for 1 day then nothing again. I changed a relay and two 15amp fuses. I don't know what to do at this point, any help would be appreciated

[wariodude]

Wanted to thank everyone in this post for the great detailed instructions. A $3 control amp from pick n pull along with the great info here at Nico saved me a bundle!

[Nay_ Sayer]

So this is the correct one towncivilian??

Can someone tell me what is the part number for above? I'm having the Blower Motor issue in my 2001 Pathy with manual temp control.

[Cabo]

whats up guys. my blower did not want to turn off and next day it wasn't working so I changed the amp and still no power or any sounds coming from ac or blower. I did smell something burn while I was driving

[lawstudent]

Just a big thanks for the fix tips in this post - My wife's 2002 Infiniti QX4 just had an array of problems over the weekend, Error on the CD player, replace trunk hatch struts, broken antenna mast, and AC fan stopped working entirely, no blowing.

Thanks to these forums, I have everything replaced/fixed except for the antenna at this point. The Fan Control Amp fixed the "no blowing" issue and cabin filters changed at the same time. AC was only out for 1 day thanks to this forum and my wife drives all the kids around in So. California heat, so it was a big deal.

[OkieInCO]

Man, Solara. Your detailed instructions are still helping people 7 years later. We just spent 3 of the most annoying weeks driving our '02 QX4 with the fan on high. I just finished installing the new amp, using your perfectly labeled pictures and instructions, and everything is working just fine. It was a snap, thanks to you. And, I saved a couple hundred bucks not having a mechanic do it! I only wish I had read the part about the glove compartment bulb, prior to taking everything apart. And, someone obviously had changed the air filters in the past, but didn't replace the clip. So, when I put the new ones in (again, thanks for suggesting that), I just had to trust they'd stay in place without the clip. I'm guessing they won't perform quite as well, since the seal isn't tight. I'll just have to remember the next time I get in there to order a clip, first.

[ranman56]

Thank you Solara (5-2-2008) for the excellent instructions and pictures, and thank you Andrew224 for the diagnosis/comments. The blower on my 2003 QX4 with 188,000 miles stopped working overnight last week (worked one day, didn't work at all the next morning). I dreaded taking it to the dealer, so I spent many hours scrolling through the posts looking for a similar problem, as a non-member. Once I determined that I had the same issue with the blower motor (fan control amp) and it was an easy fix, I received a quote from Courtesyparts for $120 for a new part. Not bad, but I thought maybe I could do better (without soldering). A trip to the local junkyard (Jalopy Jungle), about 30 minutes finding an '03 PF, and I had my part for $4. Took less than 20 minutes to install it, and I am back in business. Thanks to the above posters and Nicoclub, I saved probably $500-700 from the dealer, based on other posters' comments. As a new member, looking forward to the search tool!

[mrippe3282]

whats up guys. my blower did not want to turn off and next day it wasn't working so I changed the amp and still no power or any sounds coming from ac or blower. I did smell something burn while I was driving

Cabo, did you ever get this figured out, I had the exact same issue with the burn smell and all...

[billythekid18]

I have a 2008 Pathfinder and the a/c is on the fritz. It works fine when the blower is set to #1. As soon as you move it to 2 or 3 the ac indicator light goes off and the damper under the dash closes. On occaision it will work on the highest fan setting but only for a short period of time. I replaced the fan/temp control module with no results. I rea in earlier posts that the fan AMP control caused alot of problems. I've been thinking this was a wiring issue. Can anyone give any suggestions??????/

[QX4ME]

I replaced the failed fan blower motor resistor module in my 02 QX4 bought from eBay. It worked normal but lasted me only one day. It is not a genuine Nissan part, no part number on the module and only $16. I will buy a genuine one.

[QX4ME]

I received refund. Before I order a new, better one, I wanted to dig into the module. Found the schematic online. The MOSFET in the module is short from drain to source, no wonder the fan is always at max speed. I used a smaller package MOSFET on hand. It started to work but fan ran at lower speed when A/C is turned off. Comparing specs between the stock and my FET. My FET has lower Gate threshold therefor it will turn fan on earlier. I set up a different voltage divider to lower the module input but still not low enough: when fan is at max, A/C can be turned off, but not when at low speed. I will try more soon.

I have two, one stock one from eBay to play with. Hope I don't have to buy another one. I may still have to buy the stock FET for about $5.