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1996 Ford Explorer Malfunction - Heating & Cooling System
Question: The blower was not working. Removed and bench tested OK. Replaced, then worked but only from defrost vents. Then quit again, no blower at all. Then during testing the light for rear defroster went out, still defrosts just no indicator light (next to heater control). Rear blower has worked through this whole thing. Ford says the blower motor is bad??? Works on bench test and sometimes runs.
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Technican: Try selecting all the various speeds (while installed). When you catch it not working wiggle the connector to the blower. Does it turn on now? Tap the blower motor with (say a screwdriver handle). Does it run now?
You of course will have to do these tests with the key in the 'on' position, but please with the engine off and gear selector in park.
BTW- Let me know if its only certain fan speeds that do not work OR dead at all speeds.
Owner: Two conditions:
1) Fan doesn't work at all. Tried the tapping and shaking didn't help
2) On the rare occasion fan does work, you can select all speeds and they work correctly but only blows out of defrost vents even if you select other positions such as floor, dash vents, etc.
Technican: You would need to check for available voltage to the fan with the key on/ switch on to be certain of an electrical supply problem, but it sure sounds like a problem other than the fan motor. Use a test light or d/c voltmeter to check for supply voltage to the blower.
Did ford have the vehicle in for diagnostics or make the suggestion without actually testing anything?
Owner: Ford at first said it needed a new blower motor. When I reminder them that I had bench tested it as OK, they "diagnosed" some more and said they got it working (same as reported before - it works sometimes) and then still said I needed blower motor.
Whether it is coincidence or not the light for the rear defroster control went out at about that same time which islocated in the dash next to the heater controls.
The controls for the heater are a vacuum system and by tracing the tubes it appears that the vacuum may be created by the blower motor also -- is this correct?
If so then I guess I'll try replacing it evn though it "seems" good.
If
Technican: I guess technically bench testing can prove the motor is bad- but not necessarily good. This is why a 12V DC test light (about $2) or DC voltmeter (about $8 for an analog or 12 for a digital multimeter at Walmart)should be used to see if power is being sent to the motor. If the switch is sending power all the way to the blower motor connector the motor must be at fault. If there is no power coming to motor from the switch then the motor obviously never has a chance to run.
"Whether it is coincidence or not the light for the rear defroster control went out at about that same time..."
Hard to say with certainty, but I guess the problem is related. It would be interesting to know if the light comes back on when the fan happens to work.
GIve me some additional information on you vehicle- engine size, 2wd or 4? I will search a database for matching complaints.
Owner: don't know if my reply went through so here it is again.
When I bench tested the blower motor I also checked the voltage at the connector and it was good. But when I put the fan back on it worked also -- so what changed? voltage coming back or fan being intermittent.
You might ask about the vacuum issue. There is a small rubber hose that is hooked to the side of the blower motor that goes to a plastic tube through the firewall. While its hard to tell, on the inside it looks like tubes from the control hook to it. If this is the case it might explain why we have both, no controls and an intermittent fan -- just because of a bad fan motor???
The engine is a 6 cylinder, 4WD
Thanks
Technican: You absolutely need to check for voltage to the fan motor when the fan motor does not run. This is the only way to know for sure if the problem is supply voltage or the motor itself. Here's How To Get Guaranteed Solutions In Minutes
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