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2005 Dodge Caravan Blower Problem

160K views 62 replies 46 participants last post by  Road Ripper 
#1 ·
I am having a front blower problem with my 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan. The front blowers are not adjusting. I have very little heat. The back blowers are working fine.

I have checked the fuse and the relay and both are in working order.

Any help would be appreciated!! It is cold!!:help_wsig
 
#3 ·
Resistor

open your glove box, squeeze in both sides and let it drop down. Directly behind there, is the blower resister, its approx. 3" x 1.5" with a 5/16 screw on each end and two wiring connectors. (one big one small)

Remove that, there is a piece of wire that runs from one end to the other on the back side that has a small bullet shape thermal fuse built into it (prob. red on one end). You can test for continuity with a multimeter on each side of the bullet shaped fuse. It is a thermal fuse that goes bad often. If you are handy with a soldering iron, you get one from Radio Shack and replace it for $1.49 (240/10a/144 deg) take the resistor and these numbers and they should be able to help you. Let me know if you need the specific R. Shack part #, I may have it at home.

Just clip the stiff wire ( don't cut at the base, I cut where the wire is bent at 90 deg. on each end to leave some to work with) and remove the old thermal fuse. Slip the new one in and solder it to the old wire and clip the excess. Tin your wires first with a bist of solder and work quickly so you don't overheat the new fuse. Too much heat could ruin it to.
Reassemble.

Hope this helps. (of course you could just buy a new resistor for $20-$30)
 
#4 ·
open your glove box, squeeze in both sides and let it drop down. Directly behind there, is the blower resister, its approx. 3" x 1.5" with a 5/16 screw on each end and two wiring connectors. (one big one small)

Remove that, there is a piece of wire that runs from one end to the other on the back side that has a small bullet shape thermal fuse built into it (prob. red on one end). You can test for continuity with a multimeter on each side of the bullet shaped fuse. It is a thermal fuse that goes bad often. If you are handy with a soldering iron, you get one from Radio Shack and replace it for $1.49 (240/10a/144 deg) take the resistor and these numbers and they should be able to help you. Let me know if you need the specific R. Shack part #, I may have it at home.

Just clip the stiff wire ( don't cut at the base, I cut where the wire is bent at 90 deg. on each end to leave some to work with) and remove the old thermal fuse. Slip the new one in and solder it to the old wire and clip the excess. Tin your wires first with a bist of solder and work quickly so you don't overheat the new fuse. Too much heat could ruin it to.
Reassemble.

Hope this helps. (of course you could just buy a new resistor for $20-$30)
Thank you so much for the instruction. I had the same problem and had no idea what the problem was. I know nothing about cars. I googled the problem and came across this thread. I checked for continuity and had nothing. I called all the auto parts stores around and none of them carried the blower resister, they said it was a dealer only part. I stopped by a dealer and picked up the part for $25 (including tax). Got home and it took me about 2 minutes to get it replaced and working again. You probably saved me a bunch of money by not taking it to the dealer to get fixed.

Thank you so much.
 
#7 ·
Thanks to all

I have a 2004 Caravan and the blower stopped working. After a couple of hours searching I found this website and read this thread. That was after 2 hours of pulling apart the dash testing the fan switch and blower motor, fuses and relays. I read this post and after pulling out the resistor block, sure enough found the fuse was shot as described. No Radio Shack in Canada. Digikey has the part, Part # 317-1135-ND for $1.19 Canadian. Didn't want to pay for shipping and have to wait a day in the 90 degree heat. Looked around in my junk and found a thermal fuse connected in an old coffee pot heater. It is a 169 degree C. Little hotter than speck, but now I have A/C back. Before winter and the heater season I will have the correct part and install it.

Thanks to all on this site.
 
#8 ·
Bad resistors are normally caused by blower motors with a lot of mileage on them.Electrical motors build resistance as they get old and that extra draw can pop a resistor.Just replacing a resistor may not solve the problem over the long haul.If the resistor goes again,you need a blower motor....and another resistor.
 
#10 ·
Well that may be true. But it wasn't the resistor that blew. It was the temperature fuse. I discussed with an electronic tech, and could be that one or all of the resistors did overheat and caused the fuse to fail, or I ran the heat too long on reciruculation, or there was additional load on the blower fan that caused an increase in current draw, then heat, to cause the fuse to blow. The additional load could be caused by a weak blower motor (as stated), or it could be stuff caught in the fan, or it could be the filter is plugged.
 
#12 ·
read the postings and as suggested i checked the resistor pack, the fuse is good, not sure about the resistors although they all look clean and intact..tried the fan switch to full as it has been noted that it bypasses the resistor pack..and nothing..no power to the blower...i checked the blower by bringing 12v direct and it (the blower) worked..if the fuse in the fuse block is good and the fuse in the resistor pack is good and the resistor pack does not have any broken or burnt coils and the blower motor is good then what the heck else could it be?....
would greatly appreciate any and all help!!!!
nath
 
#16 ·
I'm getting cold

I'm having the same problem as nath. There is no power getting to the resistor pack. Checked the fuses and relays under the hood and still nothing. replaced the resistor pack about 4 months ago and everything was working fine until a couple of weeks ago and then it stopped working again, but this time no power getting to the resistor's.
 
#17 ·
I too am having the same problem on my Dodge Grand Caravan SXT with the front blower on my three zone auto climate control, where the third zone is the rear and that is working properly. Since I am not handy with a soldering iron, can someone please tell me where I might get the blower motor resistor at the approx $22 I have seen posted here? I have been all over online and have only seen prices much higher for the ones supposedly for my type of unit...am I missing something or can I use the ones listed for the manual controls? I have not called the dealer yet, figuring that some auto place on the web must have the right part for a less expensive price tag.
 
#19 ·
Hi jteam i have the simmular problem that my frront blower just stop blowing but the rear ones work fine i try replacing the resistor on it and still the front blower does not work im clueless can you help any ideas thanks i'll appreciate it...:help_wsig
 
#21 ·
FYI - If you have the manual system you have a "resistor block". They can cost as little as $20. If you have the automatic temp control system you have a "blower motor controller". That's where the $90 comes from. They are located in the same area.

Check for 5 to 12 vdc at the blower motor connector with any speed selected. If its there and the ground is good, the motor is toast. A test light or meter will work.
 
#23 ·
2002 grand caravan front blower motor problems

i have replaced the relay and the resistor, the fan works on high once in a while but starts making a funny noise and shuts down. could it be the motor itself? if so why does it still only work on high? this happens on just about every crysler van product shouldn't this be a recall, if my company put out defective parts i would be sued.
 
#24 ·
Same Problem blower motor

Having the same problem, the blower motor on an 05 Caravan. I have two questions

1. In testing the resistor, I have power showing on the harness connector on the left going in, but also have power on both the green and black wires on the connector on the right going to the blower. Is this correct? or should one of these wires be a ground?



2. There are five hex head screws that hold the blower cover in place. Four are easy to get to. The fifth is behind the cover between the cover, the wheel well and the firewall making it impossible to get to. I can see it with a mirror and feel it with my finger but when I try to get a wrench on it, I loose it. Is there a tip or trick for getting to this screw short of violently and ragingly tearing the cover off the air duct?
 
#26 ·
Thanks to this forum, I went ahead and purchased a blower resistor from a nationwide auto parts chain with a lifetime warranty for $13.99. The problem is gone - for now. My Chrysler dealer wanted $100 just to look at it. If it goes out again I'll look at replacing the blower itself. The same store sells the blower assembly also with a lifetime warranty for $99. Of course I followed my $30 repair manual to be sure I was doing it all properly.
 
#27 ·
I have an '05 T&C that the blower works just don't get any heat. The issue started a few weeks ago when you came to a full stop the system would only put out cool air. I assume by this thread that the resistor is to blame? Just wanted to be sure there wasn't anything else I could be missing.

Thanks in Advance!
 
#29 ·
The resistor only controls fan speed, not heat. Is your coolant low? You need to open the rad cap when the engine is cool and check the level in there, it may be at low rpm's the coolant is too low to circulate. Might also be be plugged pipes and not enough pressure to push the coolant through at idle. But check coolant level first.
 
#35 ·
2005 Dodge Caravan front blower (fan for AC and heat)

first, thank you for all the post, even ones that didn't get solved. My front blower went out today JUST after I got on the road home. Read the posts here and here's what I did..
Removed opened the glove box and pinched the left and right sides in, then you can flip the glove box down out of the way. I didn't see the fuse right away (Part #172KR1 7502), but I had bought a new blower anyway ($100 Advance Auto, squirel cage design), and seen the same 14 gauge wires from the new blower going to what looked like a connector. I was going to remove the connector (two plugged in here, blower wires are on the right, only two wires), but noticed a crackling sound when I touched the wires. The I seen a bulge the the plastic the blower connector pushed into...it had been getting very HOT. The power wire fell off in my hand, and the connector was in pretty bad shape from high currents here. I hated to do it, but the best solution was to eat the $100 for the blower as I could not fixed the connector on the blower. so on to replacing the blower.
There is a small module with two blue wires the move the vent from outside to inside air only, two screws, take it off.
Then there is a plastic cover with a grilled area on the right, 5 screws to take this off and one of the screws is directly against the fire wall, I was using an 8MM socket and combi wrench the whole time. Good luck getting the one on the firewall, I broke the plastic cover to finally get it off. If you have a lot of tools, a short well, 12 point with elbow and extenions and a little bit of luck you can get it off (now try to get it back on!). Everything under here it a bitch to get out, the cover once the screws are removed was a pain, the vent for fresh air or not is underneath and ALWAYS in the way(remember which positon,the fresh air vent is in for when you put it all back together). You just have to play with it until it comes out. I clipped the wires for the old blower, but the gromet that they give moves in and out pretty easy if you need to. Then there are three more screws underneath for the blower assemly, and notice that the blower only fits in one way. Once the screws are removed, it a bitch again to get the blower out past the fresh air vent, but wiggle it around and it will eventually come out.
From here it wasn't to bad, I actually took the glove box completely out as I needed various angles and vision to see what was going on. Replace everything the way it came out (ya right I know, never goes back together quit the same eh?)
The connector I spoke of in the beginning has two screws on it, take those off and the connector falls off, and attached to the back of the connector was the fuse thing (what ever it is anyway). My fuse was good, but I did spend some time cleaning up the melted plastic and polishing the connection point as they were corroded. Turned on the van and WA-LA, blower and vent control working.
Good luck...
 
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