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Old 09-09-2008, 05:43 PM
 
Location: Durham
1,032 posts, read 3,907,562 times
Reputation: 1312

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My wife's 2000 Camry has developed a strange issue. The fan that controlls the heat/AC only works on the "high" setting.

It has 3 (I think, maybe 4) settings, and as of a month ago, the medium and high both worked, but not low. Now the medium stopped working, and only the high setting works.

It's pretty easy to get to the AC control unit; pop the trim panel, 4 screws. But then it gets tricky. There's the...don't know the word, but the mechanical linkage for the vent selector, and it's really tight. I wasn't sure how it attached, so I was leary of pulling too hard. Still, I managed to pull the whole environment control box out enough to get at the fan switch. I popped the handle, found the screw under there, and 2 screws on the back side. I was feeling good until I saw 2 white wires that weren't in a harness I could remove.

But I saw how to take the switch apart like a clamshell, and I did. That gave me access to the switch contacts, and they were pretty worn and filthy. I cleaned them up really good with alcohol and Q-tips, and removed some oxidation off the copper. I was really hoping that was the issue. Unfortunately I didn't think to break out a volt meter before I put it back together.

I got it all back together, and fortunately the high setting still works, but nada on the other 2.

Either the contacts are so bad that cleaning them didn't help at all or it's a different issue. I'd suspect fuse, but I'd think the fan would either work or not - never heard of wiring different fan speeds through different circuits, but I'm pretty ignorant of electric stuff so who knows?

Has anyone seen this before or have any suggestions?

Thanks!
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Old 09-09-2008, 05:51 PM
 
Location: appleton, wi
1,357 posts, read 5,841,659 times
Reputation: 644
It's a bad unit, either the motor or the switch. You can't expect to rewire it, you'll need to replace.
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Old 09-09-2008, 10:11 PM
 
Location: Wheaton, Illinois
10,261 posts, read 21,643,590 times
Reputation: 10453
That's impossible. It's "common knowledge" that nothing ever goes wrong on a Toyota. You must be hallucinating.
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Old 09-09-2008, 11:11 PM
 
Location: Homestead Florida
1,308 posts, read 3,388,338 times
Reputation: 1613
I'm pretty sure that it's a relay. There's a black box under the hood. Pop off the cover and you will see several relay switches for each speed of the A/C fan. I know that someone that knows more about this will chime in. I was told about this a couple of years ago, when I had a similar problem. A trip to the junk yard, and the problem was fixed. Good luck.
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Old 09-09-2008, 11:22 PM
 
Location: Tucson!
415 posts, read 1,675,637 times
Reputation: 232
You need a new "blower motor resistor". I worked at a Toyota dealer for years. Trust me.

For the love of god, put your HVAC unit back together and get the "blower motor resistor".

Thanks, that'll be $300.

Money order or Paypal only.

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Old 09-09-2008, 11:26 PM
 
Location: Tucson!
415 posts, read 1,675,637 times
Reputation: 232
...Yes, I know the part is only $40 tops.....
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Old 09-10-2008, 07:05 AM
 
Location: Durham
1,032 posts, read 3,907,562 times
Reputation: 1312
Quote:
Originally Posted by twojulybabies View Post
You need a new "blower motor resistor". I worked at a Toyota dealer for years. Trust me.

For the love of god, put your HVAC unit back together and get the "blower motor resistor".

Thanks, that'll be $300.

Money order or Paypal only.


Ha, that is indeed the issue. Blower motor resistor pack. $35 part at any dealership.

Oh well, at least I got a very good look at the HVAC control switches. They are very well built, actually - great components and construction on the switches.
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Old 11-06-2008, 11:40 AM
 
1 posts, read 29,106 times
Reputation: 10
Do you have a link or a site that you could point me to for finding the "blower motor resistor" and replacing it. I just had this happen a week ago on our camry Thanks
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Old 11-06-2008, 01:35 PM
 
Location: Clear Lake, Houston TX
8,376 posts, read 30,562,196 times
Reputation: 4718
http://images.google.com/images?q=to...=1&sa=N&tab=wi

Yep, get the resistor assembly. Be careful because the resistors can get super hot. At least thats how it was on my old car, as the resistors were almost completely bare when you pulled them out of the side of the fan motor assembly.
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Old 11-06-2008, 03:40 PM
 
Location: Grosse Ile Michigan
30,701 posts, read 79,330,237 times
Reputation: 39408
I have the smae issue with a ford truck. My solution: Use the blower on high, what do you need all those other speeds for anyway? The cost: $0 (my favorite price).
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