Replacing a car’s blower motor restores proper airflow through the HVAC system, allowing your air conditioning and heating to function again. A failing blower motor can cause weak airflow, odd noises, or no air at all, even when the fan is on full blast. Fortunately, with the right tools and instructions, this is a DIY repair that car owners may choose to tackle themselves. Learn what an automotive blower motor does, how to recognize failure symptoms, and how to replace it step-by-step. Plus, we’ll break down the costs and how an Endurance protection plan could help you cover this type of repair.

How Does a Blower Motor Work?

For those unfamiliar with this tiny part, a blower motor is a small electronic motor within your AC system. This entire system powers the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning of your vehicle, with the blower motor in particular pushing air through the vents to provide you with hot or cold air.

When you go to turn on your car’s fan, the blower motor moves air through the evaporator or heater core and into the cabin where you feel it. Usually, the blower motor is located behind the glove box or under the dashboard on the passenger side, though this can change from vehicle to vehicle.

Common Signs Your Blower Motor May Be Failing

The HVAC system of your vehicle is complicated, and there are a number of different parts that can be the cause of why it isn’t working. However, there are some key signs which indicate the blower motor is potentially at fault:

• No airflow comes from the vents even when the fan is set to high
• Unusual sounds, like rattling, squeaking, or grinding, when the fan is on
• Intermittent function where the fan sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t
• The fan only works at one speed
• A burning smell or visible smoke from vents indicates possible overheating of the motor or wiring

By spotting these warning signs early on, you can take care of the issue or get your vehicle to a repair shop before a total failure of the HVAC system occurs. This can help you save on costs later on and prevent getting stuck without climate control during inclement weather.

How to Inspect the Blower Motor

To confirm that the blower motor is indeed the issue in your air conditioning system, ahead of taking it to a repair shop, you need to know what specifically causes a blower motor to fail. While the reasons can vary, a blown fuse or faulty relay, blower motor resistor or module failure, blocked cabin air filter, and wiring or connection issues are the most common causes.

In order to diagnose a bad blower motor, check your fuses and relays, which are referenced in your vehicle’s owner manual. You can also test for power at the HVAC blower motor using a multimeter tool. Try to also turn your fan to a high speed and listen closely to your vents to see if you can hear the motor running or not, and even potentially take your cabin air filter out to inspect it for debris. If you notice that your motor seems to be receiving power but isn’t turning or is making weird noises, it’s most likely time for a replacement.

Replacing Your Blower Motor: Step-by-Step Guide

Fortunately, the blower motor is a part that you can replace yourself, so long as you have the knowledge. To get started, gather both a Philips and a flathead screwdriver, a socket wrench set, a replacement blower motor, a flashlight, and a pair of gloves and safety glasses. With all of this in hand, follow the steps below to replace your motor:

1. Disconnect the Battery: Disconnect the negative terminal of your battery to avoid any electrical shock or short circuits.
2. Locate the Blower Motor: In most cars, it’s under the passenger-side dashboard or behind the glove box, so remove any panels or the glove box itself for access.
3. Unplug the Electrical Connector: Find the power connector on the blower motor and disconnect it by pressing the release tab.
4. Remove the Old Blower Motor: Use your socket wrench or screwdriver to remove the screws holding the blower motor in place, and carefully pull it out of its housing.
5. Inspect the Motor Housing: Check for leaves, dust, or debris inside the fan cavity and clean the area if needed to avoid damaging the new motor.
6. Install the New Blower Motor: Align the new motor in the correct position and secure it with screws, and make sure it sits snugly in place.
7. Reconnect the Wiring: Plug the electrical connector back into the new blower motor.
8. Test Before Reassembling: Reconnect the battery and test the fan speeds. If everything works, turn off the vehicle and reassemble the dashboard or glove box panels.

DIY vs. Professional Replacement Costs

While professional replacement may sometimes be necessary for an air conditioner blower motor, handling it yourself can save you some money. Based on the latest RepairPal’s estimate, replacing the blower motor can run your wallet around $366-421. Labor is estimated $94-$138, whereas the parts themselves are around $271-$283. While it’s not the most expensive repair job, it can certainly stress the budget if you’re living tight month to month.

When taking care of the task yourself, you will eliminate the $94-$138 cost. You may also be able to find a replacement blower motor for cheaper than the repair shop, but be aware that their professional expertise helps guarantee a quality replacement motor. It’s also worth noting that it’s best to get the job handled professionally if any of the following is true:

• The motor is deeply buried behind the dashboard and requires extensive disassembly
• The replacement part is difficult to access without specialized tools
• You’re dealing with complex wiring or intermittent electrical issues
• The new blower motor still doesn’t work, which suggests deeper problems with the resistor or control panel

A professional repair shop can help you run full diagnostics to verify the problem and prevent repeat failures. You may not even need to worry about the cost if you have an extended warranty or vehicle service contract that covers this repair job.

Rely on Endurance Warranty to Cover Your Repairs

The blower motor may not be an expensive part to repair, but it could be indicative of a deeper issue in your vehicle. Adding protection to your vehicle in the form of a vehicle service contract from Endurance can be a smart choice to mitigate these potential costs. Both the Supreme and Superior plans from Endurance Warranty offer protection for the cooling systems under the hood, including the blower motor, meaning you won’t need to pay if the breakdown is due to mechanical failure.

This protection is just the tip of the iceberg, as both plans also offer extensive protection for other components, including the engine, transmission, fuel system, air conditioning, and so much more. In addition to this protection, all Endurance plans come with a year of Elite Benefits, for a small activation fee, that provide bonus perks such as tire coverage, windshield repair, and key fob replacement, further enhancing your vehicle’s protection. To learn more, contact a service plan advisor at (800) 253-8203 or request a FREE quote to see what your protection price might look like. You can also see your price and recommended plan on our online store.