Replace AC Blower Fan

You mean you didn't want to have the Dealership charge you $800 + $75 to change out the cabin air filter while they were at it?

Good job.

 

Thanks for relating your experience, Ed.

At 219K miles, the cabin blower on my 2004 stopped working this afternoon on the evening commute. Fortunately I was only 3 miles from home when this happened.

I followed your directions to remove the fan. It was good to know how many screws to look for, holding the white cover in place. I used an 8 mm socket to remove the three fan screws.

You mentioned that you did this without benefit of the manual. The Toyota repair manual would not have helped, because the repair procedure assumes you want to remove the entire structure that the motor is mounted to, and therefore the entire instrument panel has to be disassembled to provide access.

I suggest disconnecting the 12V power since the front passenger door is going to be open for a while during this exercise. I disconnected the power at the dedicated positive jumpstart terminal in the main relay/fuse box next to the inverter.

I hooked up a lab power supply to the fan. The power supply current rating is 3A. The fan started spinning, no problem. At 3A the voltage was ~6V.

Then I reconnected the 12V at the positive jumpstart terminal, made the car IG-ON and turned on the fan switch. I could measure 12V at the blower motor control module socket which connects to the fan.

So, either the fan or the electronics is having a problem in 100+ degrees ambient heat. I am going to replace the fan and see what happens - it is less expensive than the electronics module...

I just noticed that eBay has lots of used electronics modules for $40 or less, so that should be a good source if I decide to replace the module.

It is not obvious to me how to remove the wiring harness leading to the fan motor.

I was wondering where you bought the correct fan for $70. The current price (prior to shipping) is more like $104 at parts.com; $109 at AutoNation Toyota Gulf Freeway, Houston.

 

I have a junker that I'm playing with now, I guess it would be fun to take this fan apart, see how it comes off.

 

There are videos on you tube that make the swap out quite simple. Did mine last year in under an hour. I bought the blower fan for about 54.00 last year through Rock Auto. Lifetime warranty. TYC. Works as original and perfect install.

 

Would that TYC blower fan be like this $40 part listed on eBay with a one-year warranty?
New 2001 2009 Toyota Prius TYC 700153 Heater AC Fan Blower Motor Assembly | eBay

 

No, I checked my receipt. I bought the blower motor for 36.99 (price remains the same - I checked) and added a bunch of TYC cabin air filters which brought the price up. There is a limited lifetime warranty for passenger cars. Worth the price considering I had a credit at Rock Auto and at the time, the TYC filters were 2.99 each (now 3.40). The cabin air filters are superior to OEM. They are boxed and the filter itself is wrapped in plastic.

More Information for TYC 700153


TYC/Genera Warranty Policy
TYC/Genera Corporation warrants its products to be free from defects in material and workmanship for
as long as they remain installed on the vehicle for which they were originally purchased.
This warranty is non-transferable and will be voided under any of the following conditions:
1. Use in commercial or fleet, governmental, off-road, or racing applications.
2. Failure due to natural/environment forces; either external or internal erosion, including
effects of salt-air corrosion and electrolysis from internal cooling system fluids.
3. If Genera determines alteration, improper use or installation, negligence, or operating
conditions in excess of original design.
4. A faulty vehicle engine temperature warning system.
5. Improper installation causing damage to connection threads.
6. Removal of any stamp, label or manufacturer’s identification.

The install was quick and easy. I did it from outside the car with the passenger seat pushed all the way back. I turned off the interior lamps and disconnected the courtesy lamp mounted on the door. I checked out the customer reviews on the fan prior to purchase and compared the OEM fan to the TYC side by side after removal. Identical. No problems.

 

I was able to take the fan apart, it wasn't that hard. Just needed small powered screwdriver and be somewhat kinda slim to work down by the foot well area. I removed the fan, now I have an extra part.

 

I received the TYC fan yesterday and installed it. Unfortunately the fan still does not work so I ordered a used blower motor controller via eBay last night.

The TYC fan works very well when hooked directly to a 12V source and draws less current than the original.

 

I don't remember seeing this blower motor controller when I disassembled. Is it in the same area?

 

The fan's power connector plugs directly into the blower motor controller. The BMC is mounted in the air stream downstream from the fan.

 

Since this thread comes up near the top of web searches, I though I'd add my notes for my 2007 Prius.

I had the issue where the blower wouldn't run. Banging on the dash or reaching through the filter slot and giving it a spin started it up, so I was pretty confident it was the blower motor. I ended up getting the TYC aftermarket blower off Amazon for $34.79. It probably won't last 12 years like the original, but I don't really need it to.

The above directions were really helpful. Notes:
The Torx screws take a T25 driver.
To get the plug off the motor, use a small flat screwdriver to press the clip in on the open side of the socket.
Before installing the new motor, plug it in and test it.
But do not start the car with the transaxle ECU unplugged. You'll have to clear the DTC codes if you do.
When replacing the blower box bottom cover, make sure the wires to the motor go through the slot in the back. It took me several tries to keep them in.