HVAC blower motor noise....
11-23-2007, 04:54 PM
#1
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HVAC blower motor noise.... I've owned my '98 car for 3 years now, and ever since I bought it, there's been an annoying sound coming from the blower motor area when the HVAC system is running, sometimes.
Basically I just figured it was a bearing in the motor going bad or something. The sound was intermittent and kinda reminded me of a baseball card in the spokes of a bicycle wheel. I rarely drive this car, and even more rarely use the heat or A/C, so I've just left it alone....until today.
I recently bought a much higher mileage '02 car, and the blower motor on this one was SOOOOOO much quieter. So I just couldn't ignore the noise on the '98 any longer. I had some free time today, so I took the bottom of the dash apart and pulled out the motor (already had a spare one in stock), and to my surprise some leaves and debris came falling out. Turns out after all this time the noise was caused by the leaves and the motor was fine.
So my question is, how did whole leaves get in there? Isn't there a screen over the air inlet section of the cowl panel to prevent this very issue?
Basically I just figured it was a bearing in the motor going bad or something. The sound was intermittent and kinda reminded me of a baseball card in the spokes of a bicycle wheel. I rarely drive this car, and even more rarely use the heat or A/C, so I've just left it alone....until today.
I recently bought a much higher mileage '02 car, and the blower motor on this one was SOOOOOO much quieter. So I just couldn't ignore the noise on the '98 any longer. I had some free time today, so I took the bottom of the dash apart and pulled out the motor (already had a spare one in stock), and to my surprise some leaves and debris came falling out. Turns out after all this time the noise was caused by the leaves and the motor was fine.
So my question is, how did whole leaves get in there? Isn't there a screen over the air inlet section of the cowl panel to prevent this very issue?
11-23-2007, 07:45 PM
#2
TECH Senior Member
Good question, I've pulled leaves out of mine before - not large ones though. I think they get in somehow between the outside cowl/windshield. Last year wasn't bad, I just ran the fan on high for a while until they came out the vents in pieces. I also leave my switch on vent most of the time - maybe that helps suck them in or something?
