2003 Blower Motor Stops During Right Hand Turns

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lombard
Posts: 33
Joined: Tue Dec 03, 2002 12:44 am

2003 Blower Motor Stops During Right Hand Turns

Post by lombard »

So this one's weird. My '03 just crossed 222,222 miles (had it for over 13 years now). Just after I started bragging about it, I noticed the blower motor for the HVAC wasn't working. Figured it was no biggie, simple fix. But then it started working again. Seems that now, it works at all speed settings, but will stop running any time I start going around a right hand turn. It's fine when sitting still, or moving forward/around left turns.

I haven't had a chance to take a look under the dash for any obvious issues.

Do these cars have mechanical relays that could be affected by centrifugal force? I've done some searching and haven't found anything similar.
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Chiadog
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Location: Abrams, wisconsin

Re: 2003 Blower Motor Stops During Right Hand Turns

Post by Chiadog »

Sounds similar to a problem I had with the blower motor on my 05 base Vibe. Apparently one or both of the blower motor brushes was hanging-up, producing intermittent motor operation. I sprayed the brushes with WD-40 three years ago, and have had no failures since!
See thread: viewtopic.php?f=18&t=40044&hilit=blower
lombard
Posts: 33
Joined: Tue Dec 03, 2002 12:44 am

Re: 2003 Blower Motor Stops During Right Hand Turns

Post by lombard »

Chiadog wrote:Sounds similar to a problem I had with the blower motor on my 05 base Vibe. Apparently one or both of the blower motor brushes was hanging-up, producing intermittent motor operation. I sprayed the brushes with WD-40 three years ago, and have had no failures since!
See thread: viewtopic.php?f=18&t=40044&hilit=blower

I'll dig in to it this weekend. It's just so bizarre that it'll stop while going around right hand turns, then resume when I exit the corner. I don't see how it could be the motor brushes, but we'll see....thanks for the suggestion.
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vibrologist
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Location: Iowa

Re: 2003 Blower Motor Stops During Right Hand Turns

Post by vibrologist »

There may be just enough play in the motor bearings for the g-forces to separate a brush from the commutator. I can't recommend any solvents even though chiadog was successful. Two things: Solvents create fumes and could catch fire, second: the solvents will be soaked up by the carbon brushes and expand them. I once killed a vacuum pump with carbon vanes by cleaning them with solvents. Try blowing compressed air at the brushes and wiggle them loose.
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'05 Vibe

"It is important to know the difference between 'accurate' and 'precise' even if you are neither!"

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=43476
jolt
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Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 2:07 am
Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota

Re: 2003 Blower Motor Stops During Right Hand Turns

Post by jolt »

To test this, I would disconnect the wires to the motor and hook up a voltmeter to the wires. Turn on the fan motor and you should have a voltage reading that will change as you change the blower speed. Take the car out and drive it around with the voltage meter still hooked up. If the voltage stays constant as you go around corners, then the problem is most likely the blower motor and just replace it. If the voltage jumps around as you drive then you have got a bad connection somewhere in the wire loom that you need to find.
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