1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass blower fan

JAYARE68

MEMBER
1998 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS
6 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
70,000 MILES

Ac/heat fan stopped working totally, but before that the typical prob, settings 1, 2, not working on fan switch. Settings 3, 4, 5 ok, blew constant never automatically slowed to lower setting. Replaced resistor. Fan did not work. Cleaned blower fan relay pins, fan then worked on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. For a day or two( Think). Then fan would work ok when car starts up from cold, switch put on #5 setting. Blows strong, but slows down by its self to almost nothing over a 5 minute period. Once when driving I jammed the bakes on and the fan stared going faster for a minute, then slowed down, once I turned a corner fast and the fan ran faster again, then slowed down. The new resistor I put in last week was made my BTD, and I was assured it was the right one. What the heck is going on? I swapped out the blower relay in the engine compartment with one next to it that was the same. No difference in problem of fan slowing down by its self. . Can a relay cause this? Will gladly send you 15 bucks if your advice cures the problem. It is too expensive for me to just replace parts til I find the prob. And going to a repair shop. Please. I am still sore from being reamed last time

2 Replies

WRENCHTECH

MECHANIC
20,757 POSTS

It sounds to me like you have had a bad blower motor all along. A blower motor drawing too much current will burn out resisters and cause connections to overheat until they have poor contacts.

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Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 AT 1:39 PM

JAYARE68

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Thank you for your advice, I have been searching the Internet a few hours now, and did already come across your opinion stated by people just trying to help. I do not know why this got posted already. I was in the process of completing the registration and making a donation, but decided to try to fix it again when I feel a little better. If I seem cheap to you it is because I can only get a poor paying job being sick and old. I have to keep the car running to drive to work, so there are times when I have to go to a shop. One place put in a fulepump/sender for 790$, plus labor, the sender they bought from discount only cost them $320. They double charged me for it, then had the nerve to tell me they got the lowest price they could for me. That's more pay than I take home in a month working 40 hrs a week.
So now you understand. And God bless you for trying to help, I believe things even out in the end any way, and hope you have good things coming to you//////////////////
here is the update on the problem.. It's pretty much auto repair 101. The fan running stronger when going around the corner and braking suggested a prob with a connection some place. Before I shelled out the 45 bucks for a new motor, I let the car cool down. When the fan motor would start up again I reached under the glove compartment ( with black plastic cover removed). And pushed the fan motor, and the resistor module CONNECTORS from side to side, the fan motor happily kicked into high again. All seems to be working now. Yes I know, tracing a circuit and cleaning the contacts is a bore, but it just might be the answer to a lot of nutty problems you have.. And it only cost some fine sand paper, and something thin to slip in and out of the female connector to clean those contacts to. I have used an emery board split in half to make it thin. And a very thin nail fine. You don't want to pry the female connectors apart. Hope this helps you and pass the thought along. Help if can.