Tuesday, April 22, 2014

How to Repair a Heater Blower Motor in a 1997 GMC Jimmy

Unlike many other vehicles, the blower motor in a 1997 GMC Jimmy is sealed inside the blower motor compartment from the factory. A perforated access panel must be cut and removed in order to replace a faulty motor. The most common sign of a faulty blower is squealing or screeching when the blower fan is set to a medium or high speed setting. This is due to the motor bearings failing after many hours of use. Another common problem with the blower motor is failure of the motor armature assembly. In this situation, the only symptom would be a non-responsive motor despite the desired speed setting.

Instructions

Removal

    1

    Pop open the hood and support it with the hood prop. Disconnect the negative battery terminal with an 8 mm battery wrench.

    2

    Remove the bolts holding the VCM to its mounting bracket with a ratchet and metric socket. Leave the VCM connectors attached and swing it to the side and out of the way.

    3

    Squeeze the spring clamp holding the feed hose to the coolant reservoir with a pair of pliers and slide it away from the end of the hose. Remove the coolant feed hose from the reservoir. Remove the bolts holding the reservoir to the vehicle with a metric socket and ratchet. Remove the reservoir from the vehicle while turning it to its side to prevent coolant from spilling out. Pour the coolant into a drain pan and set the reservoir aside.

    4

    Disconnect any electrical connectors blocking the blower motor compartment. Remove the screws at the bottom of the from blower motor cover with a ratchet and metric socket. Disconnect the blower motors electrical harness.

    5

    Cut along the perforated cut lines with a utility knife to separate the upper portion of the cover from the blower motor compartment. Grip the upper half of the cover and tear the remaining section of the access cover away from the blower motor compartment along the tear lines. Cut along the perforated lines on the bottom portion of the cover with a utility knife and then tear the remaining section away from the blower motor compartment until the lower access panel is free.

    6

    Remove the screws holding the blower motor in place and remove the blower motor from the blower motor compartment.

Installation

    7

    Set the new blower motor into position inside the access panel and reinstall the blower motor retaining screws with a ratchet and metric socket.

    8

    Join the tabs of the upper and lower blower motor access panels together to form one panel. Cut a piece of black duct tape to the width of the lower access panel and affix it to the bottom leading edge of the lower access panel.

    9

    Set the access panel into place and reinstall the panel retaining screws. Align the cut areas of the access panel with the blower motor compartment and seal the cut line areas with black, self-adhesive weather stripping. Let the adhesive set for 15 minutes before proceeding.

    10

    Reconnect the blower motor electrical harness and the electrical connectors in front of the blower motor compartment.

    11

    Set the coolant reservoir into position and reinstall its retaining bolt. Reconnect the coolant feed hose and reposition the hose clamp.

    12

    Set the VCM into position and reinstall its retaining bolts. Reconnect the negative battery terminal and full re-fill the coolant reservoir with a 50/50 mixture of distilled water and DEXCOOL coolant until the level reaches the FULL COLD mark.

    13

    Turn the ignition on and test the blower motor on each fan setting.


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