Help! It’s too Hot to drive without A/C

[SUrban]

I have a 03, 2500 QC with the 5.9
Thursday the A/C was working!
Friday it wasn’t! The Blower wasn’t working, the A/C was.
Saturday I replaced the Blower Motor & the Blower Motor Resistor! It didn’t work!
I pulled the dash face to get to the Blower switch. Tested the plug on the back of the switch with a test light.
No Power! Then checked all the Fuses, they were all Good.
Where’s the problem, where should I look?
Any & all help is appreciated!

 

[Ozymandias]

Did you check the fuse correctly or just by eye?

 

[SUrban]

Yes I tested the Fuses with a professional tester! Not by eye!

 

[brucejohnson]

Did you check for power at the fuse hot terminal?

 

[SUrban]

Yes I did. The hot side was hot. It lit up my test light.

 

[brucejohnson]

Wish there was a schematic available.
Next thought: Did you try to move the tilt steering column through its full range a few times with the engine running? This may detect a bad wire in the steering column harness to the ignition switch.
Any other functions degraded/inop?

 

[SUrban]

Yes, everything else is working just fine!
I wish that I could find a Schematic also.

 

[Ozymandias]

Ah yes! Bruce guided me right - the electric part of the ignition lock (which is LEFT side of the steering wheel) and there the connector to it.

The whole fan current runs through that and kills it.
I had to replace mine many years ago for the same reason, fan stopped working.

Take off the cover of the steering wheel and you have it in plain sight, I'm almost 100% sure you'll find the problem there now.

 

[SUrban]

Ozymandias, thanks!
I didn’t have a clue where to look.
I just did the 3 Key thing, got codes!
483, 480, & 646.
I looked them up, but don’t know where to look for them or what they look like.
But I’m going to try to figure it out.
Thanks again for your help.

 

[BLNRAY]

P0480 - Fan clutch , P0483 - Fan Speed , P0646 - Low voltage detected at a/c clutch relay

 

[SUrban]

Well I got the electrical ignition switch out. The top two terminals are burnt black!
So I’m assuming that those terminals control the Blower circuit!
So since this is the 4th of July, I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to see if Napa has one.
Thanks to everyone for the help and advice!
Happy 4th of July to all of us Gearheads!

 

[Ozymandias]

Good, you found it. Mine were burnt to.
Also the crimp connectors there overheated and needed to be replaced as they didn't hold anymore to the blades of the switch.
Just replacing the switch is probably only half the job as it would burn it again shortly.

By the way, it's the fan and it's resistor that takes out the switch because of the raising current that the failing fan generates.

Best would be to replace that switch with a high amp relay.. but to much work and switch is to cheap to think about it.

 

[SUrban]

Ozymandias thanks again!
I’ve already replaced the Fan & it’s resistor. So hopefully it won’t cook the switch again.

 

[Ozymandias]

Ozymandias thanks again!
I’ve already replaced the Fan & it’s resistor. So hopefully it won’t cook the switch again.

Yeah mine does fine since too.
But I also squeezed the two big crimp connector with a pair of pliers some more, they went on to the blades really hard afterwards to make a serious good connection.

And don't worrie about the codes, as long as the CEL isn't on they aren't serious and can be rock old historic codes.

 

[Tuesdak]

"Help! It’s too Hot to drive without A/C"

No not yet. Give it a few more days then it will be Monsoon hot and humid. Even then Good Parts are worth waiting for. I waited a week for a Sanden compressor to arrive from Sanden in August for my 2003 while I daily drove it in 115F+ Monsoon humid temps around here.

I suggest you check with your local dealer or online MOPAR Parts Wholesaler. Hopefully the parts including the easy button harness are still available. The harness is at least two separate parts with a connector on the back side of the HVAC box splitting it to: a main harness and plug to second part that has the two blower motor wires and resistor connector. Likely the blower motor and resistor has corrosion at the wire crimps on the connectors as well. There is a repair kit for the blower motor wires only, but, the 2003's have trouble at the resistor connector.

This suggestion includes the blower motor from MOPAR rather than a cheap, noisy, knock-off that may draw too much current out of the box. Parts stores love to eliminate quality on some things in a race for cheap. I would rather be frugal and less do-overs with OEM parts. I have enough trouble with MOPAR blowers squeaking as it is. Aftermarket motors like to "click" loudly due to cheap design when running I find.

The blower resistor for 2003 has been updated due to cracking. (Should have a metal band around the top ceramic for the revised part.) Good Luck if aftermarket cloned the old crack prone part or the updated one.