Blower Motor Making Noise?

Blower Motor Making Noise? Diagnosing a bad blower motor

Do you hear a loud blower motor noise underneath the dash or at another location the blower motor is in after you turn on the A/C or heat? Sometimes it’s a whining, whirring, squealing, or vibrating sound that just won’t stop.

If the blower motor is making a loud noise in your car, it’s time to replace it and our experts at 1A Auto can show you how.

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Blower motor making noise? Shop for a new blower motor at 1aauto.com

What Is the Blower Motor?

Any time the heat or A/C is turned on, the blower motor is activated. It works like a fan and takes in air and blows it out through the HVAC system.

How Should the Blower Motor Sound?

A working blower motor will operate smoothly and inaudibly.

A defective blower motor will make a continuous sound noticeable by the passengers in the vehicle. It can manifest as a knocking, whirring, clunking, vibrating, squealing, or whining noise that persists until the blower motor is replaced.

Why Do Blower Motors Fail?

Sometimes the bushings or bearings on the electric motor wear out or loosen over time. Other times outside elements like acorns and pine needles or rodents can sneak in and damage the blower motor; This is more likely to happen with a dirty or absent cabin air filter.

Where Can I Find the Blower Motor?

The blower motor is usually located underneath the dash on the passenger side, but sometimes you can find it behind the center of the dashboard or underneath the cowl panel.

In trucks or vans, the blower motor might be under the hood. In SUVs and minivans with an auxiliary heater and auxiliary blower motors, it’s likely in the rear on the side compartment.

How Can I Replace the Blower Motor Myself?

On most vehicles, replacing the blower motor is generally an easy and simple repair that can be accomplished by anyone.

For vehicles with the blower motor under the dash on the passenger side, the steps usually involve:

  1. Removing the Glove Box

    Removing the glove box or shield underneath the dash

  2. Disconnecting the Electrical Connector

    Disconnecting the blower motor resistor wiring harness

  3. Removing the Blower Motor

    Removing the blower motor by hand or with a screwdriver

To find out the steps for your vehicle, search 1A Auto’s how-to video library by your year, make, and model and find a repair video with step-by-step instructions. We’ll show you how to install a new one yourself.

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Blower Motor Making Noise? - Diagnose and Fix - 1A Auto
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Blower Motor Making Noise? - Diagnose and Fix - 1A Auto
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Is your blower motor making noise like clunking, squealing, or vibrating? Learn how to diagnose and fix with advice from our expert mechanic.
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1A Auto
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2 thoughts to “Blower Motor Making Noise?”

  1. You might want to mention on your video to check the cabin filter first. Because, the noise coming from my Prius’s a/c was coming from the cabin filter not the blower motor. Had I known that it would have save me hours of labor because I first disassemble the blower and then I discover the damage filter when I looked up the hole though the blower’s cavity.However, thank you for your video it surely help me fix the problem.

  2. I dealt with a whining noise for 6 or 7 years because I didn’t want to replace the blower motor or fan. So I replaced the cabin filter cause it kept stinking in my 09 accent and the whining went away.

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