Blower resistor smoking

[Camryman]

Does anyone have any experience with repairing the blower fan in a car, in this case an SV21 Camry?

The fan has 4 speeds. The first two lower speeds stopped working a couple of years ago. Now the second fastest speeds has a burning smell before producing black smoke after 5 mins but full speed is fine so I'm assuming it is a resistor problem, thinking about to the days I played around with electric R/C cars with 3 speed controllers.

Are the resistors generic where you can just go to Jaycar for spares? Or would I have to go replace the whole blower unit?

[takai]

Just replace the blower resistor. Will be held in by one or two screws somewhere that there is airflow.
Probably underneath the blower unit or in some ducting somewhere.

[CrUZida]

Its pretty common for blwer resistors to break, resulting in one or more of the speeds not working.

Pull it out and have a look, but beware they are a PRICK to resolder.
You *may* be able to replace them with one of those high wattage resistors from Jaycar, but its not something I've looked in to.
The black smoke will probably be caused by something that has come in contact with the resistor.

Pull it out, have a look, it may be easier to get one from a wreck.
I've never priced one new.

[Dropbear]

new fan speed resistors are ~$50 from toyota, think an ae112 corolla one fits and is half the price, don't quote me on the corolla model tho

[Camryman]

Thanks, I'll check it out. In my Gregory's service manual there is no mention whatsoever about blower resistors so I wasn't sure if it was a replaceable part. It only describes how to pull the blower out.

[TERRA Operative]

FWIW, they're usually in the duct behind the glove box.

[JetspeedCamry]

Remove the bottom "panel" under the dash on the passenger side. Stick you head under there and you'll see this black thing with 2 screws either side of it and an electrical connection. The black thing is mounted in the fan housing. It's just a matter of removing the connector and the 2 screws and swapping it over. I got a new one for my VZV21 from Toyota for $40. The actual unit is quite small, and so swapping with generic resistors would be difficult to fit in the existing hole. I doubt you could get it to fit. The standard resistors are literally just windings of metal.

[Camryman]

Remove the bottom "panel" under the dash on the passenger side. Stick you head under there and you'll see this black thing with 2 screws either side of it and an electrical connection. The black thing is mounted in the fan housing. It's just a matter of removing the connector and the 2 screws and swapping it over. I got a new one for my VZV21 from Toyota for $40. The actual unit is quite small, and so swapping with generic resistors would be difficult to fit in the existing hole. I doubt you could get it to fit. The standard resistors are literally just windings of metal.

That is good to hear. For some reason my mechanic seems to think you can't get resistors for an SV21 anymore.

[Camryman]

Just an update. Because my car is an Ultima and has "auto air" ie push button controls, the resistors are $110. I think this will be a project for next year when things are quite again.

[the_random_hero]

I'm sure you could make something work with a couple of large Jaycar resistors in parallel.

[JetspeedCamry]

I'm sure you could make something work with a couple of large Jaycar resistors in parallel.

Fitting them in is the problem.

And my car's got the push button controls and the resistor for mine was $40-50.

[CrUZida]

Push button control's shouldn't make a diffence.
Infact some of Toyota's push button's only have 3 speeds, where as the manual ones have 4.

Less speeds = cheaper.