This tutorial will help you test the 2001-2004 Dodge Dakota and Durango blower motor resistor in a step-by-step way.
This bad boy is a breeze to test since it's located under the dash and not that hard to access (unlike the 2000 and earlier Dakota and Durango which have it behind the dash panel).
Contents of this tutorial at a glance:
You can find this tutorial in Spanish here: Cómo Probar La Resistencia Del Motor Soplador (2001-2004 Dakota, Durango) (at: autotecnico-online.com).
NOTE: If you need to test the blower motor, see this tutorial: How To Test The Blower Motor (2001-2003 Dodge Dakota And Durango).
If you need to test the 2000 or later blower motor resistor block, check out the following tutorials:
- How To Test The 5 Terminal Blower Motor Resistor (2000 Dodge Dakota).
- How To Test The Blower Motor Resistor (1997-1999 Dodge Dakota And Durango).
Blower Motor Resistor Basics
In the process of reducing the current, the resistor block produces a lot of heat. It's this heat that will cause it to fail sooner or later (and melt its connector too).
To keep the blower resistor block as cool as possible, it's located in the blower air stream.
When the blower motor resistor block fails, you'll usually see one of the following symptoms:
- Blower motor works in high-speed only.
- Blower motor works in some speeds, but NOT all speeds.
It's very common for the resistor connector terminals to corrode or for the connector to burn and melt. This will make disconnecting the connector from the blower motor resistor block very difficult.
Another common problem is finding the resistor block coils corroded or burned out when removing the resistor block for testing.
Where To Buy The Blower Motor Resistor
The blower motor resistor is a very inexpensive part. The following links will help you to comparison shop for it and hopefully save you a few bucks:
TEST 1: Resistance Testing The Blower Motor Resistor
We're gonna' test the continuity of the blower motor resistor with a multimeter in Ohms mode.
You'll need to remove the resistor block to test it and once removed, you'll be able to inspect it for any heat/burn damage on it and its connector.
If you find any type of burn damage on the resistor block and connector, you can conclude they're bad and need to be replaced (and skip the continuity tests).
NOTE: To see actual resistance specifications for the continuity test of this test section, go here: Blower Resistor Continuity Specification Tables.
OK, let's get started:
- 1
Disconnect the blower motor resistor from its connector and remove it from its location.
- 2
Visually inspect the blower motor resistor block and connector for burn damage and severe corrosion.
If the blower resistor block and connector have any heat damage (in other words: burns or are melted), you can stop here and conclude they're bad and need to be replaced. - 3
Place your multimeter in Ohms mode.
- 4
Check for continuity across two terminals at a time. Continuity should be present between all terminals.
NOTE: If continuity DOES NOT exist between 2 terminals, your multimeter will display the letters OL (Open Loop).
Let's take a look at what your test results mean:
CASE 1: Continuity exists between all the blower motor resistor terminals. This is the correct and expected test result.
If there isn't any burn damage to the resistor's coils or its connector, then you can conclude the blower motor resistor block is OK and not defective.
CASE 2: Continuity DOES NOT exist between some of the blower motor resistor terminals. This test result tells you that the blower motor resistor is defective and needs to be replaced.
If the resistor block's connector is damaged or is melted, it must be replaced with a new one.
