2002 Kia Spectra Blower Motor Malfunction, organized and detailed - mechanic friendly

NYSpeed Automotive
1

Last week the blower motor in my gf’s car took a shit. Order of things that I did:

  1. Checked fuses, all good

  2. Swapped relays with known working ones, still good

  3. Hooked up blower motor directly to a power source, spins fine

  4. Pulled plug on motor and used my tester on the power/ground, had the switch turned off, reads 0, had the switch on, gets a power reading

Here’s where things got a little strange

  1. Next pulled blower motor resistor, got one from M & M, put it in with it dangling from the harness, turn on the switch, voila fan spins

  2. Button it all up, turn on the fan, ehhhh NOTHING

So WTF, i figured i got a used resistor maybe it just suddenly took a shit, so we bought a new one

  1. Put in new resistor, and nothing, it didnt look like the old one but i ran the part number (JA1297) and it’s the correct aftermarket one.

  2. Checked fan again by hooking it up directly and checked power to harness, both good.

I don’t think I could have ruined the new resistor already? or something toasted it? I’m going to get another resistor just to be sure the new one i got isnt fucked.

Any other thoughts? I’m ready to hot wire this fucking fan, shes got the windows down for the summer but to go without heat in the winter would suck.

****On a side note, the resistor says “disconnect fuse before replacement”. I did not do this, but the way the car is wired if the keys not turned forward there’s no power anywhere, not to the horn lights or dome lights or anything, so i dont think this fucked it up.