Jim Grant's Tech Tips

'95 Honda Passport, Blower Motor Fuse Failures

Q: I own a ‘95 Honda Passport; my problem is with the blower motor. The problem started with the blower only working when the switch was in the high position (the switch has 4 positions 1-2-3-4). Then it quit and I found that the fuse was burned. I replaced it and when I turned the blower on it burnt the fuse. Is the blower bad or the switch.

A: It is likely that the blower motor is the cause for the fuse failure problem you’re describing, but after you replace the blower motor, you’ll still likely have only one speed. Why is that? The fuse that has been failing, supplies electrical power directly to the blower motor. For any electrical circuit to work power has to come in and then have a place to go. In your case the power comes out of the blower motor to the resistor block and then waits for a path through the blower speed switch. With the blower switch in the off position there is no path for the electrical power to flow. When you select a speed, you create a path for the electricity to flow and the blower motor starts working. How are different speeds created? That is where the resistor block comes into the game. A resistor could be simply described as a choker or restrictor that reduces the amount of electricity that can flow. The resistor block has four different paths, each with different size restrictors. Low or #1 on the blower switch allows only a small amount of electricity to flow; thus a slower blower motor speed. As you select the higher speeds you are allowing more electricity to flow, and the blower motor goes faster. I’m reasonably confident that the blower motor needs replacing. What I can’t tell you, is which part, the resistor block or the blower switch that has failed. Each component has to be tested for that answer.