els (Fig. 1). The particulate air filter element is the
same size as the A/C evaporator to ensure ample fil-
tering capacity. A removable door on the bottom of
the HVAC housing below the glove box provides easy
access to the particulate air filter element for
replacement.

The

particulate

air

filter

element

should be checked and replaced at least once every
24,000 km (15,000 miles) and checked if heater-A/C
system performance seems lower than expected.

Fig. 1 Particulate Air Filter

1 - LOWER FRONT HVAC HOUSING
2 - LOWER EDGE OF INSTRUMENT PANEL
3 - AIR FILTER (IF EQUIPPED)
4 - CENTER FLOOR BRACKET COVER
5 - FILTER SEALING EDGES (IF EQUIPPED)
6 - AIR FILTER OPENING (IF EQUIPPED)

DISTRIBUTION - FRONT

24 - 37

REMOVAL

(1) Locate the air filter door on the bottom of the

lower front HVAC housing just outboard of the passen-
ger side of the instrument panel center stack (Fig. 2).

(2) Slide the air filter door latch toward the rear of

the vehicle until it engages the opened stop on the door.

(3) Pull the air filter door straight downward to

disengage it from the air filter opening of the HVAC
housing.

(4) Use your fingers to reach through the air filter

opening of the HVAC housing far enough to grasp the
air filter.

(5) Pull the air filter straight down and out of the

HVAC housing.

INSTALLATION

NOTE: The particulate air filter is labeled with “Air-
flow” and an arrow to indicate air flow direction
through the filter. This arrow should always be ori-
ented towards the center of the vehicle. Make sure
to properly install the particulate air filter. Failure to
properly install the filter will result in the need to
replace the filter sooner than required by design.

(1) Install the filter fully upward into the HVAC

housing through the air filter opening with the “Air-
flow” arrow oriented towards the center of the vehi-
cle.

(2) With the latch still positioned against its

opened stop, install the air filter door onto the lower
HVAC housing air filter opening.

(3) Slide the air filter door latch toward the front

of the vehicle until it contacts the closed stop on the
door.

AIR OUTLETS

REMOVAL

CENTER AIR OUTLETS

WARNING: On vehicles equipped with airbags, disable
the airbag system before attempting any steering
wheel, steering column, or instrument panel compo-
nent diagnosis or service. Disconnect and isolate the
battery negative (ground) cable, then wait two minutes
for the airbag system capacitor to discharge before
performing further diagnosis or service. This is the
only sure way to disable the airbag system. Failure to
take the proper precautions could result in accidental
airbag deployment and possible personal injury or
death.

NOTE: The two center air outlets located above the
instrument panel center bezel are serviced as an
assembly.

(1) Disconnect and isolate the negative battery cable.
(2) Remove the center bezel from the instrument

panel (Refer to 23 - BODY/INSTRUMENT PANEL/IN-
STRUMENT PANEL CENTER BEZEL - REMOVAL).

(3) Remove the two screws that secure the bottom of

the center air outlet to the instrument panel (Fig. 3).

(4) Roll the bottom of the center air outlet upward

and disengage the retaining clips that secure the top
of the air outlet to the instrument panel and remove
the outlet.

Fig. 2 Air Filter Door - Typical

1 - AIR FILTER DOOR
2 - LATCH
3 - CLOSED STOP
4 - LOWER FRONT HVAC HOUSING
5 - OPENED STOP

Fig. 3 Center Air Outlets

1 - CENTER AIR OUTLET
2 - SCREW (2)

24 - 38

DISTRIBUTION - FRONT

AIR FILTER (Continued)

INSTRUMENT PANEL AIR OUTLETS

(1) If servicing the right instrument panel air out-

let, use a trim stick C-4755 or equivalent and gently
pry the outer perimeter of the center trim panel from
the right side of the instrument panel and remove
the trim panel. If servicing the left instrument panel
air outlet, remove the instrument cluster bezel (Refer
to 23 - BODY/INSTRUMENT PANEL/CLUSTER
BEZEL - REMOVAL).

(2) Remove the instrument panel end cap from the

end of the instrument panel being serviced (Refer to
23 - BODY/INSTRUMENT PANEL/INSTRUMENT
PANEL END CAP - REMOVAL).

(3) Remove the two screws that secure the instru-

ment panel air outlet to the instrument panel and
remove the outlet (Fig. 4).

INSTALLATION

CENTER AIR OUTLETS

(1) Position the center air outlet onto the instru-

ment panel.

(2) Engage the retaining tabs at the top of the cen-

ter air outlet to the top of the opening in the instru-
ment panel, then roll the center air outlet downward.

(3) Install the two screws that secure the bottom

of the center air outlet to the instrument panel.
Tighten the screws to 2 N·m (17 in. lbs.).

(4) Install the center bezel (Refer to 23 - BODY/

INSTRUMENT

PANEL/INSTRUMENT

PANEL

CENTER BEZEL - INSTALLATION).

(5) Reconnect the negative battery cable.

INSTRUMENT PANEL AIR OUTLETS

(1) Position the instrument panel air outlet into

opening in the instrument panel.

(2) Install the two screws that secure the instru-

ment panel air outlet to the instrument panel.
Tighten the screws to 2 N·m (17 in. lbs.).

(3) Install the instrument panel end cap (Refer to

23 - BODY/INSTRUMENT PANEL/INSTRUMENT
PANEL END CAP - INSTALLATION).

(4) If servicing the left instrument panel air outlet,

install the instrument cluster bezel (Refer to 23 -
BODY/INSTRUMENT PANEL/CLUSTER BEZEL -
INSTALLATION). If servicing the right instrument
panel air outlet, install the right trim panel firmly
and evenly onto the instrument panel until the
retaining tabs are fully engaged.

BLOWER MOTOR

DESCRIPTION

The blower motor is a 12-volt, direct current (DC)

motor mounted within a plastic housing with a squir-
rel cage-type blower wheel that is secured to the
blower motor shaft and an integral wire harness with
a grommet and connector (Fig. 5). The blower motor
and wheel is located in the air inlet housing at the
passenger side end of the HVAC housing.

The blower motor can be accessed for service from

underneath the instrument panel.

Fig. 4 Instrument Panel Outlet - Right Side Shown

1 - INSTRUMENT PANEL AIR OUTLET
2 - SCREW (2)

Fig. 5 Blower Motor

1 - BLOWER MOTOR
2 - RUBBER GROMMET
3 - BLOWER MOTOR CONNECTOR
4 - MOUNTING TABS

DISTRIBUTION - FRONT

24 - 39

AIR OUTLETS (Continued)

OPERATION

The front blower motor is used to control the veloc-

ity of air moving through the front HVAC housing by
spinning the blower wheel within the housing at the
selected or programed speed (depending on applica-
tion).

On models equipped with the manual temperature

control (MTC) heating-A/C system, the front blower
motor will operate whenever the ignition switch is in
the On position and the blower control switch is in
any position except Off. On models equipped with the
automatic temperature control (ATC) heating-A/C
system, the front blower motor will operate whenever
the ignition switch is in the On position and the A/C-
heater control power is turned on.

The front blower motor relay output circuit is pro-

tected by a fuse in the integrated power module
(IPM) located in the engine compartment. In the
MTC system, the front blower motor speed is con-
trolled by regulating the path to ground through the
blower control switch and the blower motor resistor.
In the ATC system, the front blower motor speed is
controlled by an electronic blower motor power mod-
ule, which uses a pulse width modulated input from
the A/C-heater control and a feedback signal from the
blower motor to regulate the blower motor ground
path. On both systems, the front blower motor
receives battery current whenever the front blower
motor relay is energized.

The front blower motor and blower motor wheel

are factory balanced and cannot be adjusted or
repaired. If faulty or damaged, the front blower
motor and blower wheel must be replaced as an
assembly.

DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING

BLOWER MOTOR

WARNING: On vehicles equipped with airbags, dis-
able the airbag system before attempting any steer-
ing wheel, steering column, or instrument panel
component diagnosis or service. Disconnect and
isolate the battery negative (ground) cable, then
wait two minutes for the airbag system capacitor to
discharge before performing further diagnosis or
service. Failure to take the proper precautions
could result in accidental airbag deployment and
possible personal injury or death.

For circuit descriptions and diagrams, refer to Air

Conditioning/Heater in Group 8W - Wiring Diagrams.
Possible causes of an inoperative front or rear blower
motor include:

• Faulty fuse (the fuse is located in the integrated

power module (IPM) in the engine compartment)

• Faulty blower motor circuit wiring or wire har-

ness connectors

• Faulty blower motor resistor or power module

(depending on application)

• Faulty blower motor relay

• Faulty blower motor switch

• Faulty blower motor.

VIBRATION

Possible causes of front or rear blower motor vibra-

tion include:

• Improper blower motor mounting

• Improper blower wheel mounting

• Blower wheel out of balance or deformed

• Foreign material in blower wheel causing out of

balance condition

• Blower motor faulty.

NOISE

To determine if the front or rear blower motor is

the source of the noise, simply switch the front or
rear blower motor from Off to On. To verify that the
blower motor is the source of the noise, unplug the
blower motor wire harness connector and operate the
heating-A/C system. If the noise goes away, possible
causes include:

• Foreign material in the HVAC housing

• Improper blower motor mounting

• Improper blower wheel mounting

• Blower motor faulty.

REMOVAL

WARNING: On vehicles equipped with airbags, dis-
able the airbag system before attempting any steer-
ing wheel, steering column, or instrument panel
component diagnosis or service. Disconnect and
isolate the battery negative (ground) cable, then
wait two minutes for the airbag system capacitor to
discharge before performing further diagnosis or
service. This is the only sure way to disable the air-
bag system. Failure to take the proper precautions
could result in an accidental airbag deployment and
possible personal injury or death or death.

NOTE: The blower motor is located on the passen-
ger side of the vehicle under the instrument panel.
The blower motor can be removed from the vehicle
without having to remove the HVAC housing.

(1) Disconnect and isolate the negative battery

cable.

(2) Remove the passenger side cowl trim panel

(Refer to 23 - BODY/INTERIOR/COWL TRIM -
REMOVAL).

24 - 40

DISTRIBUTION - FRONT

BLOWER MOTOR (Continued)

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