Aztek Fan Club

[03Aztek]

Hi all. I was driving the other morning in the tek and had the heater on speed 1. Still a bit chilly so I bumped it up to 2, when I got colder. Turns out 1 and 3-5 work, but 2 blows no air at all. So before I go in and start my investigative work, any ideas?

[Aztek-Knight]

I have noticed in my 2005 that #2 has to be "just right" if I set it to 2, sometimes it may work. If not... then just a slight turn toward 1 or 3 and it will.

[sixstringer218]

Hey everyone! I just signed up and might have a good solution to this problem already. I currently own a 2003 Aztek with alittle over 88,000 miles on it. Just this past week, I was running the A/C on fan speed 3 when I started to get cold, so I turned it down to speed 2. There was no difference. No difference in any speed, even in the OFF position it was still running. Later on that night, it shut off and I couldn't turn it back on. Checked the relay under the hood and in the fuse box, but it wasn't them. I was told it could have been the fan motor resister under the dashboard. That part needed to be ordered, took a day to get. Well, while I was picking it up from the part store, a local Pontiac mechanic had heard me telling the casher what I was picking up and for what vehicle it was for. He said this could solve the problem, but there was a 75% chance that it was the wiring harness behind the dashboard the is connected to the climate control panel. He told me that it is common for them to fry themselves after a while and they melt. Therefore, the switch is burned up. Well, I put in the resistor, and nothing. I was having a hunch that it was the switch. No junk yard around here had one, so I called a dealer and asked how much just the fan switch would be to order and I was told that you can't purchase the switch alone, you need the whole control unit which is $400.00! Mind you, this is without duel climate control too. So, I preceded now to tearing apart my dashboard, pulled out the control unit and only to see that the motor switch is attached separately to the unit! And sure enough, after unhooking it, I found the one contact was fried and the plastic had melted. I called the part store to see if I can order the switch alone now that I had it out and I had a part number to give them. They were able to order it and I had it next day for $28.00. Plugged it in, sure enough everything is back to normal.

In my opinion and after all of this, I think your switch may be getting to the point of being replaced soon.

[alchemist]

Wow.  Yet another Aztek design flaw.    If the switches commonly melt then they weren't designed to handle the current that is being run through them (or someone underestimated the increase in internal resistance caused heat build up in a closed up vehicle.)  Don't get me wrong, I love the Aztek and think it was one of the best vehicles ever made, but sometimes I wonder if I the engineers coming up with a vehicle as good the Aztek was just pure luck on their parts.  It obviously wasn't remarkable engineering skill.

[Aztek-Knight]

Production goof... I'm sure the concept had kickin switches ! LOL

[03Aztek]

Yeah, my first thought was the resistor. We used to have a 96 grand caravan, notorious for the blower motor to draw more current than normal therefore blowing the resistor. After replacing the resistor twice I finally had to get a new blower motor and resistor for my dad.
But I guess first thing I'll check my switch. That was another thought but it just seemed too simple, but being an Aztek, you never know.

[matt57]

Hey everyone! I just signed up and might have a good solution to this problem already. I currently own a 2003 Aztek with alittle over 88,000 miles on it. Just this past week, I was running the A/C on fan speed 3 when I started to get cold, so I turned it down to speed 2. There was no difference. No difference in any speed, even in the OFF position it was still running. Later on that night, it shut off and I couldn't turn it back on. Checked the relay under the hood and in the fuse box, but it wasn't them. I was told it could have been the fan motor resister under the dashboard. That part needed to be ordered, took a day to get. Well, while I was picking it up from the part store, a local Pontiac mechanic had heard me telling the casher what I was picking up and for what vehicle it was for. He said this could solve the problem, but there was a 75% chance that it was the wiring harness behind the dashboard the is connected to the climate control panel. He told me that it is common for them to fry themselves after a while and they melt. Therefore, the switch is burned up. Well, I put in the resistor, and nothing. I was having a hunch that it was the switch. No junk yard around here had one, so I called a dealer and asked how much just the fan switch would be to order and I was told that you can't purchase the switch alone, you need the whole control unit which is $400.00! Mind you, this is without duel climate control too. So, I preceded now to tearing apart my dashboard, pulled out the control unit and only to see that the motor switch is attached separately to the unit! And sure enough, after unhooking it, I found the one contact was fried and the plastic had melted. I called the part store to see if I can order the switch alone now that I had it out and I had a part number to give them. They were able to order it and I had it next day for $28.00. Plugged it in, sure enough everything is back to normal.

In my opinion and after all of this, I think your switch may be getting to the point of being replaced soon.

hello all, i just registered after reading this post. we are having the same woes with my wife's aztek along with not being able to get the key out from time to time. i just took ours apart and found both the switch and the wiring harness that connects to it are fried and melted. does anyone know the actual part # for the wiring as well? we were also told it would cost $400 to fix. sixstinger if you read this please drop me a message or an email. i'd like to chat with you in a little more detail.