I have a 2004 Pacifica with @ 140,000 miles. The blower motor is making a noise that goes away for short periods when I increase or decrease the blower speed. The noise returns eventually at either high or low speeds. According to the shop manual I have to disassemble the instrument panel and remove the HVAC housing (which requires draining the coolent and evacuating the AC unit) just to pull out the motor. I can see the motor as clear as day under the dash. Do I really have to go through all the steps outlined in the manual, or can I remove the motor and replace it without going through all that trouble?

Thanks!

 

Service Information The blower motor is located on the passenger side of the vehicle under the instrument panel. The blower motor can be removed from the vehicle without having to remove the HVAC housing. [ol][*]Disconnect and isolate the negative battery cable.[*]Remove the passenger side cowl trim panel (Refer to 23 - BODY/INTERIOR/COWL TRIM - REMOVAL).[*]Pull back the carpet to access the front upper screw that secures the air inlet housing.[*]Remove the recirculation door actuator (Refer to 24 - HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING/CONTROLS - FRONT/RECIRCULATION DOOR ACTUATOR - REMOVAL).[*]Remove the recirculation door actuator wire lead from the routing clip located on the lower air inlet housing and position the wire lead aside.[*]Disconnect the blower motor wire lead connector from the blower motor resistor block or power module, depending on application.[*]Remove the one screw (from the top) that secures the lower air inlet housing to the upper air inlet housing (Lower Air Inlet Housing).[*]Remove the four screws (from the bottom) that secure the lower air inlet housing to the upper air inlet housing and the lower HVAC housing.[*]Push the rubber blower motor wire lead grommet through the opening in the lower air inlet housing (Blower Motor Wire Lead Grommet).[*]Feed the blower motor wire lead through the opening in the lower air inlet housing and remove the lower air inlet housing from the vehicle.[*]Position the recirculation-air door as necessary to access and remove the three screws that secure the blower motor to the lower half of the HVAC housing.[*]Gently flex the recirculation air door far down enough to remove the blower motor and wheel from the HVAC housing.[*]Remove the blower motor and wheel from the HVAC housing. Note the position of the blower motor mounting tabs (Blower Motor Mounting Tabs).[/ol]

 

Beautiful. Thank you! Love Jeff Dunham!

 

The above states:
[*]Feed the blower motor wire lead through the opening in the lower air inlet housing
and remove the lower air inlet housing from the vehicle.[*]Position the recirculation-air door...

To this I would add [*] To remove the inlet housing, pull on the air recirculation-air door bottom gear connection to the lower air recirculation housing apart. A smaller screw driver may help to pry and push from the bottom. (The air recirculation-air door is connected at both the top and the bottom.)

This hint would have shaved off 30 minutes from my removal time.