How to fix Jeep Liberty blower motor (resistor) – with pictures
I have a 2004 Jeep Liberty and the blower motor fan for the heat and air conditioning over time has gotten weaker and weaker to the point of setting number one not even working anymore. Over time, settings 1-3 will stop working and only 4 will work. Thanks to comments from Slav below, this is due to the full fan setting bypassing the resistor. I did some internet searching and found that this is a very common problem, but I couldn’t find very good instructions. Yes, there were step-by-step guides, but none answered all my questions. Here is my own attempt at helping you to make this job easy. (Click on any image for a larger resolution version.)
I had the dealership look up the part number — for my 2004 Liberty it is 5139719AA, although it is best to have them check fresh if you are going to tackle this project. If you decide you want to assume I’m right, here it is on Amazon.com.
Here are the tools I used: 2 small flat head screwdrivers, 8MM or 5/16″ socket (1/4″ drive), 1/4″ drive ratchet, 1/4″ drive long extension or a 1/4″ socket driver, flashlight; optional & preferable: this looks like it would be the perfect tool for this job, a 1/4″ universal joint adapter.
Before starting, forums that I read insisted that you remove the negative wire from the battery to prevent airbag deployment. I was skeptical of this, but to nervous to risk it. Just do it.
1. Empty and remove the glove box. This is actually really simple. Open the door until it won’t open anymore. Look on the left and right for this large clip:
Push the clips toward each other and open the glovebox further:
Once you open the glovebox far enough, you can slide the whole thing to the right and remove it:
(I didn’t figure this out until I was done, so my subsequent pictures won’t reflect removing the glovebox door.)
2. Some might say to remove the wiring harness now, but I had a lot of trouble with that, so I took the resistor out, then worked on removing the wiring harness. This is when I first used my socket driver to remove the top screw:
3. For the bottom screw, I tried using my socket driver, but it was too much of an angle to bite:
This is where you can use a flexible or universal tool or a ratchet, like I did:
Thankfully I was able to hold on to the screws. If you drop one, I’m not sure how hard it is to get back.
4. Then I pulled the resistor out:
5. It took me a long time to figure this out: you must pull out the red clip lock in order to allow the black lever to release the wiring harness. Prying the red lock didn’t work, so I ended up needing to use a small screwdriver to push up on the little locking piece in the back:
Here’s what it looked like when it released:
At that point, push down on the black lever to release the wiring harness:
6. The rest is just going in reverse now, you can either put the harness on now or later; I chose now so I could see what I was doing.
Here is the old resistor. It has either worn out or made with very poor quality control:
PLEASE comment if there is a better way to do something that I didn’t figure out!! Also, let me know if this was helpful.
Looks simple enough but I don’t see one of those anywhere online for a 2011 Liberty. Is the part a lot more at the dealership?
That was awesome. Well done. Loved the format, too. Incredibly helpful. Many thanks.
Just replaced the fan blower resistor in my 2004 Jeep Liberty using this post. Well done … thank you very much.
My 2 cents: it took my about 15 seconds to open the glove box door all the way, slide to the right, and remove the entire glovebox unit.
Just like this post, the top screw was very easy to remove using a 5/16 socket; however for the lower screw the socket driver can’t quite get a full grip on the screw. I partially removed the plastic under tray by removing 2 screws and bending it down far enough to get a socket wrench (and my hand) in. Still the socket wrench wouldn’t fit – my 3/8″ drive was just too big but I think a 1/4″ drive would fit ok, as Brian’s post. I went back to the socket driver and kept at it … eventually the lower screw came out too.
Was a little difficult to pull the resistor out and twist it around. I had to monkey with the lock clip a bit but by pushing on the black tab, from the opposite side from that shown in Brian’s post step 5, was able to pop off the old resistor.
Putting the new resistor (cost was $14.20 at my local Jeep dealer) back in was pretty easy.
The whole job took me about 30 minutes, and would have been maybe 10 minutes faster if I had just read Brian’s post a little more carefully before diving in to the job.
Anyway thanks again for the fine post.
thanks saved money did it my self thanks for the help was easy part was $20 total toke 15 min.
Man! God bless you for posting this site. Just fixed my problem. Only real problem was getting the resistor off the harness. I’m no grease monkey, but I feel awesome for getting this done so cheap. Thanks again!!!
Great instructions especially on removing the glove box door. My old resistor was only working in high speed only. Best to remove and install plug with resistor removed from the installed location. 8mm is the size of the socket for the plug screws. I did drop one screw (which I rarely do) and a 7mm socket on the two screw removes the bottom air vent tray where the dropped screw will land. Watch out for that lamp down there since it will be hot.
Super awesome instructions!!!!!! And thanks Bill, dropped BOTH SCREWS, but easy to retrieve!!!!!!! 🙂
Thank you so much for posting this! It was incredibly helpful and you’ve allowed me to fix my wife’s car and make her very happy! It was perfectly explained and much appreciated!
Worked like a charm! Thanks so much for sharing this!
I can’t tell you how much trouble you saved me troubleshooting my problem. Great pictures and great instructions! I thought I was in for a complicated expensive fix! My wife is happy and so am I. Thanks again!
Found this post looking for pictures behind the glovebox – you unwittingly answered a question for me and thought I would point out to you. I was looking for a pic of the cabin air recirculation screen – you can see yours in the top right corner of the photo for step #2, and it looks 100% clogged and filthy in your photo. Wondering how your air flow is on recirculate. Thanks for the post!
today july 30,2014 Puerto Rico
I just finish to put the new resistor and its was very easy really I had never did nothing like this my first time ,thanks for the information and the pictures ,helps a lot thank you again ,great work
Does anyone know the approx. cost to have this fixed at an auto shop? I am not a mechanic at all but am experiencing this problem in my 2007 Jeep Liberty.
One thing that I had to do was dremel the plastic down in the glove box to get a straight angle angle at the lower screw. No problem then
Just had to say THANK YOU ! 15 Mins and one or two swear words and I have air and heat. What a great post. Now I have to fix the windshield fluid motor…. any posts on that ?
Thanks again.
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING ASSISTANCE!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH! $20 dollar part with Lifetime Guarantee and it took about 30 minutes. It would have taken less time had I had LONG needle nose pliers for the lower right screw of the bracket. DONT PAY TO HAVE THIS DONE!!! Also, FYI I didn’t disconnect the either terminal connector to the battery and there were no issues before, during or after.
Thank You again!
For Jan, I was quoted $450 at the dealer to fix the problem, they would have charged $135 to “diagnose” the problem, until I reminded them I told them what was wrong. I had my Liberty in the shop to fix other recall issues that needed addressing and wanted to have them fix the problem, as like with others, my fan was only working on high. I knew that there was recall out for this part with other Liberties, evidentally, my VIN wasn’t included in that recall. The dealer “diagnosed” the problem as a bad fan motor and resistor(spelled resistor on the paperwork). My husband fixed the issue. If the fan motor was bad, the fan wouldn’t have worked at all. (my husband pointed this out to me). The resistor cost $19.99 and it took him about 10 minutes total to complete.
Thanks for this site and explanation – just completed this for my 81 year old neighbor in 1 hour – including fetchING parts. Thanks for making the world a better place
Just replaced mine, ten minutes tops! Awesome article, thanks so much!
Thank you for the detailed directions. I agree that removing the wire harness after pulling it is the best way. I used an extension and a deep socket and was able to get to the lower screw easily. I did talk of the lower cover to more easily handle the lower screw. $9 part on amazon. ;))
I got to both screws just fine with a 5/16 socket driver but proceeded to drop both screws – they both fell throw a hole for the floor light and ended on the rug. My harness had no red tab but it was very hard to remove wire harness after clip was cleared. took a pair of pliers on harness to pull it apart. On replacing, lower screw kept falling out of driver – finally got a magnetic tip 5/16 and that solved the problem. less than 15 minutes to replace with these instructions. Thanks
Great info 5minute job Thanks
I used a Stanley 1/8 ratchet and 2 inch extention and it was easy. Dropped plastic bottom allowede access to underside.
Thank you so much for taking the time to provide such detailed information. With your instructions and a $16.99 resistor from Advanced Auto Parts, I am back in business! Thanks again!
THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH! You saved me AT LEAST $105 (the diagnostic fee the dealership charges just to determine the problem. The. They apply that toward the cost of fixing it).
Getting the screws out was a pain. Had to go to Lowes to get the proper tool and it was still a little tough getting the bottom screw out (and back in). But I DID IT … for less than $40 — the cost of the resistor at Auto Zone and the cost of the tool at Lowe’s.
Your instructions and the photos were perfect. Now I have heat just in time for the Michigan cold. Thank you.
Thank you SO very much for posting this!!! Saved me quite a bit of money and an unimaginable amount of time!! Thanks again!
Everything is right as explained but I still can’t get that lower screw loose. Broke the red clip trying to pull it. If I could have gotten the connector out, I think I could do it. Any suggestions. … ?
I am no mechanic and new to trying these fixes but it rocks when I get it. The kind of fun that makes you curse until you fix it. Then you just smile when you lay in bed before sleep. ….
Thanks for any advise!
Seriously easy with this walkthrough. Much appreciated. Had one shop tell me it would be about $150 just for the part. Spent $20 and 20 minutes with this walkthrough and settings all work again. Thanks again.
Helpful Blog! Thanks for sharing a nice post.
Thanks!!! I just could not get the latch to release…I’ll try you method!
That red clip is the work of Satan himself. That slowed me down considerably but didn’t stop me! Thanks for this tutorial. It was extremely helpful!
Well Done! With these instructions and pictures, job done in 35 minutes. Thank you very much.
Thanks, easier that I imagined
The photos and step by step instructions were perfect for me. The part cost me 25$, but doing it myself saved me at least 3x that amount. Thank you for your help.
Replaced the resistor and still have the same problem. Speed number 4 which is high is the only fan speed I have. Any suggestions?
This was the perfect description and will solve your problems with $20 and about 20min.
Hey Chuck – same problem here – I replaced the resistor and still have the same problem – did you ever find a fix??
Teenage daughters jeep. Fan only working on high. $21 part at NAPA, 20 min later, Dad was a hero!! Ahh, if it were only always that easy. Great post, thanks for the help
Awesome instructions. Thank you for the information which took me 30 minutes to complete & saved me a tone of money.
Thanks a bunch very well done helped and had old part out in less than 10 mins now have to order a new part and replace
Thanks you saved me a bunch of time
Thank you for this post, it has been very helpful. With the correct tools this job was very easy to complete !!
Great instructions – thanks!
Thanks!
It had been driving Barmy having one speed on the blower, £13.99 delivered fixed it.
Easy job, took ten minutes if that!
Thank you, the instructions were very helpful and my Liberty now emits air on settings one and two. Disconnecting the resister was not easy but all is well that ends well.
Super helpful and detailed enough to do the job. Thank u sooo much!!!
I have the exact same 2004 Liberty with exact same problem. Googled the problem, your site was the first to pop up.
Amazing tutorial. Cant thank ya enough for reducing my research time and providing links to parts and tools.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Worked like a champ!
Bless your soul! This really helped.
Spot on and concise instructions. Made me feel like a bit of a mechanic. Thanks for posting!
Thank you for the excellent instructions! I was able to replace this par for $28.00 !