Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Blower Motor/Circuit Board

Hi everyone,
I have a problem with my heater and wonder if anyone can help, about 7 months ago the heater fan stopped working, it appeared to be a problem with a fuse, which had all but melted into the fuse panel, we replaced the fuse but it made no difference. We then had a mechanic check it out and after cleaning and supplying a new fuse, everything was up and running again.

Now 7 months later, we had the same problem, fuse was melted again, and we took it to Ford, to find out if this could be looked at as part of a recall (working under the theory that the blower motor, a known troublemaker, was responsible for blowing the fuse). We were told by Ford that the entire circuit board had blown, making it impossible to check the Blower Motor, they say that the circuit board is not covered and want $400 to replace it before they can check the Blower Motor.

Everything else is working, which I find strange because if the circuit board had blown I would expect more stuff to be out. I would like to know if there is some way to bypass the circuit board to make the blower motor work, and if so would doing so cause any problems?

Any help would be most appreciated; we have spent so much money on this car for various problems, so if there is any cheap way around this it would be great.

First of all what year/model.

Second, yes you can bypass the circuit board with no problem. You need to access the motor under the dash. You will find a connector there with two wires Violet/Orange +12V and Black/Red Ground.

That way you can be sure if your blower motor is working fine.

It is a 1995 Ford ContourSE.

Ford tells me the Blower/switch is working fine.

The fuse has melted and burnt and melted the circuit board.

Thanks for the reply pablo...
Also..about bypassing the circuit board.
Ford has advised me Not to bypass the circuit board and wire a fuse directly.
They do not know the cause of the fried fuse and say it could cause problems/fire/ with other areas in the car if the fuse was to arc again and was wired direct.
So bottom line is I have no heat. I need to replace the circuit board at the cost of 400 bucks. Then Ford can figure out what may have caused this to happen.
That will have to wait.
Anyone........What are the car heaters like that you plug into your cig lighter?
would they provide enough heat to defrost the windshield and keep the car warm?
Keep in mind that I live in eastern Ontario, Canada where temperatures reach minus 40 Celcius.

Yeap that is true about the fire. I meant to TEST the blower directly, not leave it that way.

If your fuse melted the fuse box, then your fuse is too high rated that will never blow or it is bad and never melts.

Melting can only happen by heat, and the fuses are made to melt inside cutting the power to the circuit. This seems like your previous 7 month ago left somehing permanently connected inside the circuit board.

You should go for the replacement.

Pablo...Thanks for the info.
The fuse is the proper amp according to the manual.
It has never been touched or changed prior to it blowing.
I had a new battery put in the car and the next day the fuse for the heater blower went.
Perhaps that had something to do with it.
It is hard to tell I suppose.
I will get the fuse panel replaced when I can afford it.
This is the first Ford I have ever owned and the last Ford I will ever own.

According to the scientific way of solving problems, your problem could have been caused by your new battery installation. Maybe a short circuit on the cables or in the engine fuse box led to a overheating on your inside fuse box. Because there is no fuses between the battery and the central junction box, the battery can handle the high amps, and cables are big enough, but your box isn't rated for that current and overheated, and at random picking the blower fuse on the circuit board. That is merely coincidence.

That is not to blame Ford, but your battery installers.

Now there is no other way but to dissasemble the board if you have the ability or maybe an electronic technician will help you to find that short, or double check the battery.

Remember that the battery problem could have gone already by the vibration on the car, and you have the board problem only.

Give it a try, and dissasemble the board.

Thanks again for your help.
I called a few wreckers and none have any Contours at the moment.
If it blows the fuse again at least I won't be out 400 bucks if I had to buy a new fuse panel.
I know this is not Ford's problem.
I am not sure what I am checking the battery for?
Loose cables?

Check the battery for clamped wires, or broken insulation, thinks like that.