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.
Wow!! Thanks
Thanks for the tutorial. My question is related- I recently replaced the heater core in my jeep liberty and do not think I connected the vacuum lines correctly. I noticed in picture #2 you have a image of the vacuum tubes that run from the control pannel. Where does the black tube (right side of picture) connect to? And is there a link to instructions to how these should be connected?
I just want to say thank you for your instructions. I just replaced the blower resistor in my 2002 Jeep Liberty. I followed your instructions 1 by 1 and it works perfectly. I know I couldn’t have done it without reading your instructions first and maybe a second time lol..once again thanks a lot. You’re certainly doing a public service.
You the man! (or woman!)
Thanks for the pictures. Knowing what to look for made it SOOOO much easier. Couldn’t have done it as fast as I did without them .
I just changed the resistor on a 2005.
The clip was easier – without a red tab.
I left the bottom screw off when I
re-assembled. It was easier to remove it
by taking off the soundproofing tray under
the dash (two phillip screws) and accessing
from below with a neetle-nose plier.
Re-connecting the battery caused the alarm
system to go off and it took forever to
remember where the re-set switch was!
Fan purrs on all speeds again. Thank!
Well my time came for this problem on my 2004 Liberty. Helped a guy a couple of years ago with this and remember difficulty with that red clip. Not this time thanks to your instruction. Thanks a bunch went w/o a hitch. Probably a 15 min. job.
Have patience, this would have been a 10 – 15 minute job if not for that *()&$#%^&* RED CLIP. It would also have helped to have a decent work light, not just a flashlight!
I just love that little red clip! I didn’t even take the glove box off, just unclipped it and left it hang. The rest was all straight forward. I wish all repair were this easy! Thanks for the pictures!
BOOM! That took all of 10 minutes with your instructions! Saved me a good chunk of change! Thanks so much!
Lost the bottom screw under the dash, but the dash panel below the glove box is only held in by two screw. It’s easy to remove and also allows you to get the socket in from underneath. Makes the whole thing a bit easier.
These instructions were so precise enough that I was able to accomplish it! From a single mom on a limited income I surely appreciate you sharing!
I too must say thanks. Photos made all the difference.
Thanks, The pics give you confidence, for the bottom screw being a carpenter I took a 4in drill bit an drilled 2 holes an clipped 1 time and the screw was wide open! I also put a bag underneath incase I dropped the screws. to put them back in I scotch tape the screws to the socket,worked great.
YOU ROCK!!
This was so helpful, took some time for me, but I saved a TON of $$ doing this myself, THANK YOU!
being a single parent this site helped out a TON, I have been stressing how I was going to fix my 05 libery..and I came across this!! what a blessing!! Thank you!
Thank you so much for the help. Very easy to follow took me 15 mins to do and like everyone else thanks for the tip about the red lock that was a pain.
Another satisfied reader here in NH
Took a shot and bought the same part # since wife’s liberty is also 2004, 26.00 at local Jeep dealer, had it in-stock so I didn’t mind paying a bit more to do it today. Did in driveway in 28 degree weather, 20 minutes including a hand warming break.
I too removed dash bottom to make easier, makes a big difference.
Works perfectly now and wife is stoked!
Thanks man!!
Happy New Year!
With your instructions I was able to do this but something is not quite right. Before attempting the fix the blower worked only on the high setting, then quit altogether. When I did this fix and installed the new resistor the blower works but only on the high setting. Any idea why?
Thanks and Happy New Year.
No, I don’t know!
Lee Wright,,, Check your resistor you took out and be sure you did not put the old one back in by mistake,,, something very easy to do,,,,
Thanks for that thought but I did double check and I know I installed the new one. I’m still at a loss. Is there some other part I should check?
This was extremely helpful in removing and installing the resistor. However, NOT a 15 minute job unless you have a rachet that can reach these darned screws. But…at least I knew what I had to do thanks to your directions. Thanks.
Thank you, this was spot on, and my wife is very happy with variable heat & A/C!
Amazon had the Dorman 973-025 Blower Motor Resistor for Jeep Liberty/Wrangler for just under $15.
With the tools you mentioned and detailed pictures, any easy 15 minute job! Funny thing too, was in taking the glovebox door off, I didn’t even realize that there was a seperate Jeep manual in it’s own slot just above the box!
Again, Thanks.
Paul
I even bought a manual long before I noticed the slot, too!
Thanks for the great info. I now have all four fan speeds again. I didn’t read all of the posts on here but what I did to make it easy on the hard to reach bottom screw, I used the open end of a 5/16 wrench like a screw driver. Worked like a charm. Thanks again for the photos. I would have taken a long time to find it had you not posted this.
Just bought 2004 liberty in need of some minor maintenance. this post saved me $150. The dealership wanted $180 to replace the resistor. With $25 and 20 minutes, based on advise from this site, all is now good. Thanks for instructions and detailed pics.
My final project is to replace speakers, as they were blown by previous owner.
Thanks for the guidance.
great instuctions took me no more than 1/2 hour to complete this job,the red clip is a bitch,saved me £££££££s.
my jeeps RHD and the same go’s as above.
thanks for posting
Thank you for posting this it was extremely helpful changing the resistor on my 2002 Jeep Liberty. That lower screw was a pain to get off and the little red lock as well they do not give you a lot of wiggle room. The pictures helped a ton once again thank you!
So proud that I was able to swap out this part on my own, cost me under $20 going thru eBay, but I would not have had the confidence to attempt it without the helpful instructions and pictures here. The two bolts were not difficult for me using a small ratchet and 8mm socket. That red locking clip was a royal pain, but the worst part was getting the wiring harness separated. I used a screwdriver and broke away a little bit of the old part in order to get some space and wiggle room to free it. I did a little damage to the locking clip so it didn’t quite fit back the way it should, but the connection is tight and everything went back together fine and it works! I was down to just the 4th speed and now I have all 4 back again! So happy! Many thanks for this site!
Thank you so much. I saw the “step by step” instructions from other sites but without photos, it was hard to decipher for novices like myself. Thanks for paving the way for us.
Thank you for taking the time to do this. My husband was impressed that I fixed my own car. 🙂
I just replace the resistor on my 2004 Jeep liberty. Follow your instructions was very easy. Thank You!!!!
The explanation and pictures were very helpful. I will try it on my 2002 Jeep Liberty. Your instructions and the comments others have made give me hope that I can do this myself and save some money. Thank you!
I purchased the Blower Motor resister today at O’Reilly’s Auto Parts rather than order it online and have to wait. (The brand name of the part is BWD and is Part #RU1045 at O’Reilly’s. It cost $29.21 with tax. Online from Chrylser would have been around $10 plus taxes and shipping). I used your instructions and was able to change it out in about 10 minutes! Thanks again for your very helpful article!
Thanks for the writeup. The part about the red tab was especially useful. Cheers.
Outstanding information. Installation was so easy thanks to your tutorial!
Thanks for the post, I wouldn’t have even tried this without these helpful instructions. That little b@st@rd didn’t slip out easily even though the red tab gave me no troubles.
Those pictures were very helpfull..thank you..took 5 minutes ..
Thank you!!!
Saved me some money. Great pictures and how to help…. Your right, The RED clip was the hardest part of the job.
How easy is it to get everything back together????
It’s not a bad job.
Thank you. Your instructions and pictures were very helpful. Getting the new resistor to lock in place with the red tab was a challenge, but it worked out. Thank you again!
I just replaced the heater fan resistor and found it quite easy to do. I would suggest removing the plastic panel under the glove box. It is held in place by two screws and then the panel will drop down out of the way. Sure makes it easier to get at the resistor screws when your hand can reach everything from the bottom. It also takes care of any fears of losing the screws if dropped – they just drop to the car floor! Thanks for this website posting – it sure helped with my repair!!
THANK YOU! It is great to have what seems like a headache be a 10 minute project thanks to some help. I really appreciate you sharing this!
So I was looking at this. I had a problem when driving yesterday that the A/C wouldn’t blow out at all on 1 and 2 and on 3 and 4 it would only blow out hot air.
Today it is working fine and it seems like nothings wrong, however, I want to fix it before it happens in a long trip.
Could this be what causes it to blow hot air intermediately as well?
Joey,
The symptoms don’t quite match up, so I’m not sure this is the problem.
I won’t know if this will fix my problem or not, but all evidence points in that direction. I had to special order the resistor. My front vents will not blow out any kind of air, but the dash and foot ports do. I used your instructions for my 2008 Jeep Liberty Sport and it was close enough that it didn’t cause me any issues. In fact, mine was easier to take out as the screws weren’t obstructed on mine.
Great advice – especially about the red clip. Job took 15 minutes start to finish. Further tip for UK owners – don’t pay £30+ – getthe resistor for $9.99 in the States. Even with postage its much cheaper!
My wife’s 04 Liberty has the opposite problem. A/C fan motor works on setting 1 through 3 but not on 4, which from what I’v read bypasses the resistor.
Any ideas????