2005 - Chevrolet Resistor Repair Part I

Adventures in Truck Repairs

My 2005 Chevrolet Suburban has a heater blower which refuses to turn off, even with the motor off and the key removed.  Sounds strange, but yeah, not really.  Apparently, GM trucks from 2000 - 2006, seem to have an issue with the heater blower resistor, which can overheat, burn out or just give up the ghost due to bad design. Maybe even set the damn thing on fire, which at this point, wouldn't hurt my feelings one bit.

I have learned all this after dealing with the issue for a couple of weeks, well, okay, maybe about a month.
When it started, I was able to remove the #40 fuse, which stopped the damn thing from blowing and wearing out the battery, but it didn't fix the problem.

After the typical You Tube video tutorial, it seemed like an easy replacement.  The resistor is located under the dashboard, and removing the front cover was easy.

Sitting pretty under the glove box!

Go figure!  Getting to it was easy, but the little bastard was not so easy to remove, and after visiting the neighbor for right ratchet attachment, ta da, I was able to remove the resistor.  Unfortunately, the resistor looked just fine.  In fact, it looked pristine except for a wee bit of dust.  The connectors all looked fine too, with no burn marks or any type of damage or corrosion.

I took it back to the part store, and the clerk recommended I go see someone for testing.  For the cost ($70 - $100,) it might be expensive to replace something that is not the issue.  Once I install a new part, I own it, she said.  

So.....now what!?!? The tutorials did not mention what to do if the resistor looks fine and undamaged.

On a really positive note, I visited the local Food City on the way home, and I realized they have a great selection of Mexican beer and some tasty pastries!

The beer helped take the pain away from this little knuckle buster.