Fan stopped blowing and climate control display went black

[Jerilee]

2002 buick rendezvous cxl - just had starter done last week and yesterday had alternator done. Changed a high beam bulb last night and right after when I started the vehicle & turned the heat on, the climate control display went black and the fan quit blowing. Checked inside fuses 30, 26, 39, and 41, they are good. Not sure if related, but today the wipers quit during mid wipe. It's a snow storm here and can't drive my vehicle without the heater working and now without wipers. Any ideas are greatly appreciated!

[tech3]

need to know-
is HVAC controls automatic or manual?
is there a remote starter?

there are fuses both cntr console and under hood. Wiper fuse is cntr console- is it good ? do not just look - could be a ign switch, fuses not getting energized- confirm power 12v at all fuses your checking.

BUT knowing manual or automatic will help get diagram.

[Jerilee]

Do you mean the display screen for the heater? It's the one with the digital screen, that can be set to automatic control. No remote starter. The windshield wipers fuse was bad. Just changed it. I don't have a tester to check the volts, but will try to find one. It seems like every time I drive it, since the alternator was changed, something else stops working. Will try to find a volt tester for fuses and will post results after I get them. Thanks

[carriedi]

check to see if you have power for wiper fuse #29 in the center console fuse panel. (or the yellow wire to the multi function switch and/or wiper motor) the wiper fuse circuit is powered up by the ACCY relay in the center console fuse panel also.

your ignition switch turns on the IGN 3 relay that supplies power to fuses: FRT BLWR (25A) and IGN 3 HVAC (fuse 26, 10A)

I would check for a bad connection at the ignition switch also. As Tech 3 said. the wires coming out of the ignition switch to check are:

check the wires in the steering column for power with the key on. The brown wire should have power in acc and run. It powers up the accy diode and relay.

check the orange wire in the steering column for power in run. it powers up the IGN 3 relay that goes to the hvac blower.

[Jerilee]

@carriedi - the wiper fuse was bad, changed it. Find it odd so many things are stopping/blowing at once. Anything easier to try first? I don't know much about vehicles and messing with wires is beyond what I'm comfortable with. Wouldn't want to break anything or make it worse. I'm a mom and can't even put children in vehicle, bc it's too cold here in NY. Was hoping heater was a fuse, bc of how it just stopped blowing and the display going black at same time. Very frustrated with this money pit. Any easier things to try first, please let me know.

[Jerilee]

Found that #47 - main battery fuse for HVAC blower & ignition 3 relay - was blown and every new one blows as soon as it's put in. Any ideas as to what's causing that one to blow?

[carriedi]

you have a short to ground somewhere in the circuit. it's going to take some time and skill to find out where it's going wrong. Fuse 47 is power from the battery that goes to IGN 3 relay and to either the blower resistor assembly or the blower motor control processor. (the letter for auto-ac) If you can find the blower control unit connector under the right side of the dash, next to the blower motor, disconnect it and see if the fuse still blows. If the fuse stops blowing then the unit is probably bad. If the fuse doesn't blow then the heater control should come on and work you just won't have any fan to blow out the air. If the fuse still blows then you will have to look in the wiring to fain a short. You may need to take it to a shop for that. The blower processor isn't cheap. a couple hundred dollars or more.

[Jerilee]

Thanks so much! I didn't see your reply in time & now I'm wishing I would have bought another one of the fuses from autozone. After blowing two new ones, I didn't buy another. Will have to deal with the cold and try what you said tomorrow. Will let you know how that goes, bc I'm sure I'll have more questions. After spending over $400 in repairs over the last 10 days, keeping my fingers crossed it isn't the expensive part. But I'll take any heat I can get, even if the blower don't work. Thanks again, I really appreciate it!

[Jerilee]

Wanted to post an update. Went to my normal mechanic this morning & he found the problem right away. When the issues started right after having someone put in a high beam bulb, it was because when he put the headlight back in, he some how pushed a bundle of wires into the pulley system & it chewed a bunch of wires apart. Thank goodness it was a $64 repair & not a couple hundred. Thank you for helping!

[carriedi]

congrats! glad you found it and it wasn't something expensive

[Guest Kody]

Where is the bundle of wires exactly?

[carriedi]

the fuses you want to check for the heater are : IP MDL fuse 10amp and IGN HVAC fuse 10amp in the center console fuse box. They are the two fuses that power up the hvac control module. The IP MDL fuse should be power all the time. the IGN HVAC fuse should be power with the key on.

wipers: check to see if you have power with the key on, on fuse 29. The wiper fuse is #29 and should be a 25 amp fuse.