My jeep grand cherokee headlights are flashing then completing goes out. this started when I drove with my tailgate open while hauling a hand truck. also the blower will only work on high. i was told to take off the glove compartment and the blower is inside. then take the blower to a hardware store for the match and it pops back in. any suggestions are greatly welcomed. thanks.
Would That Be Ace Hardware, Lowe’s, Or Home Depot? Let’s Find Out …
… The correct answer is … None of the above! That blower fan would have to come from a Jeep dealer (maybe “big bucks”) or an Auto Salvage yard. Sometimes just the blower resistor burns out and causes this “high only” condition. Sometimes a new resistor will burn out in short order if the blower moter is faulty. The car may need a resistor or a blower motor / fan and a resistor.
I will defer the headlight problem to somebody else.
I’d check the headlight relay for the light problem.
The one-speed blower probably needs a new resistor pack, rather than a new blower motor. I’d take the resistor to an auto parts store for a match-up, but I doubt a hardware store will have one.
thanks and i thought that was a weird place to buy a part. i am a female but not a dumb blond. is this something simple to do, i am inquiring because i would like to complete the repair. thanks.
Removing the blower resistor and replacing it is very simple. Reaching it, however, may be another matter.
The resistor is usually located very close to the blower motor, and mounted in the HVAC ductwork. One or two screw and two wires is all there is to it.
You may need to remove the glove compartment or other trim pieces to get at the resistor. I don’t know the precise location on this vehicle. I’d look up under the dashboard on the passenger side as a start.
If the blower motor runs fine on high, it’s doubtful that it’s bad—it’s probably the resistor. Some headlight switches have a built-in circuit breaker. When they get weak, you can experience symptoms like you’re having. Not sure if yours has the integrated breaker or not; I know older cars did. Check with a dealer or mechanic, but I think you may have a faulty switch.
Although This Sounds Logical, I Don’t Agree …
… You state, “If the blower motor runs fine on high, it’s doubtful that it’s bad—it’s probably the resistor.”
It could be only the resistor, but quite possibly not.
I am here to tell you that my wife’s car had a blower that ran fine on high only. The new dealer resistor lasted a short time, although did restore all speeds during its short life. The second one, same thing. Finally, a salvage yard (low miles, newer model year, blower) and another (warranty replacement factory) resistor was a permanent fix!
And NO nothing else was changed or disturbed. The proof is in the pudding. I’m glad it’s fixed. I am the one who wrestled all these things in and out. It was no harder than building a “ship-in-a-bottle”.
Dealer wanted:
$252 blower motor
$21.45 resistor
$110.40 labor
$383.85 total
DIY my cost:
$10 (salvage yard blower motor)(super yard!)
$21.45 dealer resistor (one time charge)
$8.55 12-pack Busch Lite
$40.00 total
Also, I doubt it is the switch.