My blower for the HVAC system started making a terrible noise yesterday. Its sounds like its fluttering, but it does it only on high, and occasionally on the 3 setting as well. I've popped out the 3 screws holding the motor assem under the pass side dash and it feels like and sounds like a bad bearing or something is stuck in it. But I can't get it out from under the dash to look. Theres not enough room.

Is there a trick to this? or am I screwed and going to have to dismantle the entire dash to get this stupid thing out?

Please help, its cold here still and I need this thing to work...

 

so is it still blowing air out of the vents. i just had my 07 in and they had to replace the blend door actuator. what temp setting does it do it at? the service writer and i noticed it when i set the temp to the middle between hot and cold.

 

hot and cold work, and I get air coming out at all 4 speeds of all the proper places. But when I turn it up to 4 (highest) it sounds like its flapping, or sort of like the fan itself is slipping in the motor. Makes a loud very rapid "flapping" noise.

I've dropped it down from the venting but can't get it out. When I hold it in my hand and turn it on to highest it vibrates like the fan is out of balance or something, push that vibration up to the plastic HVAC system and it turns into a nice loud noise.

 

I had this problem, lucky for you its an easy fix, do it yourself its easy, your plastic squirrel cage is likely rounded out at the hub, there are 3 - 5/16's screws that hold it up under the dash on the passenger side, pull it down and out, yes there is space and it will drop down. the plastic wheel is about 25 bucks at the dealer.

 

Blower Wheel Part number is 2c3z-19834-AA

 

Got it!

I just cut a chunk ot the insulating foam out from under neath the blower and it dropped right out. Turns out the plastic fan piece was cracked and when the motor spun on high there was too much wind resistance and the plastic piece was spinning on the shaft, making the noise.

Picked up a new motor and fan assembly at the wreckers for $60, popped it right back in, stuck the piece of insulation back down, covered it with the carpet and viola! its fixed.

Now if only I knew why it cracked....

 

its just a design flaw, your motor is probably good so hang on to it, i use my air constantly and if you do as well, you can count on changing that plastic wheel every 4-5 years, fortunately its easy and cheap! pat yourself on the back for saving a buck!

 

Thank you for your posts. My blower started making a weird ticking/flapping/knocking sound yesterday. I looked it up on this forum, and replaced it today. I though I would be able to do so without cutting into the floor insulation as one poster had previously referenced but was unable to. Luckily, the place that was cut is out of sight. Do not lose the small round retainer which holds the white fan assembly on the motor, it is a 12 dollar part.
Thanks to all again,
joe

PS I went back and added a photo, titled as follows
2004 ford F150 2 wheel drive supercab, 4.6 liter engine blower motor fan assembly

One last thing, you don't have to, but for me it helped, (let some additional light in), I took out the glove box, two small screws, (9/32), at the bottom panel and it pops right out.

 

Wonder if this is what just happened to mine? 2000 Expedition w/automatic AC controls. Get in today and sounds like a leaf is hitting the fan, just a really big leaf! so I crank it to high and the whole dash starts vibrating! I think I saw a few white specks fly out of a vent. I suspect the whole blower motor, but could it be just the fan? Is it as easy to drop out as this thread suggests it was for the F150?

Well I just dropped the motor, wanted to confirm motor or fan was making noise. There was a mouse(?) nest in the squirl cage, full of soft white cotton looking materiel & some grass. Reached up around inside to see if I felt anything else that could have been hitting, and didn't feel anything. Dumped it out, pluged it back in to test, and no noise! Violia! So not only saved money on parts, I saved on labor too! took about an hour or so to get all the screws out (firewall was a bugger) and 15min to figure out how to drop it, I too had to cut the insulation, and still had to fanagle it to get it down. But still worth it!

But looking at these threads I hope my blen door doesn't break! I'm not up to that DIY fix [and hope that remark didn't just jinx me!]

 

Thanks for the info on that I just got done fixing the blower motor on my F150. Took me awhile but it was easy after reading the whole artical.