NHTSA Complaint #10340846 — 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING

1. NORMAL USE OF FAN BLOWER WITH A/C OR HEATER IN A 2001 CHRYSLER SEBRING SEDAN LXI. 2. BLOWER BECOMES INOPERATIVE INTERMITTENTLY AT ALL SPEEDS WITH EITHER A/C OR HEATER ON. THE INTERMITTENT PART OF THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE MY WIFE BOUGHT THE CAR NEW. FAN BLOWER MOTOR WAS REPLACED TWICE, BLOWER RESISTOR BLOCK WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES. IN TROUBLESHOOTING THE PROBLEM, I FOUND THAT THE CONTACTS OF THE POWER WIRE FROM THE BLOWER FAN TO THE BLOWER RESISTOR AT THE RESISTOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR DEVELOPED A HIGH RESISTANCE THUS CAUSING THE CONTACTS TO OVERHEAT. THE CONTACTS OVERHEATED TO THE POINT OF MELTING BOTH SIDES THE CONNECTOR'S PLASTIC TOGETHER. IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE RESISTOR, I HAD TO BREAK THE PLASTIC OF THE RESISTOR CONNECTOR IN ORDER TO REMOVE IT. FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF A SMOKE TRAIL COMING FROM THE PIN 1 (POWER WIRE) SIDE OF THE CONNECTOR. SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE, I THOUGHT I DETECTED THE ODOR OF A BURNING ELECTRICAL COMPONENT. IF THE CONTACT HAD NOT CHANGED, THUS LOWERING THE RESISTANCE, A FIRE WOULD DEFINITELY RESULT. THE MELTED PLASTIC OF THE CONNECTOR ENDS LEADS ME TO SAY THAT A FIRE DID OCCUR. THE RESISTANCE WAS HIGH ENOUGH TO MELT THE PLASTIC, BUT NOT BLOW THE 30 AMP FUSE. 3. THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR BLOWER RESISTOR WAS CUT OFF. SINCE THERE ARE NO REPLACEMENT CONNECTORS AVAILABLE, I USED INSULATED FEMALE "SPADE" QUICK DISCONNECT TERMINALS CRIMPED TO EACH WIRE TO CONNECT THE BLOWER RESISTOR. A SMALL DAB OF RTV SILICON WAS APPLIED TO EACH TERMINAL TO HELP LOCK THEM IN PLACE. BEFORE REINSTALLING A NEW BLOWER RESISTOR, I ENLARGED THE HOLE TO THE AIR DUCT WHERE THE RESISTOR MOUNTS INTO. THE ORIGINAL HOLE CUT OUT FROM THE FACTORY WAS TOO SMALL FOR THE RESISTOR TO EASILY FIT INTO. THIS I FEEL CONTRIBUTES TO THE PROBLEM. I HAVE KEPT THE OLD PARTS AS EVIDENCE. *TR