Blower motor not matching what fan speed dial says

5074 Views 8 Replies 6 Participants Last post by PanJet, Oct 23, 2013

Bman2000

Discussion Starter · Oct 23, 2013

Hi, new here but just encountered a problem with the car this i figured was the best way to start. I have a 2011 cruze lt auto 1.4t So heres the issue. When you first start up the car, the defrost button is on, and the fan speed is on 1. But when you start the car the blower is very loud, when i switch the switch to 2 it quiets down. Come to find out, when i match the noise to the speed on the dial it is a match to speed 3, so basically every time i start the car that way it is on speed 3 even though it says 1 on the dial. Chevy originally told me that was normal and that after heating up it would go back to the number on the dial(i do not have climate control) So i tested that theory, i drove over 50 miles no change always speed 3 with the dial on 1. So i bring it it they look at it and tell me its normal still, only now once ive started the car and reset it to where it works normal(ie the blower switch matches the fan speed) I can make it go crazy again just by switching from vent and then back to defrost(with dial on speed 1) When it moves back to defrost fan speed goes up to sound level of three again and will not slow down until i move the knob.
So when they told me a second time it was still normal, i went out to a 2012 model, and tried that and it worked fine. So they kept it another day. Long story short ish...Turns out the GM tech department claims this is considered a normal characteristic for "some" of the 2011 cruze models and they have determined that it is not an issue and will not do warranty work on it. Even though it is clearly not working right, they say it does not affect the running or reliability of the car and there for not needing repair. or something along that line...

So here is why i am here. I am first trying to see if anyone else has this issue, and get a count. I am also trying to figure out where to go from here, because i am not ok with something not working the way it is designed and then being blown off like there is no issue at all. I bought the car when it was brand new because i no longer wanted to work on my own cars, and here i am fighting with gm over a car that is under full warranty. needless to say im irritated. So please do chime in.

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jblackburn

· #2 · Oct 23, 2013

Hmm. Does this happen on only defrost or also on other vent settings?

I have had several cars that would automatically ramp up the blower speed on defrost to quickly clear the windshield of fog. Any other vent setting, they would automatically do what the fan speed control said.

I can't recall if the [2012] Cruze does that or not, but could check for you tomorrow.

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Bman2000

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 23, 2013

i honestly havnt really checked the other settings, mainly because this is where it stays on defrost most of the time. Ive had cars that ramp it up on thier own too, only they were all climate controlled cars. this one is not, altho i hear the ltz is. That being said, this wouldnt be an issue at all if chevy hadnt designed it to lower fan speed when switching from vent to defrost(for what i can only assume is to reduce the stress on the flapper) Because when its working say speed 3 on vent it lowers to a whisper when you switch to defrost then back up to 3. I havnt tried yet to see if i put it on 4 if it would maintain 4 or go down to 3. Honestly this is my wifes car, so i havnt messed with it too much until recently.

Also, the 2012 lt in thier lot i tested did not do it at all. It worked as i expected a normal system too work. What gets me going is the fact that chevy basically says its an issue that is only on some of the 2011s but not all, and that they arent fixing it. That was direct from GM tech. So they know its not designed that way.

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Merc6

· #4 · Oct 23, 2013

My 13 stays the same setting as the 6 speed dial says, no clue for the acc equipped Cruze.

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Bman2000

Discussion Starter · #5 · Oct 23, 2013

I think I figured out why they are saying they won't cover it. The bumper to bumper claims it cover defects in materials and workmanship. But when you look at the legal definition of material defect it says this. So basically what they are telling me is it's not working right but the bulk of the system is working so we don't need to fix it. What a bunch of crap. I know it seems small but would anyone else consider this blower motor issue small? From the perspective of constantly having to adjust the knob to get it to work right, adding not only annoyance but wear and tear on the knob from more fruquent use and on the blower motor if not adjusted down? Maybe I'm just being a pain...

According to 15 USCS § 6602 (4), [Title 15. Commerce and Trade; Chapter 92. Year 2000 Computer Date Change] the term material defect means “a defect in any item, whether tangible or intangible, or in the provision of a service, that substantially prevents the item or service from operating or functioning as designed or according to its specifications. The term "material defect" does not include a defect that--

(A) has an insignificant or de minimis effect on the operation or functioning of an item or computer program;

(B) affects only a component of an item or program that, as a whole, substantially operates or functions as designed; or

(C) has an insignificant or de minimis effect on the efficacy of the service provided.”

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Merc6

· #6 · Oct 23, 2013

A member here (H377ON3ARTH IIRC) converted his to the 13 and up 6 speed fan setting, maybe he can chime in to say if he had this issue before and after the swap.

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H3LLON3ARTH

· #7 · Oct 23, 2013

Merc6 said:
A member here (H377ON3ARTH IIRC) converted his to the 13 and up 6 speed fan setting, maybe he can chime in to say if he had this issue before and after the swap.

Didn't work because Chevrolet won't put program a 2013 Vin to it to make it work.

Sent From My Galaxy Note 3.
Which is bigger than my hand.

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Vetterin

· #8 · Oct 23, 2013

Well mine does it too but only when it's on front window defrost and it's extremely cold outside. If I switch to defrost and heat or any other setting it behaves as normal. Once the car warms up everything is good. I almost wonder if it has something to do with the outside temperature sensor but it doesn't bother me any so I really don't care.

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PanJet

· #9 · Oct 23, 2013

Another 2011 here. Mine does it too, but I have assumed it is supposed to, and it doesn't bother me. If you put it on defrost and it is cold out, it'll ramp up to fan setting 3 automatically, but if you turn the fan speed dial after setting defrost, it'll override it.

Another nice feature is that if your fan is set higher than 2, if your activate your handsfree (phone via Bluetooth or OnStar), it automatically dials back the fan to 2 unless you override it.

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