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How much does it cost to replace a car blower motor?
Is it expensive to fix a blower motor in a car? I live in Alaska and my car's heater is integral to my comfort in the winter. Unfortunately, it stopped blowing air out of nowhere.
“A new car blower motor costs about $50 to $100 for the part and $80 to $100 in labor. Add it up and you’re looking at a total charge of $130 to $200 for a new car blower motor.
Definitely seems worth it if you live in Alaska!
Keep in mind that your car blower motor may be covered by your extended warranty. So if you have one, it’s worth checking.
And if your car is older and you’re worried about it breaking down, it may be worth getting a roadside assistance membership. Jerry partners with Urgently to provide roadside assistance, including jumpstarts, lockout service, key replacement, and towing for only $6.99 a month.”
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
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Air conditioner blower diagram / Source: U.S. Department of Energy
If you suspect your AC blower motor has gone bad, you probably want to know what the cost to fix it will be. Replacing an air conditioner blower motor in Florida can cost anywhere from $499 to $1875.
More specifically, your exact blower motor replacement cost depends on the following factors:
- Motor speed
- AC size
- OEM vs. aftermarket parts
- Labor costs
Before we dive into the cost factors, we’ll first go over what a blower motor is, common problems it could have, and how to know if you need a replacement.
Want to know exactly how much your blower motor replacement will cost? Contact Advanced Air for an AC repair estimate.
What is a blower motor?
An air conditioner’s blower motor
An AC blower motor is a component in your indoor air conditioning unit that pulls warm air into your system, pushes that air over your evaporator coils to cool it, and blows the cooled air back into your home.
Keep in mind that your heating system (i.e., your furnace) uses the same blower motor as your air conditioner. Why is this important to remember? Blower motor problems impact both your cooling and heating systems, which we’ll discuss below.
Common blower motor problems
Grimy blower motor
Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever. At some point, you may experience problems with your blower motor, such as:
- Low voltage to the electric motor
- Loose or broken electric motor wire hook-up
- Bad electric motor control switch or sensor
- Faulty electric motor starting capacitor
- Worn or seized motor bearings
- A noisy blower or blower running below normal speed
- A dirty blower motor or wheel
Blower motor problems impact your air conditioner’s ability to cool your home. Because your AC and furnace share a motor blower, the above issues could also impact your furnace’s ability to warm your home.
Not sure if you need a replacement? Look out for these red flags that there’s an intensive problem with your blower motor:
- Higher energy bills
- Poor airflow coming out of your vents
- Frozen evaporator coils
If you have a blower motor problem, you’ll want to contact an HVAC professional for help to diagnose the issue and safely fix it.
Factors that determine the cost of replacing an AC blower motor
Now to the main event: figuring out how much a new AC motor will cost you. Again, your final bill depends on the following four factors.
1. Motor speed
The type of motor you currently have determines how expensive your new motor will be. Motors come in three different speeds:
- Single-speed: Works at only one speed (HIGH), making temperatures less precise than systems with motors with more than one speed
- Multi-speed: Works at up to three speeds (LOW, MEDIUM, and HIGH)
- Variable-speed: Works at unlimited speeds and changes speeds based on your home’s cooling needs
The more speeds your motor has, the more expensive it will be as they have more precision.
And, your replacement motor must be the same type as your current motor. Otherwise, it will be incompatible with your system and cause your AC to run inefficiently or break down. If you want to upgrade or downgrade your motor speed, you need an entire AC system replacement.
2. AC size
Another factor determining your blower motor replacement cost is how big your air conditioning system is. Your AC’s size determines how much cold air circulates your home in a set time and what size blower motor you need to get the job done.
Air conditioner sizes are either measured in British Thermal Units (BTUs) or tons. Here are some facts to know about AC sizes:
- 1 ton of cooling = 12,000 BTUs
- ACs can be between 1 - 5 tons, or 12,000 - 60,000 BTUs
The bigger your AC is, the more expensive your blower motor replacement is.
Want to know what size AC you have now? You can find your AC size on a sticker on your outside unit. If the sticker isn't legible, contact the contractor that installed your air conditioner.
3. OEM vs. Aftermarket parts
If you use original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or aftermarket (non-OEM) parts, the cost to replace the blower motor will change.
OEM parts come straight from the company that made your AC unit, and the manufacturer designed them for compatibility with your system. Aftermarket parts come from a different parts company so that they can be compatible with several different makes.
Original equipment manufacturer parts are generally more expensive than aftermarket parts. Think of it in terms of brand-name (OEM) versus generic (aftermarket) products. You’ll pay more for brand-name products than generic ones.
Heads up! Make sure you know what kind of parts your contractor uses when replacing your blower motor. If you still have an AC warranty on parts, know that using anything other than original equipment manufacturer parts could void your warranty, which may cost you more in other repairs down the line.
4. Labor costs
In addition to the cost of the piece itself, also consider your labor-related expenses to install the new blower.
Some installation costs that could increase how much you pay for a blower motor replacement include:
- Professional you hire: Choosing a licensed, insured, and experienced professional generally costs more than hiring a newer contractor who is not licensed or insured. But, choosing an experienced HVAC professional with solid reviews and the necessary credentials can help you avoid incorrect installation issues (and more costs down the road).
- Time of year: If you need a replacement during peak season, like summertime, contractors may charge more due to high demand than if you scheduled a replacement in the off-season.
- Motor blower location: If your blower is in a hard-to-reach spot, you might have a higher labor cost because it will take longer for the technician to access and replace the motor.
- Other motor-related problems: Your technician could find another issue connected to your blower motor that needs repair, which could raise the cost.
Contact the pros at Advanced Air for a blower motor replacement.
Advanced Air AC technicians are ready to help you replace your blower motor.
When you’re ready to schedule an AC repair in Southwest Florida, trust the HVAC professionals at Advanced Air. We’ll get you an accurate blower motor replacement cost and go over financing options before any work begins.
Want to learn more about our 5-star service? Just look at any of our 5-star reviews!