I posted this earlier but didn't have great pictures. I am trying to remove the Blower Motor Resistor on my '04 Grand Prix. The location and screws are apparently a little different from the '03 and earlier models (which are easier) because they face more forward I believe and you can remove the screws with a nut driver. I can't for the life of me figure it out. I have tried every size allen wrench that fits in the "screw" and a few small flat head screw drivers as well. I even tried to just pry the screws out (which is why they look scratched up) but there is no give at all. On the '04, it is located at the very back under the passenger dash, facing straight down. Pretty much touching the firewall and the floor. Almost no room at all to get a tool of any good size in there, certainly not my head to get a good look at the screws. My phone can barely get back there at all to take a picture.
I'd really like to get this pulled out without taking it to a shop, so any suggestions would be much appreciated!
I posted this earlier but didn't have great pictures. I am trying to remove the Blower Motor Resistor on my '04 Grand Prix. The location and screws are apparently a little different from the '03 and earlier models (which are easier) because they face more forward I believe and you can remove the screws with a nut driver. I can't for the life of me figure it out. I have tried every size allen wrench that fits in the "screw" and a few small flat head screw drivers as well. I even tried to just pry the screws out (which is why they look scratched up) but there is no give at all. On the '04, it is located at the very back under the passenger dash, facing straight down. Pretty much touching the firewall and the floor. Almost no room at all to get a tool of any good size in there, certainly not my head to get a good look at the screws. My phone can barely get back there at all to take a picture.
I'd really like to get this pulled out without taking it to a shop, so any suggestions would be much appreciated!

Well, the brain is a little foggy this morning.....but, if I remember correctly, there are 3-5.5mm screws holding the resistor block/hi speed relay....looks like you got two out......the third one is hidden in the back and is not easy to get to, have to move the carpet to see it.....

I have not removed any screws, nor are there any obvious screws to remove. Those black tabs in the pictures that I've clearly been trying to pry off are some kind of screw tabs. Unfortunately I think my only option is to dremel them out or try to break the tabs.

If you look at your picture, there are two holes with swirls in them.....that'* where two of the screws were.....I don't know if you are the original owner, and someone else removed those two screws in the past......see the gold colored screw with the big washer holding the blower motor up?

That screw, without the washer, is what is usually holding the resistor block in place(5.5mm)......if you pull down the carpet/under carpet in the back of the resistor block at the firewall, you will find the 3rd gold colored screw.....

Unfortunately there are no screws holding this in. The original unit comes held in with special 1 time use rivets. Replacements would be screwed in.


So after scrounging the net and trying several options, I finally came to this information from a GM instruction manual about removing the Control Module (resistor in the '04s).
Disconnect the electrical connector from the blower control module. Remove the two heat stakes from the blower control module using a small chisel. Remove the blower control module.
It turns out that drilling these "heat stakes" out a correct method for removal. They are 1 time use connectors which have to be destroyed to be removed. Very stupid design.
I do not have a drill that could fit there so I followed these instructions. Using a flat head screwdriver and a hammer, I was able to very easily chisel off the top of the heat stakes with immediately freed the resistor. Afterwards you very easily can screw it back in (or a new one) using the actual screw holes.

This car just never wants to be fixed, I swear. Now that I have the replacement resistor in and working, the heat isnt regulating. I am not getting any hot air. The blower works on all speeds, and as I adjust the temp it gets colder and "warmer" but even after half an hour of highway driving it doesn't get hot at all. I can get a more accurate temperature reading tomorrow.

It seems ridiculous to me that something else went bad at the exact same time as the resistor (which definitely failed due to corrosion). Is it possible I did something under the dashboard while working on the resistor?

This a manual system or auto system? Dual system?

You have an electrical actuator that controls the temp......either control head or actuator.....the gears in those actuators are known to be problems.....can remove the actuator, and manually move the temp door to verify the door is not the problem...

I don't think you had a resistor block, you had a blower module...

After reading your comment I used a 1/4 inch wood chisel to to cut off the tops of the rivets. Thank you for finding that information. It still wasn't any fun, I used 3/4 number 8 size screws with a hex head to remount the resistor.

Been almost 8 years.

Glad this thread could help you on your project!

Thread closed.