Why Dashboard Air Vents Not Working? (Cause and Fix)

You’re going out to take a pleasant drive with your closest person, but you noticed that your dashboard air vents wouldn’t work. 

Isn’t it a frustrating and worse scenario? Yes, It is! Because Dashboard Air vents allow you to enjoy a comfortable drive with an optimum ventilation system during winter as well as in the summer.

It helps to keep the car environment warmer in the winter and as opposed in the hot summer. So, If there are any defects, it’ll ruin your pleasant driving experience.

Now, You might think why dashboard air vents not working? In this article, I’ll explain the behind the scenes of this problem and a few possible fixes. That will help you detect the problem and take further steps to solve the issue.

What is the purpose of Dashboard Air Vents?

The purpose of Dashboard Air Vents is to provide a better breathing environment in the car.

It’s the part of the car’s HVAC system that ensures the free flow of air by pulling air from the outside and re-circulating the air without opening a window.

On the front side of the car, there is a large duct that creates high pressure and the air is forced to in when moving the vehicle.

Then, It travels to the heater if needed, and air enters through vents and front foot-wells on the dashboard.

How will I know Dashboard Air Vents Not Working?

The major sign of the Dashboard Air Vents problem is that the climate control system won’t work properly, which means it failed to keep you warm in winter and cool on hot summer days.

Also, You’ll notice that airflow reduces or completely stops through the vents. You’ll smell some odor coming from the dash vents, which means there is a problem.

Why Dashboard Air Vents Not Working? 

Here are a few possible causes why Dashboard air vents are not working. 

Blown fuse:

Like other components of your vehicle, the ventilation system has a fuse that protects it from overcurrent.

You’ll notice that your car dashboard air vents won’t work properly If the ventilation system’s fuse blows. Because, Your car air vents don’t get any power from the circuit.

Bad relay:

This is also one of the main reasons why Dashboard Air Vents don’t work. It takes a small current but provides a larger output which the ventilation system requires for proper functioning. If the relay failed to get power, the vents failed to operate the blower motor. 

Note: If you don’t see the AC compressor cycling or hear, that indicates that the fuse and relay aren’t functioning properly.

Damaged blower motor and resistor:

Blower motor allows the air to go through the vents in your car. You can compare the motor with a home fan and a leaf blower.

A blower motor can be damaged or die due to electrical problems and for other reasons. That means hot and cool air won’t flow through the ventilation system when you turn on the air vents. 

Also, The blower resistor might be the cause of this problem. It helps to control the speed of air flows by providing instruction. It limits the blower motor’s output, which means you only get as much air as you want.

But, The blower resistor defect might affect airflow, and the car heater isn’t functioning properly.

Jammed or Clogged Air Intake:

Another possible reason for this problem is an air intake gets jammed or clogged. A car comes with two kinds of air intakes: fresh and recirculated, where one allows airflow from outside and the other from inside to outside.

If one of them is completely or partially jammed, the dashboard air vents venting system can’t operate fully. 

Dirty Cabin Filter:

Most cars come with a cabin filter that cleans the air before coming into the vent. If it gets blocked or jammed, you’ll notice that the airflow slows down or sometimes stops through the vent. It might happen for irregular vehicle maintenance. 

Hose Issue: Plenty of hoses are used to work a dashboard air vent system. But, Any type of insecure attachment or clogs affects its ability.

How To Fix A Dashboard Air Vents That’s Not Working? 

Here are a few possible fixes of Dashboard Air Vents problems.

Easy Fix For Blown Fuse and Bad Relay:

If the fuse is blown, then you need to replace it for taking up the system online. Usually, You’ll get the fuse box in your vehicle engine bay. Also, Sometimes it is located low on your dashboard or kick panel.

Just like a blown fuse, If you find a problem in the relay, you need to change the relay to solve the problem.

Easy Fix For Damaged blower motor and resistor:

It’s a technical part. So, If you find any problem in your blower motor and resistor, you need to take it into the mechanic’s shop to fix or replace the motor. Here is how you can check whether the blower motor has any problem. 

You need an amp meter to do the task. First, Connect the motor’s power wire with the amp meter and set it to run at full speed. If there isn’t any fault in the motor, the amp read between 8 to 15 amps. The lower and higher number than 8 and 15 indicate the faulty motor.

Easy Fix For Air Intake Issue:

You need to carefully clean the air intake to solve the issue. You can find the air intake in your vehicle at the windshield base and footwell of the passenger seat. After removing all the blockage, you’ll notice a quick performance improvement in the ventilation system.

Easy Fix For Cabin Filter Issue:

You need to clean the dust and debris from the cabin filter to fix the issue. 

Generally, the Cabin filter is located under the bonnet or passenger’s seat, depending on the car model. First, Take a screwdriver and unmount the mounting screws that hold those.

Then, remove it from its housing and clean the dust, but it’s better to replace the air filter to avoid such a problem for a longer period.

Easy Fix For Cabin Filter Issue:

To solve this, Find out the torn hose and reconnect it properly.

Conclusion

Dashboard Air Vents are important for a pleasant drive which might provide you with an uncomfortable feel for any kind of issue.

The above guide might help you identify the possible cause of why Dashboard Air Vents not working and few possible fixes.

But, Always try to maintain and clean the Air Vents parts of your car to avoid blocked and jammed issues.

Happy Driving!

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