Pontiac Repair: 2005 Pontiac Sunfire - Bad Vibration

Question
QUESTION: Todd,

My wife was sitting in her car with it idling and the heater on when suddenly it started vibrating violently, apparently from the engine. When she turned off the heater it either stopped or lessened drastically. She took it for a drive and as soon as she turns on the heater it begins vibrating and shaking again. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Curt

ANSWER: Hi curt;

something got sucked into the blower motor and it is thrown the balance off on the impeller on the blower motor. it could be anything from a critter that wound up in ther to a bunch of leaves. it is going to have to be take out of the heater box and see what got stuck in the motor. good luck :-)


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Todd,

Thanks for answering so quickly. Could something in the blower motor make the whole car shake violently? I wasn't in the car but I happened to be on the phone with her at the time and it was very loud and she said the whole car was shaking. Based on the sound and what she was saying I really thought it was the engine or transmission or something more major than a little blower motor in the dash. However, I do appreciate your advice and will take a look at the blower motor when I get home. Thanks again!

Curt

Answer
my first idea is still that just an idea the only other factor in this could be the a/c. if the HVAc is placed in any a/c modes or  defroster the compressors runs and could caus a noise or vibration if you put the mode on heater or vent if the vibration goes away it's with the a/c compressor. if it's still there in vent or heater it's the blower motor if it goes away when the hvac it turned off that is what the issue is. with out seeing feeling or hearing it it's just a guess based on what you told me.