PontiacBonnevilleClub.com

My wife called me on the way home from work and said the GXP wasn't
blowing any air in the cabin. I told her I would look at it when she got
home. In about 20 minutes she called in a panic, " There is smoke pouring
in the car from the vents and it stinks like burning rubber!!!!!!!"

I told her to pull over and I went to meet her. The blower is real easy
to access on the GXP. I saw that the housing was deformed and super hot,
so I just unplugged it and told her she could drive the car home, no problem.

Once home I removed the blower motor. It was melted badly. I have never seen
this happen to this extent. I checked my records and I had replaced that motor
in 07/2015. I purchased it from Rockauto. It was made by TYC and cost $40.

Now I normally NEVER buy the cheap parts. Currently Rockauto has 3 motors
for this application (no TYC anymore), one for $36, one for $51, and AC Delco
for $140. I can't figure out why I bought the cheap one before. I think it was because
it is so easy to change, literally takes five minutes, that I decided to roll the
dice..... BAD DECISION. The car could have caught on fire.

I shouldn't have made that mistake knowing I don't usually drive the car, as my wife left the
blower turned on even when it wouldn't spin.

Lesson Learned? NO CHEAP PARTS, even if they are easy and fast to replace.

Hindsight is always 20/20. Likely that the windings shorted out. Although, not real common, it could have happened with any motor. Be sure to check for any obstruction that could have prevented the motor from turning. Glad that it worked out okay.

I spend a lot of money maintaining my vehicles because I virtually never buy anything other than OEM parts. I have some confidence in knowing parts meet GM's spec versus others that are made who knows where, by who knows who. GM specs don't always mean bullet proof by any stretch, and there are certainly (some) parts in the aftermarket that are much better quality. I write this post as a "general" statement.

And you didnt get a picture for us????

I should have taken a photo of the melted motor. The plastic
squirrel cage center shaft was melted and it was cocked at an angle
with the motor metal shaft poking through the side of it.

The new Delco motor actually has 3 little metal balancing clips crimped
to the squirrel cage in different places. You get what you pay for.