Blower motor maybe, but code B1421?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by GreenMeanie, Jan 25, 2026 at 11:44 PM.

  1. GreenMeanie

    GreenMeanie Junior Member

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    My 2006 with 113k is not putting out any air from the vents at all. Neither heat nor cold nor defrost. It was making strange sounds a couple of weeks ago, and now I realize that nothing at all is coming out, no matter what the temperature is set to. Code B1421 comes up, but it says that's to do with the sun sensor. To me, it seems like the blower won't blow anything. Not sure how that has anything to do with the sun sensor. Thoughts?
     
  2. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Two different things. You have some problem with your blower and no code for it (that's not shocking, even modern cars with obd still can have things go wrong that don't set codes), and, unrelated to that, you have B1421.

    B1421 isn't quite any 'trouble' code really, just a tool for you to know whether the dash solar sensor works. If you have B1421 in the dark or the shade, and you don't have it in bright sun, the sensor works.
     
  3. GreenMeanie

    GreenMeanie Junior Member

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    Yeah, I was wondering if the blower motor would actually throw a code. But does it sound to you like the blower motor is the problem? Figuring out where to go from here. I'm not going to worry about the sensor, since it threw that code before and it never gave me a problem up until this blower motor thing.
     
  4. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    I'm pretty sure if you take it the glove box and then peer in through the recirc air inlet, or pop out the cabin filter and peer in that slot, you can see if the blower is turning.

    If it isn't (and you have things set so it should be), you may also be able to give it a little nudge (watch your fingers) and see if that starts it.
     
  5. pasadena_commut

    pasadena_commut Senior Member

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    I think maybe giving it a nudge with the car completely turned off, to see if it spins OK, would be the place to start. If it won't go around by itself for a turn or two after a push the lubrication on the bearing is gone or there is something in there jamming it up. The latter can be fixed, but the former is pretty much a death sentence for the blower. If there are leaves or twigs in there it will often make a sort of periodic crunching noise while it tries to turn. If it spins easily then pull off the external wiring and test the internal wiring with an ohmmeter, there might be a short or open. The next step is usually to see if applying 12V to it will make it run - but only if the blower is designed for that, some expect PWM or other inputs. I don't know what the Prius blower wants.

    Little computer DC fans can often be resuscitated for a while by lubricating them - ones that wouldn't start by themselves will once again. That often doesn't work with larger DC blowers, where access to the bearings to apply the lubricant may not even be possible. Example - the HV pack blower's plastic impeller is permanently mounted to the motor shaft. It is possible to get the case over the motor off the back, providing access to the back bearing, but I have never found a way to reach the front one because that impeller is in the way. If this blower's impeller can be removed, then maybe it can be lubricated.