Air conditioning issue - fan won't blow (usually)

[jcollum682]

My partner is currently the primary driver of my 2008 Yaris 4 door sedan with manual transmission (261k miles).

Starting 2-3 years ago, when I was still the primary driver, the fan would blow normally any time the car was running, but would only blow COLD if I was driving, blowing warm during idle.

My partner stated the blower stopped working completely around November. But, if he was, for example, on the highway, warm air would passively come into the cabin.

About a month and a half ago I replaced the engine air filter and the AC blower magically started working again. But then it stopped again. A few days ago I also replaced the cabin air filter, and didn't notice any problems. The filter was very dirty but there wasn't any debris stuck in it etc.

If you crank the dial up to 4, the fan will make noise like it wants to blow; partner described it as "a very rapid clicking". Very quiet. Today is a good day - he says it is blowing at about 70% of normal. When it does manage to blow, the air that comes out seems to be cold (if he's driving - still warm on idle).

A friend who knows cars said "You might also have a loose AC compressor clutch wire you jostled back in place when changing the engine filter". I'm very novice at car stuff. Can someone tell/show me where this wire is so I can try jostling it again? lol

And/or, any other ideas on what I should try?

Additional info - This car has a lot of problems. The dash is always lit up like a Christmas tree. Mentioning these in case they are somehow related to the AC problem in a way I don't realize:

- Last I checked was throwing codes P0171, P0420, P0441. Have had multiple holes in the muffler welded.
- Goes through oil quickly. Oil gets into at least one of the spark plugs regularly, and that one has to be replaced about every 6 months. Multiple mechanics have failed to solve this issue.
- Alternator replaced January 2022.
- Ever since I bought the car (brand new, 4 miles) it's had issues with corrosion on the battery terminals. In March 2025 we started spray painting the terminals (advice from AutoZone) and that has helped. But there are still intermittent issues. Currently the battery light flickers at the high end of second gear consistently, and sometimes at the high end of 3rd and 4th.
- New starter January 2026.
- Occasional power steering issues.