So I'm driving along normally at about 60, A/C in auto- economy mode. I start to smell that vague burning electrical/plastic smell. I notice it for a few minutes. About the time I'm really starting to notice it and wonder if it could possibly be coming from a car in front of me on the road, smoke starts coming out the vents. Side vents only, as it's cold where I am. (presumably some was coming out the floor vents too) I panic momentarily but then I switch the A/C to off and the smoke stops.

I keep driving, wait a few minutes and cautiously turn the fan on and a smaller volume of smoke comes out. Could be smoke left in there - not sure. So I shut the blower off and drive the rest of the way home, about 45 minutes. I put the car in the garage and turn the key on without starting it, and run the blower with the A/C controls. It works in high, it works in low, and it seems to adjust speeds with the auto control. I did not want to run it for an extended length of time to see if it would start to smoke again, as I already have that smell imbedded in the ducting, I think, and I didn't really want to start a fire. The only non normal symptom at that point was that when I had the fan on high, it would run on high for several seconds, then slow down as if it was being switched to 3/4 speed or something for a few seconds, then speed back up. It did this a few times, with the fan on high, not auto.

Any thoughts as to whether this is my blower motor going south, or the resistor, or?

Appreciate any help. It's getting cold in MD and I don't want to live without heat for very long!

TIA,
Chris W.
'95 E300D