VehicleShows up, but not every week

End-of-life car

Also called junkyard car, automotive donor.

The richest 12 V parts bin: ISO relays, blower motors, window motors, wiper motors with a park switch, speakers, fuses. Airbags and orange high-voltage cables are not on the list.

A donor is the dead machine. The parts below are what is still worth removing from it. “Leave it” is a part that is physically in there and should stay in there: too dangerous, too worn, or only useful as part of a repair you are not doing.

What you are looking at

A scrapped machine is a box of parts that failed at different times. The reason it was thrown out is often one bad piece. The motor, the cord, the supply, and the screws are frequently still good. This index says which is which.

Why it is in the trash while the parts are not

The car was done. The accessories usually were not.

Before you open it

Do this while it is still unplugged, cool, and not leaking. Disconnect the battery negative first, and still do not probe yellow connectors. Orange cables on hybrids and EVs are a separate, lethal system. Do not cut them.

Where the dead machine usually is

End-of-life vehicle — Yard

A yard that allows you to pull parts. Bring tools. Leave the airbag modules where they are.

How it comes apart

Relays are in the fuse box, already a catalog. The blower is behind the glovebox on many cars. Window motors are inside the door.

Tools: Socket set, Trim tools, Meter.

What to take

The table is the short version. The notes under it describe that part inside this machine, not only the general description.

Parts in this donor
Part	Call	How many	How often	Where to look
Automotive ISO relay	Prize	several	always	Fuse and relay box.
Fuse	Worth pulling	a row	always	The same box.
Brushed DC motor	Prize	several	usually	Blower, windows, wipers, seats.
Small pump	Bonus	1	usually	Washer bottle.
Speaker driver	Worth pulling	2–8	usually	Doors and deck.
Panel switch	Worth pulling	several	usually	Dash and doors.
Indicator LED	Bonus	several	usually	Later cars.
Power relay / contactor	Leave it	modules	always	Airbag control, pretensioners.

Prize

Prize — take this firstAutomotive ISO relayseveral · always
ISO cube, 12 V coil, 30 or 40 A. Pin numbers molded in the socket.
Fuse and relay box.
They pull straight out.
Good.
Prize — take this firstBrushed DC motorseveral · usually
12 V, high current. Wiper motors include a park switch so they know where 'down' is.
Blower, windows, wipers, seats.
Unbolt. The blower resistor pack is a separate, hot, useful part.
Good.

Worth pulling

Worth pullingFusea row · always
Blade fuses. The number is the rating.
The same box.
Do not replace a blown one with a larger one to 'test'.
Good.
Worth pullingSpeaker driver2–8 · usually
4 Ω is typical. The stamp is on the magnet.
Doors and deck.
The screws are usually Torx.
Cones get wet and rot.
Worth pullingPanel switchseveral · usually
12 V, lighted.
Dash and doors.
The lamp is often a small wedge bulb or an LED.
Good.

Bonus

Bonus, if you are already in thereSmall pump1 · usually
12 V centrifugal.
Washer bottle.
It hates being dry.
Good.
Bonus, if you are already in thereIndicator LEDseveral · usually
Or wedge bulbs, which are not LEDs but are still lamps.
Later cars.
Note the base.
Good.

Leave it

Leave it — present, not yours to reusePower relay / contactormodules · always
Yellow connectors. Pyrotechnics.
Airbag control, pretensioners.
Do not take them.
Not parts.