Heat/Fan blower problem

SuperTrooper · 12-20-2008, 08:47 PM

Hi guys,

I have a 97 328i and a few days ago the fan stopped blowing out air. The console works just fine I can adjust fan speeds, temperate, back window defrost ect.. but no air blows out of the vents. Any suggestions? Oh yeah the only thing keeping me warm in the car is the seat warmers, other then that I'm freezing my nuts off lol.

Eurostyle · 12-20-2008, 11:53 PM

Can you hear the fan working at all?? Or is just air not coming in? My first guess would be the blower motor...

the bachelor · 12-21-2008, 08:08 AM

Same thing happened to me recently and it was the blower motor. Eurostyle hooked me up with a used one and I now have heat

so contact him and maybe he still has one available. Installation isnt the easiest but not the hardest either. The net has detailed step by step procedures with pics or Eurostyle could do it for you at a great rate.

herbalizer · 12-22-2008, 10:30 PM

This may be the heater blower resistor. did you experience a period of time when it would go on and off ? I went through this a while back, replace the blower motor and it was actually the resistor....

Eurostyle · 12-23-2008, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herbalizer

This may be the heater blower resistor. did you experience a period of time when it would go on and off ? I went through this a while back, replace the blower motor and it was actually the resistor....

Not in this case, if the resistor pack is bad (or even removed from the car) the blower still works on 4 (or full)....

SuperTrooper · 12-23-2008, 04:03 PM

I appreciate the feedback guys, yeah I was hoping it was just the resistor but like eurostyle mentioned the fan would blow air on 4 and high, in my case it doesn't blow any air on any speed setting. I'm thinking maybe the blower needs to be cleaned, I'll take it into my mechanic and have him take it apart and see.

lvan · 12-23-2008, 05:17 PM

How hard would be to replace the resistor? My only work on 4 as well.

Eurostyle · 12-23-2008, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lvan

How hard would be to replace the resistor? My only work on 4 as well.

10-15min at the most...Takes longer to get to it, then to replace it! Take plastic cover off (under steering wheel), unplug resistor pack (its on the side of the heater box, pull it out (or unboldt if 96up), put new one in, and thats it

lvan · 12-24-2008, 12:40 AM

Beauty. lol I want to fix it beacuse my car has AC when motorblower is working. Also to replace those bulbs for AC control is easy I guess?

herbalizer · 01-03-2009, 04:10 PM

If you want to be 100% sure, get a volt meter, remove the blower motor cover and test if any voltage is hitting the motor (with the car on and heater at full blast). If you can measure voltage, the motor is dead, if not, the resistor is. Important: you have to make sure you measure the voltaget by touching both contacts on the motor(don't ground by touching the frame as you may get the wrong results). Also, on my 98 M3, when the resistor went, the motor did not work at all, at any speed. Good luck!

SuperTrooper · 01-08-2009, 05:01 PM

Quick update I took it into the garage and did everything you guys suggested, voltage was hitting the motor but it wouldn't spin. We tried an external source also and still no luck. Call up BMW and they want $400 for a new one. Thankfully ebay saved me and I ordered a used one for $80 including shipping, coming from Cali.