I'm new to this forum, and I am hoping someone has some DIY experience changing out the blower inside the dashboard. It quit working on me about 6 months ago. I understand when the fan goes, it could be the fan motor, OR a replaceable resistor in front of the fan.
A 3rd party shop examined it and said the fan motor is the problem, and that it would cost over $1000 to replace.
Has anyone done this before? I was told it's about a 10 hour job, and the whole dashboard has to come out, coolant and AC drained, even remove the steering wheel. I'm pretty handy, but I'm nervous about a job this extensive.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

I think you are confusing two separate fans. The one with the resistor that fails sits in front of the radiator and cools the engine coolant and a/c refrigerant; the one you seem to be describing is the one under the dash that circulates air within the passenger compartment. I am not familiar with failures of the latter, or of any DIY for it. Keep us posted.

Check this thread that I started: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-solution.html

 

Unfortunately, the info you were given is correct. That sucker is buried. Other than recharging the a/c system, it is something that a VERY handy person could accomplish. I have a blower for sale if you would like a low mile used one. I have had to text my MINI tech buddy many times for help on my racecar teardown. He, the Bentley manual, and realoem.com got me through the process.

 

How hard is it to replace the blower motor resistor? My partner has a 2004 Mini, and the cooling/heating fan only works on high speed. My experience tells me that this is sure sign of a blown blower motor resistor, but I am not sure where to find the sucker on this car. Any help is appreciated. Thanks -- Hank.

 

See the low speed fan resistor thread

This thread details the process to access the fan.
See the whole thread for gory details.

 

Eric,

Thanks for the response. But wrong resistor. I am talking about the resistor in the fan circuit for the in-car ventilation system. That fan has four speeds, and it only works on the highest speed. A sure sign of failure of the resistor pack. I just want to know how to replace that resistor pack. I know it is buried somewhere . . . . -- Hank.

 

Pretty sure the fan blower motor (for heat & a/c) is failing. First got the squeal on high fan speeds under warranty, but dealer was unable to replicate. Now, car out of warranty and the squeal is present at all times, high/low fan speeds, a/c on and off. Bentley manual looks like a big job requiring removal of entire dashboard assembly... Any insight, experiences appreciated....

 

I have the same exact problem. Let me know if you find a cure

 

My A/C blower resistor connector is gone (it melted due to the heat generated in this area) and I need to get a replacement. Does anyone know where I can get this connector???

 

It turns out that replacing the heating/ac blower motor resistor is a relatively easy job. First, I bought the Bentley manual to figure out where the resistor is. (It is behind the glove box on the left.) Bought a new one on line from partsgeek.com for about $40 and replaced it. -- Hank.

 

My blower still works but is squealing like a stuck pig---

 

Dealer priced $1064 for parts and labor to replace the blower assembly ~ $900 of which is labor...

 

An idea for you.....it might work for a while....lube the fan...I did...and it is now quiet.....
remove the airfilter.....then feel around...reach under the center of the dash...and you will feel the fan...it is a squeral cage style fan....like a drum with lots of little blades on the sides...
What i did was
1) I used some Mobil 1 spray lube...not sure if is is still around, but great stuff....used a really long hose...like the ones that come on the areosol sea-foam container, and by reaching around with the hose in my hand, found the center mount...sprayed it, and a tiny but around the side, just incase the blades were rubbing the side of the housing...This oil is like WD-40, but does not evoperate...it is after all a very light synthetic MOBIL 1.
2) Then I took some lithium grease, put it on my finger, and applied it to the center area...playing with it, to try to work it in.

I then replaced the filter.....and it worked fine....the squeal is gone 99% of the time, and 1% of the time, it is hardly noticeable....since the replacement of the fan is so hard...if it is working, it might be worth a shot!!
I have had not odd smells from the oil, or anything.....But I was very careful not to overdo it!!
Good Luck!!

 

Nice. I'm going to give this a try! My blower fan tends to squeak when humid out.

 

For anyone that has accessed this through the glove box, was your system a climate control version or standard. The dealer is telling me, that you can get to the fan through the glove box, but only on the non-climate control version.

Anyone able to comment on this?

Thanks

 

I've accessed the blower (to spray lubricant on it) through cabin filter cavity and mine is a standard.

As far as I can tell from the Realoem diagrams, the blower looks to be identical. The only differences I can see between the standard and automatic units are the addition of a few sensors and different control units.

Non-S:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partgrp.d...14&hg=64&fg=40

S:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partgrp.d...id=48021&hg=64

 

Anybody have good schematics of the interior blower circuit? (I have a 7/2003 S) The bentley is seriously incomplete. The Fuse section shows F31, FL1, FL11, F08, K4. The actual schematic pages ELE-181,182 don't even show the motor (M30)!

Anybody know how to diagnose the fan vs the "resistor" (which is actually a big power transistor)?

I assume the fan should be getting a variable DC voltage?,
so the "resistor" should have +12 volt in and a variable voltage out?

 

I'm gonna bring this thread back from the dead because I'm having a similar problem. I'm about 90% certain the blower quit, but if I can rule out anything else ahead of that I'll be happy. I really don't want to replace the blower because it's a big job, so any little tricks on the job or tricks to repair it are fair game to me. I'm hoping it's just a short somewhere that's making the motor not turn on, because it also just quit without warning. Went to use it one day and it was dead. Worked fine just a week before though. Can anyone tell me where I can access the connector also? I'd like to put some power to it to see if it did quit, or if there is something else on the circuit that grounded out, taking power away from the motor. Thanks for any help!

 

^
Is there anyone with knowledge on this issue?
NAM search on blower motors shows only couple threads & fail to see help in service manual. Cabin blower motor no longer is working & European mechanic quickly diagnosed motor. Getting ready to tear into the dash for this motor hoped for 1,2,3 for little major help.

Greatly appreciate any help.
Thanx
-B

 

All I know is that it's a huge job and it's best to pay for a dealer or mechanic to do it. I was determined to do the job myself till I saw pictures of everything ripped apart. Mine is back to working again. Cut out for a few minutes like 2 weeks ago but it's still working as of today.

 

^
Yup huge is one word. There's much better 4lettered words for it.
Paying out over 10hrs labor I'd rather take couple days off.
Mine had cut out every so often but soon quit shortly after. Did read somewhere of someone praying lubricant into blade side but I'd not recommend that.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/56173600@N06/12033204116/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/56173600@N06/12032741144/
If you leave your prized possession outside I'd recommend checking both filters in/out before ignition!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/56173600@N06/9940317496/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/56173600@N06/12017693905/
BTW fan motor now works

 

Yeah, I'm not looking forward to that job eventually. haha.

 

Seriously give this a try. I did this on my '04 S and it works. Just reach as far as you can inside of the cabin filter housing and using a long straw, spray a lube on the center of the fan where it attaches to its motor. Don't over do it.

 

I know this is an old one, but this is the second time the resistor pack has gone out on mine, once about a year ago and now its going out again. The first time it fried the electrical really bad and melted the plastic insulation, so I had to use electrical tape and liquid electrical tape to reinsulate it. It then worked great for about a year or so and here I am.
Any thoughts on why it would be going bad again? It seems like there is another electrical issue making it over heat or something.

 

This just happened to my car today too! It has been going on and off intermittently and now the blower has completely stopped. I checked the resistor and it is slightly scorched and the attached wiring is melted. I will replace it but I am wondering what the cause for this is before I install another one and it happens again?https://flic.kr/p/ujwHHn