noisy heater blower

[kgreenhough]

Hi, I wonder whether anyone can help?

My 6 year old octavia I has suddenly developed quite a noisy heater blower - it sounds like something might be stuck in the fan causing a high frequency clicky sound. It sounds like it's coming from under the glovebox, which I think is where the blower unit is located? Changing the fan speeds etc doesn't seem to make any difference.

I had the car serviced last week and I know they changed the pollen filter. I haven't had any daylight to look at it so I'm not entirely sure how it's set up, but does anyone think that anything to do with changing the pollen filter could have caused the noise? Especially bearing in mind that the noise didn't start until a week after the service and I did 500 miles in that time? It's not easy to find time to get back to the garage, so if I do I want to be reasonably sure it's not just coincidence.

I'd like to get a look at the blower unit (to see if something is stuck) - does anyone know if it's possible to get access to it without having to take too much of the inside of the car apart - the Haynes book talks about taking the glove box out, for which you also need to take the centre console out... which seems like a lot of work.

I've got quite a bit more driving coming up next week, so would like to sort this before it drives me nuts - it's a very annoying noise that can still just be heard even at 80 on the motorway, with the radio on. Any tips, ideas, suggestions very gratefully received...

cheers

Kevin.

[mbames]

It is possible that when the pollen filter was changed, that some leafs / pine needles (etc) were knocked into the filter housing, and have now worked their way down to the fan.

Access to the fan is easy. Pop out the glove box (3 or 4 screws, iirc), and a plug (for the glove box light), and then you should see the blower assembly. I have never taken mine apart, so I can't comment much more.

[vrsmark]

just had this myself when mine went in for service,i took them out from the passenger footwell too. they may reappear though as mine have.it may take a while for them to work there way out.

[SILVER ROCKET]

Probably leaves. After a couple of days they'll dry and become brittle. Then turn the fan on full blast, open a window or the sunroof to reduce back pressure and you'll probably get pieces of dried out leaf flying out the vents as

the fan chops it up. That's worked for me anyway.

[kgreenhough]

Hi all,

thank you for your replies. Just wanted to update that I have sorted the problem, it was a dry leaf!!

For future reference for anyone who has a similar problem, the glovebox comes off easily - 3 screws inside the door at the top and 2 screws underneath. Then it slides out and you need to unclip the cable for the light (on the right hand side). When it's out, there are two further wiring connections into the blower unit, which is now in front of you - both need unclipping. There is a foam insulating cover that needs to be moved out of the way - one fixing underneath. Then the heater blower unit can be removed by undoing the 2 retaining fixings on the bottom of it - they are nut head fixings. The unit then drops out in two pieces.

Next time it's serviced I'll ask them to be a little more careful not to drop **** into the system when they change the pollen filter, which must have been the cause of the problem