The blower for the climate control didn't start up when I started the car yesterday. All the lights are on as normal on the climate control and I can adjust fan speed/temperature etc. but the fan doesn't start. There are no errors or warnings from the dashboard either. The only thing that looks at all amiss electrically is that the red light on the passenger side temperature control flickers on when I turn the temperature to full cold.

 

I had a look at the fan, which is conveniently accessible beside the cabin pollen filter in the passenger footwell, and everything is clean and dry there (So I don't think it's related to the water I found in the wheel well in my other post today - especially since this water has probably been collecting for a while and the fan has worked perfectly until yesterday).

 

I'll get a multimeter on the wires to the fan at the weekend to see if it's getting power, but the replacement fan unit isn't cheap, so if there's a bit of soldering/rebuilding needed to get this back working I'm more than happy to do it. Has anyone experience with this?

 

Also does the glove compartment need to come out to remove the fan? It looks like it might be removable without any further dismantling, but it's tight.

Have a wee look here
http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/286555-heating-cooling-fan/?hl=%2Bheating+%2Bfan#entry4156624


http://www.eurocarparts.com/heater-motor

Edited 15 September, 20169 yr by DEL80Y

If it's stopped working all of a sudden, I'd be pointing the finger at fuses/relays first. After that, maybe the controller. If you want I can call over at the weekend with VCDS and scan it to rule that out.

I'll hit it with my multimeter at the plug tomorrow and if that's live it'll eliminate everything on the power line to the fan - no fiddling with fuses unless I have to . The same part appears to be in the Octy II and the Taureg, Passat and a few Audis based on the part number: IK2820015G. Some listings are oddly specific saying it's for right hand drive cars with a sunroof... A couple of people on the Octy II forum have got theirs back working by giving it a clean and lubing the bearings...

 

I know my local scrap yard has an Octy II and a 2008 Superb, both of which may have this part. The prices some places are charging for this are shocking - I've seen one looking for about €400, which is pretty much what I'd expect to pay if I handed it in to the dealer for the repair. Used ones are under €100... I'm hoping it'll only cost me time though...

I wasn't sleepy enough when I got back from work and it was dry, so I pulled the fan out. It should be literally a 30 second job to take the fan out and require no tools at all, but it's just too tight to fit past the footwell ventilation pipe, which is held on by one bolt hidden behind the glove compartment, so I had to take that out to remove the fan, so it takes more like 15 - 20 minutes to remove instead. The fan bearings are a little stiff, but not so stiff it won't spin, there's a bit of corrosion on the ends of the rotor shaft, but there's nothing obviously wrong, plenty left in the brushes too, so it might be a fuse. I squirted spray grease into the bearings (Bushings really) and it runs slightly more freely and put it all back together. Maybe it'll work when I start the engine tomorrow.

The fan will not have to be too stiff to turn to blow the fuse if the initial movement is stiff this can cause the fuse to blow.

The fan will not have to be too stiff to turn to blow the fuse if the initial movement is stiff this can cause the fuse to blow.

Agreed; it's called "start loading" in electrical engineering.

Perhaps they might even update the fan to soft start inverter style at 70 or even a 100Htz.  I know it is not three phase.

Edited 16 September, 20169 yr by Danny 57

It was working perfectly when I started the car this morning... Looks like I must have knocked something back in place when I pulled it out .