Hi guys, I actually have a 2008 Roomster, but I guess the front is essentially Fabia, so I thought I'd get the best response from this part of the forum. I have a squeaky blower fan motor, and my mechanic has told me it's a simply fix, I just have to get it out. I got as far as watching a few videos of work on other VAG group cars, but it seems that for the Roomster / Fabia, that the top and bottom glove boxes have to come out first, would this be correct ? the mechanic was under the impression (from memory) that the motor could drop out of the bottom, but with the sound insulation removed, and looking upward from lay on the passenger floor, I can only see what it likely the side of the motor ?

 

any help most appreciated

 

Paul

To remove the blower motor according to most sources, the whole dash needs to be removed. I had to have a new one and that is what happened. Its a labour intensive method of removal, needing airbag, steering wheel, etc to come off so not to be undertaken lightly. 

The fan speed regulator on climatic versions and NOT the climatronic ones, CAN be changed via the airbag aperture, though. 

Hi all,

 

I'm now in the same position as Paul. My blower motor is grinding it's bearings into scrap metal - and getting louder...

 

2010 Fabia II 1.6 TDI

 

I understand the actual blower motor is to the left of the pollen filter - so to the n/s of the car, behind the lower glove box. Is there no way of removing the lower glove box etc.. to gain access? I have searched the web and there are no pictures of any disassembly process. Do you really have to remove the steering wheel and instrument panels etc.. to gain access?

 

I'd appreciate any help anyone can offer.

I have changed the blower motor on my Fabia without pulling the dash. Be warned though it requires a good amount of bending of the plastics, a bit like giving birth. I basically comes out through the gap by the cabin filter. Possible but does require a bit of man handling. I replaced mine because it has started to squeal/drive me insane!

Hi DriverTom, I'd appreciate a little more detail please.  Did you remove the lower glove box? to access the blower motor mounting screws etc...

I was about to get the Dremel out and begin major surgery!!

 

 

To be honest the dash isn’t hard to remove. I’ve got it down to under an hour to remove and put back in. Yes that’s with practice but it certainly ain’t worth bending or cutting stuff. 

I would go with Techie on this. I had a new motor fixed quite some time ago, no issue since. Not worth bending/breaking a part for.

I paid for the job and had the more expensive version but hey, worth it! You damage the dash and then need to fit a new/used one and will still have the same job to do. Damage and live with it, you will lose any worth in having to sell the car cheap anyway, come the time to sell!

Hi guys, Many thanks for the reply.

My car is 2010 MkII Fabia with 160k on the clock, so not worth much now. Basically I intend to run it until it fails.... 

My previous Astras all kept till they clocked up 200k+ then part-x for the next car (none ever had electrical or blower bearing type failures. Head gasket on the last one and wheel arch rust on the first) This is my first Diesel VAG car. Spend my working career commuting 60 miles a day up and down the A303, which is good for the car - and not much urban traffic.

...So you are close to the Astra on mileage, will end up around the same when selling/part-ex'ing.

I would rather replace the blower then the head gasket as I know of so many that just blow again unless the head is re-skimmed by a proper engineer! Even then, they often seem "Week". (Just my impression). Usually, this was caused by overheating anyway so fan,water pump, low or incorrect fluids, etc most likely caused this.

Then the rust... Vauxhalls used to rust just by looking out the garage door at rain! Unless you have dinged it, I bet the Fabby is still almost rust free and if well maintained, still owes you a few thou as a seller! Oh, and was probably a more comfortable vehicle to sit in. The V-brand you mentioned were often moaned about for having uncomfortable seating. I can confirm my brothers old Calibra was a right pain to enter and exit but also, uncomfortable to sit in too! aAs a driving instructor, I was talking to an examiner years ago and he told me he hated when students turned up in a Vauxhall as he found them so uncomfortable for the 40 mins he would be sat in it! (It was his first time in a Fabia, he said it was "Such a Volkswagen")!

Obviously ,this will be subject to opinion, though.

Needed to change a failed Heater Fan on Fabia 2 and looking at the web and forum saw that removing  the dash and steering wheel was one of the recommendations, others said no need to remove steering wheel, and two said they had done it without doing either but gave little detail.

First two methods are quite correct and probably what dealers/independents charge for

Not wanting to remove dash as I usually end up breaking something else along the way I explored the alternative so decided to remove all dash fixings to the left (from a LINE at RHS of Radio).

Plan was to then prize the end of dashboard out to hopefully get the Fan out via bottom of glove box

Remove oblong shaped surrounding radio, remove Radio 4 screws, unplug cables, 4 more screws and pull off the horseshoe shroud that goes round the radio. 2 Screws behind that fix dash to steel removed.

No need to touch air con panel above, no need to remove pollen filter, no need to remove passenger air bag cover or air bag, but switch it off at key switch at LHS just in case

Remove top box cubby lid 2 screws. Inside lower cubby hole remove the small round plastic plug and remove another fixing screw

I drilled a 12mm hole in this plastic towards top and lhs to gain ¼ inch driver access to top LH Fan screw, see later

At LHS of dash remove end cover and small cover at bottom front, remove 2 screws located on lower section of panel facing passenger seat, and 2 screws accessed through aperture once end panel removed

It is now possible to pull back the dash carefully, checking you haven’t missed a fixing, and it’s possible to generate a gap off approx. 2 inches in which to place a wooden chock. Sounds risky but it all went back OK on rebuild

Now under dash, very awkward and on your back twisting etc., undo the 3 small torx Fan fixing screws which you can access from this positon. Then at the top of fan via the 12mm hole you have drilled access the top LH torx screw and remove. Using  ¼ inch driver and universal swivel, taped so as to restrict angular movement remove the Fan top RHS torx screw working through top glove box aperture

Back underneath now to unplug one largish electrical connector attached to Fan casing and the main 2 wire connector to Fan

Now tug on Fan, it will come loose, and then pull on the lower edge of glovebox panel to gain that bit of extra space and remove the old Fan. It is very tight but it can get through

Make a brew

The new Fan will come with screw holes that make the original torx screws  a rattle fit so no good for refitting etc as they will fall out and you already have poor access. I folding some thread tape, put it in each hole and screwed each of the torx screws in a few turns so they would retained whilst you wrestle the new Fan into position

Once Fan in tighten bottom torx screws, then back to top using the drilled hole to align drivers with LH screw and through top glove box for RH screw

If you don’t manage to get all Fan screws in I wouldn’t worry as Fan casing structure is fairly rigid and neatly clips into place, plus no great air pressure generated as it’s an open ended system

Reckon no more than 2 hours to complete, but you must have a good set of ¼ drives, extensions, torch, etc. but well within a good DIY fixer talent, and not suffering a bad back

Just to add one point to above, although the passenger air bag  wasn't removed, I did loosen the 3 screws securing it in position via the top box opening, and switched the bag off during dash manoeuvring. Obviously retightened at end of job

Just replaced my fan just about the same way as your post. The only difference is I had to drill 2 holes in the lower glove box to access  both the upper fan fixing screws.  I had been putting it off for about 2 years as knew it would be a long job.  Then read your post and thought I would give it a go . 2 hours later all done and only £15 from a ebay breaker for the fan.  Thanks for the short cut info.

Thanks, glad it was some use

On 30/10/2022 at 15:51, lazerous said:

Needed to change a failed Heater Fan on Fabia 2 and looking at the web and forum saw that removing  the dash and steering wheel was one of the recommendations, others said no need to remove steering wheel, and two said they had done it without doing either but gave little detail.

First two methods are quite correct and probably what dealers/independents charge for

Not wanting to remove dash as I usually end up breaking something else along the way I explored the alternative so decided to remove all dash fixings to the left (from a LINE at RHS of Radio).

Plan was to then prize the end of dashboard out to hopefully get the Fan out via bottom of glove box

Remove oblong shaped surrounding radio, remove Radio 4 screws, unplug cables, 4 more screws and pull off the horseshoe shroud that goes round the radio. 2 Screws behind that fix dash to steel removed.

No need to touch air con panel above, no need to remove pollen filter, no need to remove passenger air bag cover or air bag, but switch it off at key switch at LHS just in case

Remove top box cubby lid 2 screws. Inside lower cubby hole remove the small round plastic plug and remove another fixing screw

I drilled a 12mm hole in this plastic towards top and lhs to gain ¼ inch driver access to top LH Fan screw, see later

At LHS of dash remove end cover and small cover at bottom front, remove 2 screws located on lower section of panel facing passenger seat, and 2 screws accessed through aperture once end panel removed

It is now possible to pull back the dash carefully, checking you haven’t missed a fixing, and it’s possible to generate a gap off approx. 2 inches in which to place a wooden chock. Sounds risky but it all went back OK on rebuild

Now under dash, very awkward and on your back twisting etc., undo the 3 small torx Fan fixing screws which you can access from this positon. Then at the top of fan via the 12mm hole you have drilled access the top LH torx screw and remove. Using  ¼ inch driver and universal swivel, taped so as to restrict angular movement remove the Fan top RHS torx screw working through top glove box aperture

Back underneath now to unplug one largish electrical connector attached to Fan casing and the main 2 wire connector to Fan

Now tug on Fan, it will come loose, and then pull on the lower edge of glovebox panel to gain that bit of extra space and remove the old Fan. It is very tight but it can get through

Make a brew

The new Fan will come with screw holes that make the original torx screws  a rattle fit so no good for refitting etc as they will fall out and you already have poor access. I folding some thread tape, put it in each hole and screwed each of the torx screws in a few turns so they would retained whilst you wrestle the new Fan into position

Once Fan in tighten bottom torx screws, then back to top using the drilled hole to align drivers with LH screw and through top glove box for RH screw

If you don’t manage to get all Fan screws in I wouldn’t worry as Fan casing structure is fairly rigid and neatly clips into place, plus no great air pressure generated as it’s an open ended system

Reckon no more than 2 hours to complete, but you must have a good set of ¼ drives, extensions, torch, etc. but well within a good DIY fixer talent, and not suffering a bad back

drilled a 12mm hole in this plastic towards top and lhs to gain ¼ inch driver access to top LH Fan

 

Old thread I know but where exactly do you drill the hole 

Hi 

Took a couple of pics  top left and next to the right fixing point as close as you can get it and up about 2cm. I could get at the star screws to remove and replace them. Shine  a torch and you will see them. You can glue the plastic back in afterwards I just used some rubber grommets used to seal electrical boxes as were a good fit. 

13 hours ago, htm139 said:

Hi 

Took a couple of pics  top left and next to the right fixing point as close as you can get it and up about 2cm. I could get at the star screws to remove and replace them. Shine  a torch and you will see them. You can glue the plastic back in afterwards I just used some rubber grommets used to seal electrical boxes as were a good fit. 

Brilliant thank you. Hell of a design that...... 

Yes designed to make money. Evidently the Mk1 Fabia you can remove the whole glove box which made it far too easy for people to fix themselves.

No its designed to make assembly of the vehicle the quickest and easiest (which is making money I suppose) little or no consideration is given to how long or difficult replacement of non service items.

 

The fan on a MK1 Octavia falls out in 30 seconds!

I used the Lazerous method for changing the fan on daughters 2009 Fabia. Drilling the two holes was a brilliant idea, I cannot work out how you knew where to drill! Used htm139's photos and 20mm hole saw without centering bit since there are plenty of cables to hit.

Bought a new (not OE) fan unit off t'internet for £30, arrived next day. Almost silent.

Further info:

1. Apart from the 4 silver T20 self tappers holding in the radio, there are another 10 black T20s, including the 2 holding the upper cubby unit in.

2. Once the radio surround is out there are 7 T25 bolts, two of which are hiding under the cover at the LH side of the dash, There is another under a little cover at the lower LH side of the dash. I also removed the two T20 bolts hidden by the radio shroud and loosened the two either side of the fuse box.

3. On a previous job (resistor unit swop) we made a pair of little cardboard chutes to get the 3 T30 bolts out of the air bag, with no risk of dropping them, so did the same again (daughter's idea).

4. Used T10 to get the 4 self tappers out of the fan casing, they also have 5.5mm heads but could not get a socket in. Ended up with 5 T10 screws, puzzled were the 5th came from!

5. Pulled the bottom of dash back about 120mm and fan assy dropped out easy.

6. Used a drop of hot melt to hold the screws in place for reassembly.

Fab has now done 150k and daughter has no wish to get rid before 250k. Fingers crossed.

On 09/12/2024 at 16:18, Roos said:

drilled a 12mm hole in this plastic towards top and lhs to gain ¼ inch driver access to top LH Fan

 

Old thread I know but where exactly do you drill the hole 

I looked underneath to see roughly where the screws are located then drilled a tiny pilot hole and shined a torch through it it see how far i was out then drilled out a bigger hole.

Oh boy, I've got this job to do over Christmas, not looking forward to it! Thanks to all for the useful advice above.

Is there a simple(ish) way to diagnose whether it's the fan or resistor unit that's faulty before starting?

I have a 2010 Fabia with the climatronic ac controls.

Any advice gratefully received - Thanks!

Hi

My old Fabia has Climate control, So I didn't mind drilling holes in the back of the glove box as it wasn't removable. Your 2010 Fabia might just have a removable lower glove box which would make the job simple. You might be lucky but it really isn't that bad a job just awkward . No need to mess with the air bag either.