Hi, the fresh air blower stopped working in my 2012 Roomster. Fuses and the Climatronic unit are both OK, though I get the code as below. 

The service manual says it is a dash out job to replace the blower and/or the control unit, but I saw on youtube that people remove left hand side dashboard bolts but only loosen the right hand side.

So my question is what is a minimum dashboard dismantle effort to get that blower motor replaced?

 

Has anyone here on the forum done this job without touching the radio and instrument cluster, just dismantling the glove box / airbag area of the dashboard?

01273 - Fresh Air Blower (V2) 
            000 - - - Intermittent
             Freeze Frame:
                    Fault Status: 00100000
                    Fault Priority: 3
                    Fault Frequency: 6
                    Reset counter: 229

                    Mileage: 160955 km

                    Time Indication: 0
                    Date: 2063.14.31
                    Time: 17:32:53

I guess I have to answer my own question while waiting for the new blower and control unit to arrive... 🙄

 

You 'only' need to take out top glove comparment (2x T25 screws), then take out 3x T30 screws and remove passenger airbag, undo all dashboard to carrier screws on the passenger side (there's one under airbag, I think 2 on the side, and I think 2 at the bottom), lever off media unit surrond and remove media unit (4 screws), undo centre console media unit surround (4 screws at least, big piece of plastic), and loosen but not remove all accessble dashboard screws on the driver side (2 on the side uder side dashboard cover, 2 for the fuse box I think). Not sure about top vents, I had them removed for a different reason (some cabling work around them), but they many not need to be removed. Best to support / pull away the dashboard cover away from work area, next to the console, so it does not interfere with work on the blower motor.

 

Crucially, the steering wheel and the instrument cluster need not be removed, and the passenger airbag need not be disconnected right until the fan is being manouvered out from under the dashboard. It is prudent to switch off the passenger airbag using a key switch on the side of dashboard before you start any of this work. Bear in mind that airbag switch does need to be disconnected right before you remove/instert the blower unit. Official guidance is disconnect battery before any of this, you're on your own but I got away with disconnecting the switch (already in off position) and reconnecting it promptly out of the dashboard side. 

 

After all this, there are 2 pieces of thick felt to be removed, one of which is partly glued to the carrier and the blower and may contribute to early blower failures as it covers fan motor housing. I intend to skip the glued one on assembly, perhaps I will put a thinner felt further away from the blower motor. 

Disconnect the plugs at the fan and at the control unit, I found the fan one was difficult / welded together?, the control unit one was less accessible but popped out more easily.

 

The fan itself is held by 5 screws and the control unit by another screw that is accessed blindly / by touch. You either need electric screwdriver with a long flex extension and I think a T15 to undo these, or a short T15 key and dexterity of a small monkey. The blower motor pops out without a fight, but you need some effort to manouvre it out from under the dashboard.

 

I have checked the fan and the control unit. The fan was taking well in excess of 32Amps so way too much and while the control unit appeared to work just fine with a 5Amp load, but it struggled even with a 15A load. so I ordered replacements for both. Depending on your choice of parts, replacing these costs 60 - 100 quid total (my bill was £90 for parts from reputable supplier), unless you go to Skoda then 300 -500 quid...

 

After that, order a new fan and control unit, and grow new skin on your arms  until it arrives 😜

 

Estimated time to do all this assuming you have the right tools is ~4hrs to dismantle (perhaps 2hrs if you follow this guide) and I think 2hrs to put together. HTH the next person 😀

Edited 8 October, 20241 yr by dieselV6