Hi All,

I'm new here, but I've had a look around and I think this is a great forum.

Recently bought a 1997 1.9 diesel estate Felicia (

the blower should work without heat, although mine pops a fuse the millisecond you dare try speed three :(

I wonder if the switch unit is at fault?

if there no live feed at the motor it will wither be a fuse ,relay or the switch

I had a problem a while ago where the fan would cut out on speed three or four only but would start up again at some point....hasn't happened lately though.

Perhaps the bi-metal switches are some form of thermal cutout?

I thought that the problem may be either the switch unit or the resistor pack but as it only happened intermittently I didn't bother to investigate.

the blower should work without heat' date=' although mine pops a fuse the millisecond you dare try speed three :(

I wonder if the switch unit is at fault?[/quote']

Have you checked the fuse rating? Haynes shows 25A.

Thanks for the replies, still no closer though.. I checked the fuses - they are ok. Which relay controls the blower? The Haynes manual doesn't mention that?

The resitstor unit has two coils of wire, next to both is a bimetal strip. It could be an overtemp cut out of some kind. I've tried contacting both of the strips and leaving them uncontacted (as they were when I first inspected it) but still no blower.

I think it could be the switch but I really hope not because its a massive job to take the dash off to get at them. Does anyone know if they can be accessed if you only take the instrument panel off?

A lot of people seem to have had some problem with the blower with intermitent faults. right now I'm thinking of by-passing the whole thing and putting my own switch for the blower motor on the dash - this could be a lot easier but it would only have one power - full on!

Thanks,

Theo

I'm thinking of by-passing the whole thing and putting my own switch for the blower motor on the dash - this could be a lot easier but it would only have one power - full on!

in theory it's ok to bypass the the whole lot so long as the circuit is fused.

Which relay controls the blower?

Theo

It's relay R7 (top row 4th from left) -'relief relay for X contact'

See Haynes 12.20 and 12.26

I can't remember an easy solution to gain access behind switches unless you can remove ashtray surround and gain access from beneath?

With the ignition on check if you have 12V at the fuse terminal (F3). If zero volts then this would point to relay fault (providing there is 12v at relay input terminals)

Hope this makes sense.

Thanks, I'll try testing the voltage at the fuse and checking the relay.

Also, sometimes the wipers stop when on full speed. This wouldn't be the same relay would it?

Theo

Thanks' date=' I'll try testing the voltage at the fuse and checking the relay.

Also, sometimes the wipers stop when on full speed. This wouldn't be the same relay would it?

Theo[/quote']

yep

I had this blower problem a couple of weeks back. With the top cover/grill off the motor you'll see one of the motor brushes near the right hand rotor (looking from the front of the car) I found that lifting the spring aside and easing the brush out and in freed it up. Seems to stick so this cured mine totally for a while but I was lazy and didn't do the other which is hidden underneath so it's now starting to stutter again (maybe carbon build up on the comutator itself between the segments). I get a good current at the top connector so am resigned to extracting the motor for a proper clean out. (Thanks to Fordfan for originally pointing the fault out to me.)

Have you checked the fuse rating? Haynes shows 25A.

well there it gets a bit complicated, .... as std the car has a 20amp (v early 96 D)

Its a bit of a bodge to be honest as was italian spec. VW say its 'ok' to put in a 30amp and the later handbook says that too. But the italian handbook says 20amp. I can make do with a 2-speed, its not an issue, and I not 100% to put in a stronger fuse just in case.

well there it gets a bit complicated' date=' .... as std the car has a 20amp (v early 96 D)

Its a bit of a bodge to be honest as was italian spec. VW say its 'ok' to put in a 30amp and the later handbook says that too. But the italian handbook says 20amp. I can make do with a 2-speed, its not an issue, and I not 100% to put in a stronger fuse just in case.[/quote']

Yes.....Mine has 20A fitted (Late '98 1.6Glxi).

Handbook states 20/25A and Haynes states 25A.

25A probably OK but I agree that without knowing all of the component ratings it's difficult to know for certain.

Doesn't sound too promising if the electrics were Italian!

thank god not made in italy

electrics etc

Hi All,

got it fixed! Thanks for all the help. In the end I found that the relay was ok, there was 12V at the fuse and after finding a better earth point there was also 12V at the motor. I just read Red Studio's post after doing exactly what they said - I freed up both brushes (un-did the retaining clip on the motor so I could rotate it to get at both brushes) and gave it a good dowsing in WD40 and HEY PRESTO lovely quiet spinning blower motor. I think Red is right, it was a build up of carbon on the commutator. Both the brushes are still >2cm long and have plenty of wear left, but they would be easy to replace from a scrap motor if you had to.

Thanks again,

Theo