A4 1.8se 1996 heater blower probs

[hoppy36]

Hi all,
newbie to this forum. Just bought my first audi a4 1.8 se (1996). Great car. However I cannot get the blower to work at all. Have tried replacing the fuse but to no avail.
Any ideas? Its the one with the digital readout.

thanks

any info appreciated.

dave

[Crasher]

Usually the motor but occasionally the motor control unit.

[hoppy36]

motor or motor control unit? thanks for that. Is there any workaround I could try, or just have to try breakers for new motor?

thanks:1zhelp:

[avantiblue]

blower motor can be purchased cheap off ebay

their is a link below

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Audi-A4-VW-Passat-Air-Con-Blower-Fan-Motor-Heater_W0QQitemZ300191821299QQihZ020QQcategoryZ103 72QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[A4RCY]

I had a similar problem on my 98 Avant TDi. It was the motor brushes. I took the unit out and turned the brushes around. It was a bit noisy of about 20 minutes, but was back to normal after that. It’s fine now.

The major pain is that you need to take the glove box out to get at it.

[Clarkus]

Hoppy,
I had exactly the same problem on the same model/age of A4. Below is the answer that I followed to the letter and it sorted it all out easily and effectively. The below extract was posted by Mackenzie Mark. Follow it to the letter and you won't go wrong!
Regards,
Clarkus.

"The problem is probably the blower motor brushes are worn out. The quick fix is to remove the blower motor and reverse the brushes (I did mine tonight 30-40 min job) and the fan is working fine now. I'm currently looking on the intenet to fine a company that sells the right sized brushes (8mm Wide x 8mm High x 12 to 15 mm Length). This is no easy task :zx11: as everyone wants to sell you a new motor at £75-£100 rather than £5 for new brushes.

How To Remove Blower Motor

Remove 5 x 8mm bolts holding the glovebox in place.
3 x Bolts inside the glove box
Remove cover on LHS of glove box (it's where the fuses would be located if it was a laeft hand drive)
The remaining 2 bolts are located behind this cover
Remove the cable to the glovebox light
In front of you, you will now see the plastic housing for the motor, it has 4 posi screws remove them.
Before you can remove the fan you will see a bracket which is obstructuing the removal off the fan housing, you will need to remove the 4 x 10mm bolts (pointing up) DO NOT REMOVE THE HORIZONTAL BOLTS IT JUST WASTES TIME (I speak from experience).
Remove the 2 electric connectors (Blue & Brown) and with a bit or wiggling the fan will now slide out.
You can now remove the wires to the housing by twisting the piece of locating plactic holding the wire in place.
Next you need to use a flat headed screwdriver to push free the 3 pieces of rubber holding the motor in place - the motor will now be free from the fan housing.
On the bottom of the motor you will see 2 metal clips that hold the motor brushes in place, take these off.
Slide the springs and motor brushes out, turn the brushes through 180 degrees and replace the springs and metal covers.
Put everything back together in the reverse order to removel. When/If I find some replacement brushes I'll update this post so you can fix the problem long-term, but this solution should a least get you through the summer with some Air Con.

Don't be put off by the amount of detail I have given in this reply (it's my first time I've done this) because it really is an easy job and it's much better than paying a garage £130-180 to fit a new motor you don't really need."

[evobaz]

The problem with these motors are that the brushes wear down and no longer make contact with the commutator and therefor the motor doesn't work.

As a temporary fix you can either S T R E T C H the springs a liitle that hold the brushes in or rotate the brushes through 180 degrees. This will get the motor working again for a short while.

The best bet and the cheapest option is to fit new brushes which are on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=190193755992&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=009

I fitted these on my Passat Tdi and they work a treat.

You can remove the old brushes completely and then solder the new ones in. Or if you dont fancy soldering them then what I done was cut the copper wire end off the new ebay brushes and then fit the new brush into the motor and then replace the original brush.

I done this months ago and its still working fine.

[Dibs_h]

Hi

Based on the detailed instructions given by Mackenzie_Mark,

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=10767&highlight=Blower

and more importantly the size of the bushes - (8mm Wide x 8mm High x 12 to 15 mm Length), I suspect the following should do the job,

http://www.powertoolspares.com/parts2.php?model_ID=3045&parts=JCB+Router+spare+parts+for+JCBD-PR

My A4 TDi (B5 - 1999), it was extremely cold this morning and the blower is not working at all - been fine up until now. On the climatronic display, the fan speed appears to increase and then moments later decrease to zero. It will cycle like that all the time.

Couldn't find my Vag cable for love nor money - so will probably pull the motor out this evening and check the bushes. I have some spare power tool ones so if they fit cool, if not then swap them round temporarily until I can get some in.

[evobaz]

Hi

Based on the detailed instructions given by Mackenzie_Mark,

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=10767&highlight=Blower

and more importantly the size of the bushes - (8mm Wide x 8mm High x 12 to 15 mm Length), I suspect the following should do the job,

http://www.powertoolspares.com/parts2.php?model_ID=3045&parts=JCB+Router+spare+parts+for+JCBD-PR

My A4 TDi (B5 - 1999), it was extremely cold this morning and the blower is not working at all - been fine up until now. On the climatronic display, the fan speed appears to increase and then moments later decrease to zero. It will cycle like that all the time.

Couldn't find my Vag cable for love nor money - so will probably pull the motor out this evening and check the bushes. I have some spare power tool ones so if they fit cool, if not then swap them round temporarily until I can get some in.

Dibs - you are missing one VERY important factor. Using the power tool brushes in the link above - the heater motor may well work however if the carbon is not the correct grade then this will prove to be false economy. If the carbon is too hard a grade then you run the risk of wearing the comutator of the motor and then you may end up having to buy a new motor. Another effect of using brushes that are to hard is that the motor will be noisy. Trust me - I know. I used modified starter motor brushes in the heater motor while I was waiting on the ebay brushes arriving and they made the heater very noisy. Once I fitted the correct brushes then the heater was back to how it should be quiet.

Powertools are designed to be used in short spells where as car heater motors run for long periods of time so I reckon that the brushes in powertools will not be the same grade as the ones required for these heater motors.

The choice is up to you though,

You pays your money....you takes your chance.....;)

[Dibs_h]

Dibs - you are missing one VERY important factor. Using the power tool brushes in the link above - the heater motor may well work however if the carbon is not the correct grade then this will prove to be false economy. If the carbon is too hard a grade then you run the risk of wearing the comutator of the motor and then you may end up having to buy a new motor. Another effect of using brushes that are to hard is that the motor will be noisy. Trust me - I know. I used modified starter motor brushes in the heater motor while I was waiting on the ebay brushes arriving and they made the heater very noisy. Once I fitted the correct brushes then the heater was back to how it should be quiet.

Powertools are designed to be used in short spells where as car heater motors run for long periods of time so I reckon that the brushes in powertools will not be the same grade as the ones required for these heater motors.

The choice is up to you though,

You pays your money....you takes your chance.....;)

Appreciate the comments - it was purely to have an option incase I couldn't turn the existing ones round. Given the cold weather at the moment - it would at least get me running again, whilst I sorted out some new ones or a new motor. Having spent some time on the web, I appreciate the different grades, but with a stuck car, something to get it going may be better than nothing, even if it meant a new motor a week later.

To be honest - considering the fortune in new parts in the car (it was bought for peanuts thankfully) < £100 for a new motor is acceptable.

I've checked the ones on Ebay and the question that springs to mind is since VAG don't sell spare ones and neither do Valeo\Bosch (assuming one of them makes the unit), who's to say that the bushes on Ebay are the correct ones?

I'm not looking for an answer but as you say " You pays your money....you takes your chance" as I am sure if your motor died some time later I can't see the Ebay seller paying for anything.

Cheers.

[evobaz]

who's to say that the bushes on Ebay are the correct ones?
.


The company that manufacture the ebay brushes make them out of the same material as the original brushes in the Valeo motors. They took an original brush and inpected/analysed/tested it or what ever they do to ensure the grade was the same;)

[elywhitley]

Hoppy,
I had exactly the same problem on the same model/age of A4. Below is the answer that I followed to the letter and it sorted it all out easily and effectively. The below extract was posted by Mackenzie Mark. Follow it to the letter and you won't go wrong!
Regards,
Clarkus.

"The problem is probably the blower motor brushes are worn out. The quick fix is to remove the blower motor and reverse the brushes (I did mine tonight 30-40 min job) and the fan is working fine now. I'm currently looking on the intenet to fine a company that sells the right sized brushes (8mm Wide x 8mm High x 12 to 15 mm Length). This is no easy task :zx11: as everyone wants to sell you a new motor at £75-£100 rather than £5 for new brushes.



How To Remove Blower Motor
Remove 5 x 8mm bolts holding the glovebox in place.
3 x Bolts inside the glove box
Remove cover on LHS of glove box (it's where the fuses would be located if it was a laeft hand drive)
The remaining 2 bolts are located behind this cover
Remove the cable to the glovebox light

In front of you, you will now see the plastic housing for the motor, it has 4 posi screws remove them.
Before you can remove the fan you will see a bracket which is obstructuing the removal off the fan housing, you will need to remove the 4 x 10mm bolts (pointing up) DO NOT REMOVE THE HORIZONTAL BOLTS IT JUST WASTES TIME (I speak from experience).
Remove the 2 electric connectors (Blue & Brown) and with a bit or wiggling the fan will now slide out.
You can now remove the wires to the housing by twisting the piece of locating plactic holding the wire in place.
Next you need to use a flat headed screwdriver to push free the 3 pieces of rubber holding the motor in place - the motor will now be free from the fan housing.
On the bottom of the motor you will see 2 metal clips that hold the motor brushes in place, take these off.
Slide the springs and motor brushes out, turn the brushes through 180 degrees and replace the springs and metal covers.
Put everything back together in the reverse order to removel.
When/If I find some replacement brushes I'll update this post so you can fix the problem long-term, but this solution should a least get you through the summer with some Air Con.

Don't be put off by the amount of detail I have given in this reply (it's my first time I've done this) because it really is an easy job and it's much better than paying a garage £130-180 to fit a new motor you don't really need."


This is great. I did all of the above and it's worked! how fan tastic is that!! Just wanted to say thanks from a very happy audi owner.

[114gbw]

going to try this now boss, will report back.

[stua4]

Ok I am having problems here. I have the blower out (picture attached) but how do I get to the brushes? This is from a B6 A4 with climate?

ANy help is greatly appreciated as my car is in bits! Ta!
http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/8297/img00071200911141320.jpg

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/5849/img00070200911141320.jpg

[114gbw]

Hi.Turn it over so that the fan bit is on the bottom. Press the three rubber lugs in and the motor pops out. Now, the brushes are behind the silver clips ( two of ). Careful as you remove as springs are in there as well. I had to solder the new ones in, not too hard but time consuming ( for me ! ). Then just do the reverse to re-fit.Strangely I lost fan power adjustment, ie up and down, but still have heat and directional control. Just glad to have heat and de-mist again, anyway good luck.

[pryrates]

Hoppy,
I had exactly the same problem on the same model/age of A4. Below is the answer that I followed to the letter and it sorted it all out easily and effectively. The below extract was posted by Mackenzie Mark. Follow it to the letter and you won't go wrong!
Regards,
Clarkus.

"The problem is probably the blower motor brushes are worn out. The quick fix is to remove the blower motor and reverse the brushes (I did mine tonight 30-40 min job) and the fan is working fine now. I'm currently looking on the intenet to fine a company that sells the right sized brushes (8mm Wide x 8mm High x 12 to 15 mm Length). This is no easy task :zx11: as everyone wants to sell you a new motor at £75-£100 rather than £5 for new brushes.


How To Remove Blower Motor
Remove 5 x 8mm bolts holding the glovebox in place.
3 x Bolts inside the glove box
Remove cover on LHS of glove box (it's where the fuses would be located if it was a laeft hand drive)
The remaining 2 bolts are located behind this cover
Remove the cable to the glovebox light

In front of you, you will now see the plastic housing for the motor, it has 4 posi screws remove them.
Before you can remove the fan you will see a bracket which is obstructuing the removal off the fan housing, you will need to remove the 4 x 10mm bolts (pointing up) DO NOT REMOVE THE HORIZONTAL BOLTS IT JUST WASTES TIME (I speak from experience).
Remove the 2 electric connectors (Blue & Brown) and with a bit or wiggling the fan will now slide out.
You can now remove the wires to the housing by twisting the piece of locating plactic holding the wire in place.
Next you need to use a flat headed screwdriver to push free the 3 pieces of rubber holding the motor in place - the motor will now be free from the fan housing.
On the bottom of the motor you will see 2 metal clips that hold the motor brushes in place, take these off.
Slide the springs and motor brushes out, turn the brushes through 180 degrees and replace the springs and metal covers.
Put everything back together in the reverse order to removel.
When/If I find some replacement brushes I'll update this post so you can fix the problem long-term, but this solution should a least get you through the summer with some Air Con.

Don't be put off by the amount of detail I have given in this reply (it's my first time I've done this) because it really is an easy job and it's much better than paying a garage £130-180 to fit a new motor you don't really need."



Just did this repair, very simple when explained like this. I was left with an extra nut but thats goin in the 'spares' box : )