Heater Fan - Intermitant

[pginbath]

Hi All,

I see there are a few topics on this, but my problem is slightly different.

When my heater fan works, intermittent, I get a loud-ish ticking from o/s dash. This is different from the re-circ flap ticking and sounds more like a relay shorting out. Also display on Climate control flashes 8’s at start-up, which from other themes, seems to point towards fan motor brushes – any link?

Anyone have a suggestion as I can't see an obvious way to get to the relays?

Thanks

[evobaz]

Heater motor brushes will be worn out,

I had EXACTLY the same thing when my brushes needed replacing. Sounded like the relay was clicking away in the fuse box. New set of brushes and all was well.

Brushes are on ebay for £12.50

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190349589225&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT


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. Rotating the brushes will get your heater working again temporarily but they will eventually wear down again. The best solution is new brushes.
The guide below is for removing the motor on an A4 but the Passat is essentially the same car.


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 3 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.

[pginbath]

EvoBaz,

Thanks, that's great. After posting my message, I found some other themes and thought it probably was the same problem, but excellent to have it confirmed.

Cheers

pginbath
:beerchug:

[jt-design]

Currently half way through doing the "blower out" job on my 98 passat 1.8T Tip.

The A4 description won't work on these passats (RHD).

There are a few more screws in the glove box removal but they are obvious and easy to get at. The 2 screws under the left hand cover (door open) still apply though.

The bad bit is this:
The motor cover has 4 screws. The top one is REALLY awkward even with a stubby cross-head because the airbag is close. Once you get it out, you will realise that you can't get the damn motor out anyway!:mad:

So before you start, disconnect the battery!

Remove the glove box. Disconnect the airbag wire. Remove the airbag chassis (4 x 10mm bolts). Don't knock the airbag, keep it clean, safe and keep the bag facing upwards.

Remove the 4 screws on the motor housing. Disconnect the wiring.

Motor is mounted in the housing using 3 rubber spacers. You can flex these out using a wide flat screwdriver. Brushes are held in with spring clips that you can pop off with a small screwdriver. Brush braids are soldered so you will need an iron to remove/replace them.

I have ordered the brushes from ebay using the link above (thanks :beerchug:) and will let you guys know how I get on with them.

I'm off to refit the blower with the old brushes still in. I've just vacuumed the carbon dust out and blasted the rotor with contact cleaner, so I'm hoping to get the last bit of life out of them.:o

Cheers
JT

NOTE: This post is much better than mine. http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=83830&highlight=fan+brushes

Wish I'd found it earlier.

[pginbath]

jt-design,

Completed the brushes on my 99 Passat yesterday. Agree, it's not quite as simple as evobaz suggested, but managed to complete it.

Once the top screw is removed (and it's not easy, I agree), the fan will come out with a little twisting & fiddling. I didn't need to remove air bag, etc. However, what I hadn’t realised was that the brushes are soldered in place. That was a little more tricky as I don’t have a soldering iron, but managed to borrow one (eventually) off a neighbour.

Re-fitting was simply a case of reversing the instructions.

Control Panel still flashes the error, but hoping to get advice off here or get it re-set when next in for service, etc.

All in, happy with the result & having heat on windscreen again!

Cheers

:beerchug:

[jt-design]

I used to use these instructions (the pdf) to clear the error codes before I had vag-com.

I can't remember where I got it from, might even be this board. :o

Hope it helps.

Cheers

JT

[pginbath]

Thanks JT, will try it out this week.
pginbath

Update: In fact, have just printed it and done it. Showed blower motor & recirc flap error, which I knew, but cleared the error on start up.
Excellent JT & thanks again.
pginbath