Passat heater fan & control unit

JONDAVIKING · 27-11-2006,07:11 PM

Hi
I have got a 98 Passat TDi auto.
It developed what appears to be a fairly common fault - the heater fan worked intermittently and then stopped! Around the time that it started playing up the climatronic display started doing the the old 15 secs flashing at me routine.
I took the car to a VW main dealer and they said it needed a new heater fan motor and resistor unit - £600 parts and labour

.

After consulting Haynes (god bless him

), I took out the heater fan motor and rotated the brushes through 180 degrees. Hey presto the motor worked again, but I still have the following questions if anyone can help:
1.When I turn on the ignition (or start the car) the climatronic display still flashes at me for 15 secs, and the fan does not blow until I have adjusted the speed control up or down?
2.According to Haynes the climatronic system does not have a resistor unit, only a "blower motor control unit (which) is located alongside the blower motor fan".It may be down to years of self abuse but I cannot see this unit, any ideas of location?
3.If changing the control unit does not stop the display flashing, do I need to go back to main dealer to have the system reset?

**ANDYC92** · 19-01-2007,03:15 AM

Yep I have the same problem with mty 99 1.8 SE Passat the issue is with the blower motor and vw want silly money to even look at it. I understand there are two resistors which cost about £90 a piece and the fan unit is £200+ .. i know this is the motor as given a clonk with a wrench it starts to tuirn again. My guess is that the Climate Control Pannel can be reset by VW and the flashing is because it has detected the motor stall.

I will source a cheeper motor online or possibly try repairingit as you suggested, my worry is that the fault may re-occur without replacing the complete brush - commutator assembly.

**ANDYC92** · 19-01-2007,03:20 AM

Oh yeh and the other thing..

Blower motor control unit, resistor its all the same, the resistance is used to reduce the speed of the unit - whatever they call it it has to be a series of resistors.

Of course it is always possible that the resistor unit could fail at the same time as the fan although unlikey.

**VR5_Lee** · 22-01-2007,01:59 PM

Same problems...
2 Days ago I had the flashing display and didn't realise the fan wasn't working for a few mins, I read this thread last week, so you can image it's buggered my weekend.

I was on the way home on the motorway when I realised I could hear a relay clicking away. Coming from that (fuse) area anyway - the fan was set at speed 2 or 3 and when I turned it off the relay stopped clicking (irratically by the way).

I await your oppinions on the matter and would appreciate an update of anything you manage to get working..Cheers Lee

**Turkster** · 22-01-2007,02:29 PM

you can pick up a 2nd hand Climate Control unit on ebay for around £25, thats what i did!

Gavin78 · 22-01-2007,02:57 PM

If the climatronic display is still flashing it means it is stillregistering a fault somewhere in the system. I changed the motor and fan assembly (new valleo unit pruchased from ebay seller for £70) on my previous Passat and the display immediately stoped flashing. Euro carparts also sell these motors complete: http://http://www.eurocarparts.com/e...ch_Results.asp

**twosweet2eat22** · 03-11-2007,05:26 PM

Hi I have a 2000 Passat and my heating/cooling system just stopped working. It worked in the beginning but gradually over about a period of a couple weeks it just stopped. I am trying to avoid spending unnecessary money so did anyone else have this same problem. Wjile looking on this site I seen many differrent reasons as to a blower fan or resistor unit which I know nothing of. Can someone help me out.

**passat boy** · 11-11-2007,10:04 PM

Originally Posted by twosweet2eat22

Hi I have a 2000 Passat and my heating/cooling system just stopped working. It worked in the beginning but gradually over about a period of a couple weeks it just stopped. I am trying to avoid spending unnecessary money so did anyone else have this same problem. Wjile looking on this site I seen many differrent reasons as to a blower fan or resistor unit which I know nothing of. Can someone help me out.

Hi there twosweattoeat22

You dont state what happens or doesent but start with the "climacontrol" first and it's related fuse(s),does it allow all controlls to work and do you have a digital display visible.If pressing either the cold or hot button(red or blue)does the blower fan come on and the engine revs briefly increase(aircon on)as well as the display working.If nothing happens then it's usually the controll unit that is faulty but this could be "dry joint's" on soldered components or a resistor or diode that is faulty.A breakers will sell them for around £60 and they are easy to replace.If youre lucky it's just a bad connector to the controller,i had a poor connection on my hazzard&indicator/relay/button in my 1998 passat(s-reg) that left me with no signals in rush hour traffic and the abuse i got for using hand signals was sad.My case was just polishing what appeared to be perfectly clean contacts on the relay/switch and it is as good as new since.So check the display&controlls and if dead then the relevent fuse and i hope this help's a little.

Regards

Clint.

**ROBH** · 13-11-2007,11:33 PM

Hi All,
I have a 1.9Tdi Sport 2001 and my climatecontrol is playing up as well.
Once the car is warm a tapping noise starts behind the facia, if I stop the engine and just let the unit run its a bit noisy. Everything works fine, the blowers, temp etc. It only started a couple of weeks ago and does'nt effect any of the functions. Could this be the start of motor probs ????

**passat boy** · 16-11-2007,08:15 PM

Originally Posted by ROBH

Hi All,
I have a 1.9Tdi Sport 2001 and my climatecontrol is playing up as well.
Once the car is warm a tapping noise starts behind the facia, if I stop the engine and just let the unit run its a bit noisy. Everything works fine, the blowers, temp etc. It only started a couple of weeks ago and does'nt effect any of the functions. Could this be the start of motor probs ????

Hi ROBH

The airconditioning duct's behind the dash are controlled by small electronic motor's that open and close the vent's as per your setting's,hotter- then a wider opening.Basically it's like the throttle on a inlet,you press the pedal and the flap opens wider and closes upon releasing pressure if it's not the motor's then have a listen to the big blower motor behind the glovebox.If you have auto setting's or economy then the system with work the motor's accordingly and hence the noise but it's difficult to say,if it's your engine then listen to the engine on a morning start with the engine cold and dont rev it,just start and listen,the tappets(hydraulic)will clatter lightly for a few second's(not longer than 10-30)depending on wear and abuse.On your diesel engine there is a oil vacuum unit that is round and aluminium about the shape of a mug which could give off a small hollow thumpy sound.Lastly there is a small fan on the bottom front right of the "climacontrol" that seems to spin when the engine is running,never heard of a worn one but listen there for your sound and if it's not there try to isolate the noise and have a listen with the engine ideling at the battery trough area for the noise as it could be slight tappet noise or just slapping from the camshaft pulley's.As you dont stae mileage etc i assume the car is in good condition and driven in reason and not reved on cold starts.Hope this help's a little.

Regards

Clint