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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > DIY Guides > HVAC Blower Motor Replacement



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      04-18-2014, 05:53 PM   #67
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Did this today and it took me (no BS) 10 minutes. Having said that I've made the mistake in the past of removing the vent and glovebox and it took 2 hrs.

Again. Remove the 2 torx 20 screws and unclip the light, remove panel. Get under there with a headlamp, unclip the connectors, and rotate the motor clockwise (looking up) until the tab hits the stop. Then lower the tab to twist it out. You can absolutely shimmy it out now without removing the ducting. At first you'll be like naw, but then you'll be like yeah when you realize the ducting and wire bundle are the only obstructions and they can be moved slightly to accommodate the removal and then reinstallation.

Great way to save yourself some serious cash.
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      05-01-2014, 02:07 PM   #68
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Did this today. Motor was not working at all...It had a little rust on the axle.

The motor came out in 2min. Sprayed just the axle with WD-40, wiped any excess off. Then I sprayed the fan blades with fabreze and wiped them. . Popped it back in, and after struggling with getting the duct back in for about 20min and swearing about 100X - I got it in. Wish I listened to ellipsis212 and left it, but with a little maneuvering I got it. No smell, no squeaks...So glad I didnt take it to shop. Thanks everyone!
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      05-27-2014, 04:26 AM   #69
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I wasn't able to replicate the text-based instructions. It's a bit confusing down there for somebody who hasn't taken apart the glove box / surrounding wiring of the blower before.

It's not too hard a job though, definitely fits the DIY bill, took me about 90 minutes total.
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      07-29-2014, 07:41 PM   #70
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Excellent DIY. Spent 30-40 minutes down there, most of which was futzing with the back clip/trying to get that duct back in. I had success just pushing it with the lower dash panel and making it seat itself properly by lining up the holes. Wish I had read closer and realized I didn't need to take it out, though.

Also the issue was readily apparent - a piece of plastic had broken and fallen into the blower fan. Which begs the question, where did the plastic come from? It's a very small tab, pictured here. I actually think it might be part of hte cabin air filter housing, as awhile back I was putting it back on and it was being a punk, so I gave it a good shove and it popped in. Thoughts?
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      09-30-2014, 08:51 AM   #71
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No need to remove glove box...takes like 20 mins tops

Great DIY. The comments in the thread say removing the glovebox is not necessary - totally true. I didn't even have a problem getting the motor back in - yeah it's tight but not so tight that it looks impossible.

Notes I'd add:
Removing glovebox unnecessary
I had clockwise out, counter-clockwise in while on your back in the passenger footwell
You can buy a TYC brand replacement. This is different than OE but it fit - it's the one I used
I didn't notice the evaporator to be accessible at all. I would have liked to spray some evap foam on the A/C evaporator
I did break the retaining clip when pulling the old unit out. Not a big deal since I didn't plan to resell/recondition it. But maybe worth being a little careful if you do plan to just fix your existing one. That clip is appears to NOT be replaceable without a whole new assembly.

My symptoms of the blower going to lower power randomly have not disappeared. That appears to be caused by the blower motor resistor (sometimes called FSU).
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      10-30-2014, 11:47 AM   #72
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E91 hvac blower

Hi found this very helpful fixed mine using your instructions very clear albeit tricky to get to my blower wasn't working at all the shaft had a rust build up on it so a bit of spray grease did the trick, anyone else with this check the connectors to the blower motor itself as my connection wasn't great, all fixed now and ££££ saved thankyou

regards,
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      12-03-2014, 03:03 PM   #73
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Thanks to all who have posted and shown the way to this repair. It was very simple due to the knowledge gained here. I had previously tried the wd40 trick and it worked for six months before it finally died. After replacement I took a good look at it and then took the motor apart. The motor sits so that the weight of the fan is on the backing plate. This eventually wears. My fan was touching the plastic of the motor housing. The bearing on the fan end looked rusty. To my surprise the bearing on the other end was at least as bad if not worse. I do not believe that water is getting into the unit. Temprature changes and condensation are most likely bigger issues. I can not recommend the wd40 trick as it will not give more space between the fan and motor housing nor will you be able to oil the bearing on the motor end. Oiling may keep it going for a few days but if it is acting up just get a new one. 15 minutes and the job is done.
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      12-04-2014, 02:24 PM   #74
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For those just started hearing the bearing noise at cold start. Just spray some graphite lube and then top it off with some chain lube on to the fan's spindle through the opening for the hvac filter. Be sure to leave the fan running for while doing it, so the lube/oil will soak into the lower bearings. Open the windows too, since the lube smells a little before it fully dries.

2 min job and solved the problem for me.

Seems like the problem is mostly corrosion based. And that thing operates in a pretty hot and humid environment, and with plenty of ozone generated by the electric motor, it is bound to rust like a mofo.

So I would still cover it up with some kind of corrosion resistance lube (chain lube works for me) even if you are installing a brand new one.
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      12-16-2014, 04:27 AM   #75
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blower

Just about to attempt this as my heater is now not working. Whats the best way to get to the blower? Do i need to remove the glove box or is there an easier way?
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      12-16-2014, 05:49 AM   #76
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Skinnymat View Post
Just about to attempt this as my heater is now not working. Whats the best way to get to the blower? Do i need to remove the glove box or is there an easier way?
Apparently you haven't reviewed the DIY. Removing the glove box is not necessary. The kick panel below the glove box needs to be removed, which requires removing two screws and unplugging the footwell light.
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      01-19-2015, 07:41 PM   #77
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Efthreeoh View Post
Apparently you haven't reviewed the DIY. Removing the glove box is not necessary. The kick panel below the glove box needs to be removed, which requires removing two screws and unplugging the footwell light.
Here is my 2 cents...

It is easy to get the blower out without removing glove box, but it is a pain and to me, I could not get it in, without risking to break the tabs on blower.

So I removed the glove box and such an easy install via that route.

It is very simple to remove glove box via this DIY:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tech..._Replacing.htm

Remove blower motor:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tech..._Replacing.htm
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      05-12-2015, 09:38 PM   #78
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About to do this, as the Wd40 trick I did today is for sure a temporary fix.

Has anyone got a cheaper site than RockAuto? They seem to be the cheapest at $81 shipped for me.

http://www.rockauto.com
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      05-12-2015, 09:56 PM   #79
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/Heater-Blowe...a5412d&vxp=mtr

This one seems to be the cheapest at $73. Did any of you order from this guy? Saw a lot of you posted that you ordered form Ebay.
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      05-12-2015, 10:06 PM   #80
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Pulled the trigger on the Ebay one. Comes with a 10 year warranty.
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      07-07-2015, 07:03 PM   #81
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So my blower fan suddenly stopped working, with no advanced warning (no "crickets," no sounds, or grinding, no intermittent operation whatsoever).

How can I determine if it's the blower motor itself or the blower motor resistor?

And for my 2008 335i, the fuse diagram only one fuse: #88 (40A, which was good, BTW).

UPDATE:
I pulled the Blower Motor Resistor (aka FSU) off and noticed a burn mark between the power spades, just like brutalsnax's post:



The corresponding female plug had the insulation on both power wires melted off about 3/4" past the plastic connector and the thick bundle of twisted copper wires rusty and the bundles lightly touching each other.

Reattaching the plug back into the Blower Motor Resistor, I tested the output spades with a multimeter and it appears the resistor still functions as I got readings from 0 to ~8.7V DC corresponding to the fan speed setting on the HVAC control panel. The max voltage measured appears to be normal according to a YouTube video that describes testing the resistor.

So it leads me to suspect the blower motor itself is fried. Resistance through the Blower Motor was approximately 0.7 Ohms, though I have no idea what the spec should be. I'm going to pull it out and bench test it by applying 12V to it's connector to see if the fan turns.

I will also be disassembling the plastic connector to repair the exposed bare wires with electrical tape since it is still functional.

RESOLUTION:
Blower Motor worked just fine when connected directly to 12V source. What the problem was the melted insulation between the closely packed power wires was shorting the signal but not blowing the fuse, causing some scorching but otherwise no other detectable damage to components. Plastic socket connector was partially melted, and attempts to remove the terminal ends without damage failed. So I cut off the wires, bought new terminals and socket connector (~$11 dealer prices), rebuilt the connection, and tested with blower motor: Good to go!

Dodged a bullet in expensive parts that would have cost me ~$200 for a motor (BMW) or $110 for a resistor (BMW).
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Last edited by Augster; 07-08-2015 at 12:51 PM..
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      07-24-2015, 12:53 PM   #82
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Missing screw!

Hey guys, first of all thanks for his DIY!!! i just replaced mine and was really easy following all the instructions.

While i was doing it, i notice that is missing a screw/bolt (see the pics) anyone can tell me which one is or when can i buy it

thanks!
Attached Images
  
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      07-28-2015, 10:51 AM   #83
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Augster View Post
So my blower fan suddenly stopped working, with no advanced warning (no "crickets," no sounds, or grinding, no intermittent operation whatsoever).

How can I determine if it's the blower motor itself or the blower motor resistor?

And for my 2008 335i, the fuse diagram only one fuse: #88 (40A, which was good, BTW).

UPDATE:
I pulled the Blower Motor Resistor (aka FSU) off and noticed a burn mark between the power spades, just like brutalsnax's post:



The corresponding female plug had the insulation on both power wires melted off about 3/4" past the plastic connector and the thick bundle of twisted copper wires rusty and the bundles lightly touching each other.

Reattaching the plug back into the Blower Motor Resistor, I tested the output spades with a multimeter and it appears the resistor still functions as I got readings from 0 to ~8.7V DC corresponding to the fan speed setting on the HVAC control panel. The max voltage measured appears to be normal according to a YouTube video that describes testing the resistor.

So it leads me to suspect the blower motor itself is fried. Resistance through the Blower Motor was approximately 0.7 Ohms, though I have no idea what the spec should be. I'm going to pull it out and bench test it by applying 12V to it's connector to see if the fan turns.

I will also be disassembling the plastic connector to repair the exposed bare wires with electrical tape since it is still functional.

RESOLUTION:
Blower Motor worked just fine when connected directly to 12V source. What the problem was the melted insulation between the closely packed power wires was shorting the signal but not blowing the fuse, causing some scorching but otherwise no other detectable damage to components. Plastic socket connector was partially melted, and attempts to remove the terminal ends without damage failed. So I cut off the wires, bought new terminals and socket connector (~$11 dealer prices), rebuilt the connection, and tested with blower motor: Good to go!

Dodged a bullet in expensive parts that would have cost me ~$200 for a motor (BMW) or $110 for a resistor (BMW).
I have a 2010 328xi n51 my wires are fired do you know the part numbers for the terminal and socket connectors so I can order them and make a diy on it first day member
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      07-28-2015, 04:47 PM   #84
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Quote:
Originally Posted by john0421 View Post
I have a 2010 328xi n51 my wires are fired do you know the part numbers for the terminal and socket connectors so I can order them and make a diy on it first day member
I have to find my dealer receipt since they looked up the parts for me; I couldn't easily find them via RealOEM.
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      07-28-2015, 07:46 PM   #85
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Augster View Post
I have to find my dealer receipt since they looked up the parts for me; I couldn't easily find them via RealOEM.
Okay great I will be waiting to post my first diy once I order the parts because I know they sell the whole wire harness but all my other cables are fine its just the one like in your pic that Connects to the blower motor white part witch I think it's the resistor or relay
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      11-15-2015, 01:55 PM   #86
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Can someone please tell me how to get the power connector off of the motor? I swear mine is stuck (the copper wire is green due to water) and my last attempt to get it off caused some sparks.
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      11-15-2015, 02:02 PM   #87
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Quote:
Originally Posted by john0421 View Post
Okay great I will be waiting to post my first diy once I order the parts because I know they sell the whole wire harness but all my other cables are fine its just the one like in your pic that Connects to the blower motor white part witch I think it's the resistor or relay
I would like the part numbers as well.
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      11-21-2015, 12:58 PM   #88
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Part numbers

I found that my connector was fried as well.

Here are the part numbers from Taylor BMW in Augusta.

They had 1 large crimp connector in stock, the rest had to be ordered.

Small crimp connector 61138377730 (need 1)

Large crimp connector 61138377732 (need 2)

Plastic connector 61136925196 (need 1)

Here is a pic of the large crimp connector:

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