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Thread: E36 Blower Motor?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    E36 318i

    E36 Blower Motor?

    Hi, i have a e36 318i and the blower doesnt go at all....
    i have check the fan with 12v...works fine...have checked RELAY 9 (blower relay)...energises when i put it in..and i have checked fuse 48 which is a large 40 amp fuse....not blown..yet still my fan refuses to work..i have the bentlys manual and it says to check the heater box?? under the glove box...(right hand drive) so on the left...but i cant find it...it also says there is a AUXILARY RELAY BOX containing realays and fuses also under the glove box..al i found was one relay and one fuse (the 40 amp big one)..? wheres the heater box?

    pictures attached?

    PLEASE HELP...ive been stuck on this for about a year now....convinced im going to crack it

    cheers

  2. #2
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    1993 325is
    sounds like your resistor pack went bye bye, usually shows up as one or more speed settings not working, but i suppose the whole thing can go as well.

    i have poked around for the DIY, seem to be very different model year to model year, mine is a 93 325is and it was on the right side of my driver foot well. technically the center concole but very far back. i think there is a procedure in the bentley for the resistor pack, here is the part for reference or ordering

    http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/cata...pg3.htm#item18

  3. #3
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    10 minute job and 20 something dollars, my guess is the final stage resistor. If this car is pre 95 it is easy as pie.

  4. #4
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    ///M
    id say resistors also. the resistor pack on my truck is out right now as a matter of fact and only high works. high is straight battery 12v on a gm. bmw may or may not step down voltage even on high, i really dont know. also, check your relay contacts itself. although unlikely, you can lose continuity across the contacts even though the coil pulls in.

  5. #5
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    which relay is that?

    cheers

  6. #6
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    ( ͡° ͜ʖ*)
    its the final stage resistor under your dash in the foot well. i recently replaced mine (more expensive due to the digital climate control) very easy and should get you up and running again.

  7. #7
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    I've replaced my blower motor resistor twice now, maybe three times lol, and it keeps dying after 1 week. I have a 94 325IS. Thoughts on that anybody? The replacement is pretty easy but it's $30 and a few days wait everytime lol.

  8. #8
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    '97 328is

  9. #9
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    I have a 94 325IS tho. Mine is not digital. Thanks tho

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    how can you tell if the resistor or the blower motor is bad? i have a '94 325is and this is my prbblems: blower motor works intermediately for the last 5 months. first time it stops working for a few hours then works again when driving over bumps. then it would stops for a few days then works again. today i get it to work everytimes i manually spin the blower motor blades underneath the cowl panel after putting the heater knob in the on position. i can get the blower motor working again after turning it off then on again if the blades are still running. i was told by a friend that the brushes inside the motor are bad and i need a new motor. but how can i tell for sure if the motor is bad or the resistor is bad? what are the symtoms for each? i don't want to tear the car apart to replace the blower motor and find out that doesn't solve the problem.

  11. #11
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    I am not exactly sure on how to answer your question as I am still trying to fix mine, however... I determined my final stage unit/blower motor resistor was bad because my blower would only work on the fourth setting. I have changed this part out more than once though, and it keeps dying after about a week. I'm going to check my relays and replace the blower motor (if I ever get around to this, I haven't found a DIY that looks like i'm not tearing the engine bay apart...). We'll see what turns of from there. Perhaps you have a loose wire somewhere as well? If bumps affect it, thats why I say loose wire maybe...

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marknhl View Post
    I am not exactly sure on how to answer your question as I am still trying to fix mine, however... I determined my final stage unit/blower motor resistor was bad because my blower would only work on the fourth setting. I have changed this part out more than once though, and it keeps dying after about a week. I'm going to check my relays and replace the blower motor (if I ever get around to this, I haven't found a DIY that looks like i'm not tearing the engine bay apart...). We'll see what turns of from there. Perhaps you have a loose wire somewhere as well? If bumps affect it, thats why I say loose wire maybe...
    The most likely reason why your resistor pack keeps dying is because the blower motor is malfunctioning - it could be dragging or binding up and this overloads the resistor pack when you use anything less than the full-speed setting. On the full speed setting the resistor pack is bypassed and the blower motor gets the full 12+ volts. But on all the lower speeed settings the resistor pack is outputting reduced voltages to the motor and if the motor is binding up, the lower speed settings don't send enough voltage to keep the motor turning so it kinda seizes up and comes to a stop and the resistance blows the resistor pack as it struggles to get the motor turning again.

    And please stop calling it a Final Stage Unit - the FSU is a completely different type of speed controller and it is only used on the 96 and newer cars that have the digital climate control unit. It confuses future readers that have a 92-95 car with rotary climate controls and the resistor pack because their car doesn't have an FSU.

    You have to check your blower motor and see if it's binding up. I think it should spin easily by hand and freewheel when you spin it. Replacing the blower motor is a pain in the butt, and is more difficult on the coupe (smaller plenum opening).

    If you get a new blower motor, get the good $300+ OEM one with the removable squirrel cages as it is much easier to install than the cheaper one with fixed cages.

    Blower motor DIY:
    http://www.sqbimmer.com/dump/e36_blower_motor/
    Randy Walters
    '89 325is (Competition car, now sold)
    '96 328is (Weekend Fun car w/M3 suspension, just sold)
    '03 530i Sport (Spare car)
    '05 X3 3.0 (Little Woman's DD)
    '21 Mazda 3 Premium Sedan AWD (Daily Driver)
    BMW CCA & SCCA Driving Instructor
    BMW CCA L.A. & S.D. Chapters
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  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by mxv1496 View Post
    how can you tell if the resistor or the blower motor is bad? i have a '94 325is and this is my prbblems: blower motor works intermediately for the last 5 months. first time it stops working for a few hours then works again when driving over bumps. then it would stops for a few days then works again. today i get it to work everytimes i manually spin the blower motor blades underneath the cowl panel after putting the heater knob in the on position. i can get the blower motor working again after turning it off then on again if the blades are still running. i was told by a friend that the brushes inside the motor are bad and i need a new motor. but how can i tell for sure if the motor is bad or the resistor is bad? what are the symtoms for each? i don't want to tear the car apart to replace the blower motor and find out that doesn't solve the problem.
    It's not the resistor pack - it's just a speed controller and wouldn't cause the motor to stop and start again. I think your friend is right - sounds like your brushes are worn out or sticking and not making good enough contact wth the commutator. But you can buy and install new brushes on your motor which is a lot easier and cheaper than replacing the whole blower motor. And the brushes might be in good shape but really dirty and unable to slide in their little brackets and if so use some electric motor cleaning spray to clean the brushes.
    Randy Walters
    '89 325is (Competition car, now sold)
    '96 328is (Weekend Fun car w/M3 suspension, just sold)
    '03 530i Sport (Spare car)
    '05 X3 3.0 (Little Woman's DD)
    '21 Mazda 3 Premium Sedan AWD (Daily Driver)
    BMW CCA & SCCA Driving Instructor
    BMW CCA L.A. & S.D. Chapters
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  14. #14
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    LOL thanks Randy. I am one of those confused 92-95 vehicle owners. I have read on numerous other threads about this and specifically asked if they were the same thing and was confirmed on this. Its good to know now that there actually is a difference! I have a 94 325IS and I am going to try and use the blower motor out of my 92 325IS. We'll see how it goes, thanks for a much better explanation of my problem than I have found previously. I am confident now that replacing my blower motor will fix the problem.

  15. #15
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    1989 525i, 1983 528e
    My 528 had a similer problem I removed the HEATER blower motor (accessed through the firewall as there are 2 fans, 1 inside the car for AC and one outside {under the hood} for the heat. ) I removed the motor, freeded it up and added some WD-40, re-installed it and had no more problems.

  16. #16
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    Oh boy, well how do you know if its one or the other?

  17. #17
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    the weirdest thing just happened...the blower motor just came on it own w/o spinning the blades after hasn't been working on it own for 2 wks. the car has been started or driven for the last two days. what the hell is going on? the blower motor and the resistor are on their way. i think i better check with the wires and try to clean the contact before i tear everything apart.

  18. #18
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    My blower motor resistor just went out, I knew it was on its way and was just waiting for it to fail. Symptoms were: no low speed operation, pulsing medium and medium high speed, normal highest speed.

    Usually a bad blower motor resistor pack can be diagnosed by checking the speeds of the motor. If you have only high speed, it is because high speed bypasses the blower motor resistor letting you know that it is bad if you dont have the lower speeds.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by TriState Pete View Post
    My blower motor resistor just went out, I knew it was on its way and was just waiting for it to fail. Symptoms were: no low speed operation, pulsing medium and medium high speed, normal highest speed.
    The "pulsing" on the lower speeds is the blower motor binding up and dragging because it's not turning easily, and is causing resistance. If left to continue, the resistors that control the other lower speeds will blow like the lowest speed did already, leaving you only with the highest speed. Fix the motor issue before wasting money on a new resistor pack.
    Randy Walters
    '89 325is (Competition car, now sold)
    '96 328is (Weekend Fun car w/M3 suspension, just sold)
    '03 530i Sport (Spare car)
    '05 X3 3.0 (Little Woman's DD)
    '21 Mazda 3 Premium Sedan AWD (Daily Driver)
    BMW CCA & SCCA Driving Instructor
    BMW CCA L.A. & S.D. Chapters
    Multiple SCCA Regional Championships

  20. #20
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    Did you ever fix the problem? Mine only works on the fourth. Fuses were wishful thinking.

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by sailfaraway View Post
    Did you ever fix the problem? Mine only works on the fourth. Fuses were wishful thinking.
    Have you replaced your resistor pack? That should restore the lower speeds - at least until it blows again
    Randy Walters
    '89 325is (Competition car, now sold)
    '96 328is (Weekend Fun car w/M3 suspension, just sold)
    '03 530i Sport (Spare car)
    '05 X3 3.0 (Little Woman's DD)
    '21 Mazda 3 Premium Sedan AWD (Daily Driver)
    BMW CCA & SCCA Driving Instructor
    BMW CCA L.A. & S.D. Chapters
    Multiple SCCA Regional Championships

  22. #22
    Join Date
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    I have a 98 328i, For the past month or so my motor will just shut off and not work on any speed and then sometimes it will come back and it doesn't matter what speed its on it will do it on any speed. Would this be the Blower Resistor? i've found it on a few websites and i'm unsure of which is actually the best one. i found it on bavauto and it was like 85bucks. I found it on a few other sites and found it for like 30 to 40bucks. I don't want to replace this within a few weeks i want this thing fixed. i just got my windows tinted and i can't roll down my windows and i tell you everyday i pray to god that it will just work till i get home.

  23. #23
    Join Date
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    BMW 1992 325I
    Mine is 325I 1992 and the problem is little bit different. My AC blower only working when the weather is cool (like in the morning or late evening). If in the morning I have it running, it will work until you turn off the engine. But most of the time you need the AC it's not working at all like at noon (I have a dial control not a digital one). I search all over the web and was suggested to replace the AC blower motor resistor. I replace the resistor last weekend, but now the blower is not working at all even in the morning like before. Anybody can help me. I tried to turn the heat on, not working at all. Anybody could help me. please. I worry about the rain, without the blower no way I could drive to school. Please help me.

  24. #24
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    I'm just thinking out loud but you could try the relay and otherwise you may have to replace the blower motor itself. I'm not sure...

  25. #25
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    Do you have a part number for the relay?

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