heater/blower motor runs only after car is warm suggestions?

[Carl winslow]

We are in freeze mode here in ohio and the heater willonly work after the car has runfor 30 minutes or so.I can feel warm air ever so slightly not enough to really warm up the cabin is this a motor going out ?I seem to remember replacing a resistor under the paasenger dash in aluminium with long fingers.After warm up it will work fine.

[nathancarter]

Sounds like the Final Stage Resistor. If the fan runs at erratic speeds, or keeps running after you shut off the car, or doesn't run at the speed shown on the HVAC display, it's almost certainly the final stage resistor. A replacement is a little less than $100 from most of our suppliers.

I don't know if there's a DIY out there with pictures. There probably is, somewhere.

[stickbuilder]

Are you trying to use the auto function, or manually adjusting the fan speed?

[Bubblehead 323i]

DIY below. A little hard to see and get too. Hope your back is up to it. I had to use a small mirror and flashlight to see. Unfortunately that made things backwards/reversed, so I had to think backwards ?

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=143393

[Carl winslow]

Already replaced that about a year ago........to reiterate my heat works but seems to be affected by the cold and the freezing weather.So after my car sitting out all night the car will not blow ANY air hot or cold until everything is warmed up.
I was concerned it may be coolant issue related somehow because it stops working when its really cold out...........then works fine all day until the next day and go through the whole cycle again

[nathancarter]

So the blower moves the air just fine, but the air is cold?

If that's the case, it's either a stuck-open thermostat or a stuck-closed heater valve.

[MrEnigma330i]

My car did this (although only once) after it sat for quite awhile when we were having freezing nights and snow. I figured that some kind of condensation traveled down and then froze over night making the fan not able to move. After I'd leave my heater off (fan and all) for a few minutes while driving it seemed to melt whatever was holding it up and it worked just fine.
This may or may not be accurate but, it's what I summed it up to be.

I'm grasping here but...possibly you could try to experiment with laying a blanket over the front of your car (hood cowl/windshield) at night and seeing if that blocks anything. I say that assuming you don't have a garage you park it in.

[beef1020]

So after my car sitting out all night the car will not blow ANY air hot or cold until everything is warmed up.

Do you have the climate control set on AUTO? If you push the little fan button to increase the fan speed does that make it blow air?

If it's set on AUTO, it will not blow any air until it can get warm air, which points to thermostat or heater valve problems. If you try to increase the fan speed with the button and you still do not get any air it points to a totally different problem.

[Carl winslow]

Im pretty sure its not on auto but will double check tomorrow.
What does make sense though is condensation forming and icing up the works the blower does not work first thing then is fine.

[Oli77]

Like Nathan, I vote for T-stat stuck open.

Does the engine temperature barely make it to the 12 oclcock position? And if you drive 30-40 mph, the engine temp drops? You come to a light and temp goes up a little? Barely heat in the cabine?

Those were my symptoms of T-stat stuck open.

[Carl winslow]

^ the guage is slightly past 12 in fact everything is normal heat works finewhen warm nothing abnormal with the engine temps at all.The test will be when spring comes and it will not affect it,right now its a pain for the 20 min ride to work.

[nikesb538]

Belts possibly i know one of them rums the heat

[Dj Syco]

idk, i mean my car doesn't instantly blow heat when i turn the car on in the winter. and he said he replaced the fsr a year ago. maybe just losing luxury? I make a 10 min drive to work in the morning and I don't even bother with it. I've replaced the tstat and fsr within 4 months too

[WHITEXi]

Mine does the same....

Hardly any air comes out when cold unless I set it in the higher up speeds and once warm it works fine throughout the low settings.

I always thought this was normal so that your not blowing cold air around. Its been like that for ever.

[Edik]

Hi, the thread is quite old but I have exactly the same issue. Basically, the blower motor does not start until car warm-ups (takes 5 - 10 minutes when outside is around 0 celsius ) and after it works absolutely normal. I can turn it off and start again and it will work instantly but as soon it cools down I need warm up the engine, it used to work instantly even when outside was -20 celsius. I have replaced the blower motor resistor (100$) but it did not help. the issue persist. Does anyone be able to pinpoint the issue? I would really really appreciate some help with it!!!!
forgot to mention, the car has climate control A/C.

[floydr]

Hi, the thread is quite old but I have exactly the same issue. Basically, the blower motor does not start until car warm-ups (takes 5 - 10 minutes when outside is around 0 celsius ) and after it works absolutely normal. I can turn it off and start again and it will work instantly but as soon it cools down I need warm up the engine, it used to work instantly even when outside was -20 celsius. I have replaced the blower motor resistor (100$) but it did not help. the issue persist. Does anyone be able to pinpoint the issue? I would really really appreciate some help with it!!!!
forgot to mention, the car has climate control A/C.

As mentioned in previous answers, this is normal behaviour designed to keep the unit from blowing cold air around. You can hit Defrost to get air on the windshield (overrides temp). Diesel cars (E9x, F3x) have an electric element in the a/c because they warm up so slow.

Be sure to have the center knob to the hot side to get warm air to the face.

[Edik]

As mentioned in previous answers, this is normal behaviour designed to keep the unit from blowing cold air around. You can hit Defrost to get air on the windshield (overrides temp). Diesel cars (E9x, F3x) have an electric element in the a/c because they warm up so slow.

Be sure to have the center knob to the hot side to get warm air to the face.

NO, it is NOT! I own the car for 7 years! It was never a case. The blower motor starts without even starting an engine in 99% cars. The blower motor sends air through the vents cold or warm and should not depend on engine preheat otherwise the windshield would be always foggy especially were temperature outside is significantly different from inside the car.

Just to clarify, the issue is not the heat. The issue is the blower motor does not start until the engine is warmed up which is abnormal behavior.
PS. newer cars with a push button start may not let to start the blow motor without engine due to design, older cars allow to turn the key half way and have radio and other electric stuff work (including blow motor).

[floydr]

If the behavior has changed, you probably need a new a/c control board.

[x3e83]

NO, it is NOT! I own the car for 7 years! It was never a case. The blower motor starts without even starting an engine in 99% cars. The blower motor sends air through the vents cold or warm and should not depend on engine preheat otherwise the windshield would be always foggy especially were temperature outside is significantly different from inside the car.

Just to clarify, the issue is not the heat. The issue is the blower motor does not start until the engine is warmed up which is abnormal behavior.
PS. newer cars with a push button start may not let to start the blow motor without engine due to design, older cars allow to turn the key half way and have radio and other electric stuff work (including blow motor).

Has anyone found a fix for this?

I changed my fSR , the fuses and tested the ihka its sending signal for blower speeds at the FSR. I also reached the blower and tested the connections there but it was running fine at the time.

Anybody ever seen a blower motor be intermitent like that? Should I just re open everything and just change it. I checked the all the wiring diagrams and there is nothing else dependent on this blower to run at start up. there is no relay except for the resistor.

I start the car i put high dfrost and nothing I drive and then i turns on once its on its on bumps or what ever wont turn it off. But if I shut off the car and restart it it the same process again warm or cold.