Great DIY... just did it last night. I bought the FSU for $45CDN used from a wrecker (although it looked to be brand new.. Bosch)
Everything is fixed. Thanks.
For the record, my symptoms were:
Symptoms:
* The blower fan will come on, even when I have the unit turned off (i.e. all the displays are turned off, the fan will come one, and the display will stay off.
* If I turn the fan on, to any setting (i.e. low to high) it will only blow high. Or will stop blowing (but the display remains lit)
* If i have the unit turned on, it will blow high for a while, stop randomly (while leaving the display on, and buttons functional), start again.
* I have not tried the AC since it started doing this, have only been referring to the blower without AC or heat.
* Even when the blower is off, the car seems to be letting a lot of outside air naturally blow through the vents.
can someone please post a pictures of where the wires go? i would really like to get this working asap
mr rolleyes, do the ccu capacitor. it is easy, fast, and cheap to try.
a good link is on the first page of this thread about halfway down.
Thanks for the DIY. Has anybody figured out why these fail? I had mine replaced three years ago by the dealer under my extended warranty and it appears to be out again (less than 6,000 miles on it, although I use the A/C on a daily basis here). Has anybody had any problems with the newer ACM/Bosch unit? Does anybody currently have a better price than ~ $ 110.00 for the ACM/Bosch unit?
Thanks,
Erik
Replaced the FSU today. I've got A/C again. The bad FSU was the newer style so I'm not sure that they are any better than the older/cheaper model.
DeeM3 - Thanks again for the DIY. It made it easy.
Erik
I have seen 2 write ups on replacing the FSU. This one that shows it on the drivers side and another on showing it up by the cabin air filter. I am trying to replace the FSU on a '99 M3 are these the correct instructions? I ordered the FSU from Bavarian Autosport and they are still $69.95.
Thanks,
Jack
The OP DIY is the one to use. It's on the drivers side.
Thanks
Jack
Hi all,
Just tried to order the FSU from Bavarian auto, and the part number listed is different than that what is in the picture (which is the "new" number listed in the original post). I called to verify, and the rep told me that the part has gone under yet another change in part numbers. Now there are 3 numbers:
Old Old: 64.11-8.380.580
Old: 64.11-6.929.540
Newest: 64 11 6 923 204
By the way, everyone else sells this thing for $111, they have it for 69+ship.
Should be at my door in 3 days for 79.90 grand total. I'll let you know if it fits/works.
10/18/07: Part arrived a day early. It's an ACM part made in Germany. Install took me about 30 minutes. Voila!!!! My blower that I thought was possessed for the last 2 years (on-off-on-off-high-low-high-low) works like a charm again!!!! I'm so happy!!!!!
Last edited by Kia; 10-18-2007 at 02:30 PM. Reason: Post DIY repair update:
I'm not really sure why I feel a need to post on this, it seems to be pretty much explained, but I figure I'd chime in to be thorough.
My symptoms:
1. The actual fan blows whenever and how ever fast it wants.
2. All the buttons, lights and displays light up and respond to input.
3. Chirping sound and a revolution based ticking sound (more on that below).
4. A mysterious crack across the vents that appears to be in the shape of a balled up human hand...no wait, I know what that is ...
I had a lot of people tell me to do the capacitor thing but i just dont have the time. I figured I'd send it to the eBay repair people but he emailed me back and asked about the displays and lights. He says if the displays and lights work, it's not the capacitor, its the Final Stage Resistor. I don't know if this guy is rght or not, but I know he's not trying to screw me over, otherwise he would've taken my money.
Now I'm hearing "Final Stage Resistor" and "Final Stage Unit." I'm at a point where I want to say F it and tear the whole thing down and replace everything, but that just wouldn't be nice to my wallet. I'm ordering the FSU using the part numbers in the post above (which, by the way, the old one points back to the new part number, a Bosch part with a plastic cap and metal sinks in their picture) and am going to go ape-shit (can I say that in Forumland? Oh well) on that thing.
As for the revolution based ticking noise mentioned in symptom three, it worries me. It sounds as if its linked to something speeding up and slowing down i.e. the blower itself. I'm afraid its literally becoming a ticking time bomb. We'll see what happens, it still has the ability to blow when it wants to.
Update shall be posted when I finally get around to it.
Great write-ups by the way.
Fourteen seconds after turning in my lease car: "Well...these last three years are pretty much pointless now."
I replaced mine with BAV auto part it works fine now.
Symptom was a random slow fan or sometimes no fan typically on hottest day with display showing all up all bars.
Bav Otto said it was my resistor pack and advised the one they sell, he was right!
No sign of problem since I replaced the resistor pack. You will need a Torx-15 screw driver to do the screws on the part.
This write up has been very helpful! Finally got my ac working properly again. Just some additional info for people with right hand drive cars. The FSU is located at the passenger side. Easier to just remove the glove box and knee bolster to get access.
Hello,
I am trying to install a final stage unit on my 328i '97. Can anyone help how to get to it? I've attempted to enter by unloading the glovebox, but failed. Is the DIY on '97 M3 the same for my model? I would appreciate your help.
Thanks.
You get to the resistor pack from the drivers not the passengers side.
You remove the black knee panel. Squeeze to unclip the electrical connection
on that panel and remove. You then should be able to see the resistor
pack at foot level near the back of the console and near the firewall.
I also did my brake light switch at the same time and that required I remove
the metal panel too, I don't think you need to do that for just the resistor
pack. Although it is easy with just several 10mm bolts.
It has two torx-15 screw on it. One of the screws has a wiring cable
right next to it so becareful not to damage those wires. I used some tape
on the screw driver to hold the screw so I could then place it in the part.
Holy thread revival, Batman! I just replaced my FSU, and there is a very noticable difference. If you use a similar sized hex instead of the 20-torx it will come right out and you don't have to remove the footwell vent. Took me about 15 minutes!
is this the same on a 97 540i?
Thank you, you solve my problem with my climate control today.
I had some problems since I have a different car than you, so I'm going to post here what I wrote on another section.
----
I can't post links to the parts or images how they look like to help anyone here after I solved my problem since I'm newly registered so text will have to do.
I was reading this forum today and found a DIY how to install a final stage unit which DeeM3 wrote for a M3
And it explained my problem perfectly. But! I have a 2000 BMW 328i E46 so it's different.
So using this as a guide is not good because it's actually on the other side... learned the hard way today
So This is on passenger side (if you are driving on the left side in car)
You have to take the glove department out and the foot well air duct which is located on the left by the climate control. It's tricky to get to it. But it's on the left side on the passenger side. Same tools that DeeM3 explained that has to be used. Take your time to look for it, same height as your climate control almost.
I have a image of it where is it is, but as soon as I can post images this has to be as good as it gets.
HINT! look for this in google:
Final stage unit replace for bmw 328 and select images in google
Now this is what i pulled out from my BMW (the old one)
CAN'T POST IMAGE! It looks like the one in DeeM3 guide.
This is what i got from the dealer $193 in Iceland. Looks better and improved! Part number: 64116923204
CAN'T POST IMAGE! It looks newer. More pins, which are shorter and more shiny.
HINT: LOOK FOR 64116923204 IN GOOGLE IMAGES
Hope this helps!
k guys. I think i have the f.s.u problem...i recently bought an 98 328i and at first it was a bad fuse, i replaced it and it worked, then the next day a relay went bad( i was told) and it was fixed , during when it was bad i could only get heat by goign faster-letting it blow in from the motor. Now my heater is working lke 1/2 speed after i turn it on all the way, my fuses are fine, i replaced it anyways tonight and no go. So with my heat blowing 1/2 i am thinking the f.s.u now? any help would be nice
I replaced my final stage resistor pack and the variable or no fan problem (epecially on hot days) went away, I also had a blown fuse this was bad.
After about six months now my ac/heating control unit is sometimes just blacking out and then it comes back on in some minutes. I am wondering if this is the console unit itself? I know this is another BMW weakness.
Well It may be the LAST BMW e36 weakness for me. I have replaced the brake pedal switch, the final stage resister pack, the brake way sensor. Oh haven't done the door accuators but I do have one of those that is marginal.
Please inform me that in X5 is the un-instalation of blower same as briefly described in first message?
just a bump for the thread, i have a new fsu for sale. i thought it was the issue with my heating system but it was not.
thanks
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...d.php?t=965921
and buying a new blower sucks
98 Cosmos/Magma M3
Kudos to the OP...this post saved me a ton of time and money.
Ressurecting an old thread; just wanted to say that this solution worked for me. However, I broke a piece off the lower panel during removal. I guess 11 year old plastic isn't as flexible as it was when brand new. CRAP.
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