Blower motor?
#1
Blower motor?
Hello,
Had a funny smell / smoke a few days ago from the vents with AC on. Blower motor had been creaking for a when. All relays click, and swapping R16 out didn't help. FL12 is good and has been swapped. F51 is good behind glovebox. So I just installed a new blower motor... Same thing. I can hear something working when I switch on the fan. Everything is in manual mode, doesn't work on heat or AC.
No burnt wiring that I can see. Control module has power to all wires, using black as ground. Two wire attachment to blower has 11.5 volts. Seems low to me. Any ideas?
Edit: is there a way to test blower control module? I suspect it's bad but would like to test before dropping $160 Canadian on it.
Had a funny smell / smoke a few days ago from the vents with AC on. Blower motor had been creaking for a when. All relays click, and swapping R16 out didn't help. FL12 is good and has been swapped. F51 is good behind glovebox. So I just installed a new blower motor... Same thing. I can hear something working when I switch on the fan. Everything is in manual mode, doesn't work on heat or AC.
No burnt wiring that I can see. Control module has power to all wires, using black as ground. Two wire attachment to blower has 11.5 volts. Seems low to me. Any ideas?
Edit: is there a way to test blower control module? I suspect it's bad but would like to test before dropping $160 Canadian on it.
Last edited by delormea397; 08-05-2016 at 05:03 PM.
#2
Update for anyone reading this in the future.
If your blower motor quits but motor is fine, and it seems like the control module WANTS to turn the motor but just cant, there is a fix! I fixed mine for free in about 20 minutes.
Remove the control module by removing bottom plastic piece under glove box with two phillips screws. Control module removes with two more phillips screws and undoing harness.
Use a thin flat tip screwdriver or similar take apart the module. There are four grey clips- two on each side. They just unclip with gentle prying around the outside.
You now have a PCB board with the four prongs that plug in to the wiring harness. One side of the PCB has three wires running below it, the other has two wires. The three wires (labeled on the PCB as S/D/G I think) run to a transistor that is attached to the fins of the heat sink...the transistor is likely fine. The two wires run below to a thermal fuse that is attached with white thermal paste to the heat sink. It is also held in place under a clip that has a screw holding it down. This thermal fuse is what failed. You can confirm by testing continuity on the two leads from the fuse.
Now, the circuit is protected elsewhere by land rover. The maker of this modeule (denso) add their own protection in the form of this thermal fuse. I chose to bypass it. Do this at your own risk. I have no misgivings about doing so, but if you do you can go ahead and de solder the 5 conncetions, remove the PCB and clip holding the fuse in place. Read the part number off the thermal fuse and find one with the same specs on digikey or radio shack or the like and resolder it all in place. Should only be about $1 and 20 minutes.
I was going on a road trip and didnt have time to replace the thermal fuse (will in the future maybe.) I soldered a bypass wire between the two leads of the thermal fuse, essentially removing it from the circuit altogether. Reassemble and youre good to go! Free, and quick. Saved me $160 and days of waiting.
If your blower motor quits but motor is fine, and it seems like the control module WANTS to turn the motor but just cant, there is a fix! I fixed mine for free in about 20 minutes.
Remove the control module by removing bottom plastic piece under glove box with two phillips screws. Control module removes with two more phillips screws and undoing harness.
Use a thin flat tip screwdriver or similar take apart the module. There are four grey clips- two on each side. They just unclip with gentle prying around the outside.
You now have a PCB board with the four prongs that plug in to the wiring harness. One side of the PCB has three wires running below it, the other has two wires. The three wires (labeled on the PCB as S/D/G I think) run to a transistor that is attached to the fins of the heat sink...the transistor is likely fine. The two wires run below to a thermal fuse that is attached with white thermal paste to the heat sink. It is also held in place under a clip that has a screw holding it down. This thermal fuse is what failed. You can confirm by testing continuity on the two leads from the fuse.
Now, the circuit is protected elsewhere by land rover. The maker of this modeule (denso) add their own protection in the form of this thermal fuse. I chose to bypass it. Do this at your own risk. I have no misgivings about doing so, but if you do you can go ahead and de solder the 5 conncetions, remove the PCB and clip holding the fuse in place. Read the part number off the thermal fuse and find one with the same specs on digikey or radio shack or the like and resolder it all in place. Should only be about $1 and 20 minutes.
I was going on a road trip and didnt have time to replace the thermal fuse (will in the future maybe.) I soldered a bypass wire between the two leads of the thermal fuse, essentially removing it from the circuit altogether. Reassemble and youre good to go! Free, and quick. Saved me $160 and days of waiting.
#3
link to fan motor removal etc
Here is a link to a thread I did up regarding changing the blower motor and that control module.
I do admire delormea397 for his solution and appreciate him writing it up. It is good to know how these bits work. For me, I just replace both the motor and the control module. As to which was defective, I really do not know but the motor had lots of carbon dust within and in my case, the interior of the module looked pretty good.
For some reason, the local Edmonton LR dealer had both parts in stock so the hard part was paying for them, plus a bit of standing on ones head, but it was not that bad - heater motors etc are rarely fun.
Also I had the burnt smell and that was the wake up call. Then I noticed that the operation of the fan was erratic to non existent. b Also I installed a new relay in the engine compartment fuse box for good measure - then all was new.
My excuse was all was original and that is going on ten years now and my intent is to keep the 3 for a few years more.
https://landroverforums.com/forum/lr...e-relay-79499/
I do admire delormea397 for his solution and appreciate him writing it up. It is good to know how these bits work. For me, I just replace both the motor and the control module. As to which was defective, I really do not know but the motor had lots of carbon dust within and in my case, the interior of the module looked pretty good.
For some reason, the local Edmonton LR dealer had both parts in stock so the hard part was paying for them, plus a bit of standing on ones head, but it was not that bad - heater motors etc are rarely fun.
Also I had the burnt smell and that was the wake up call. Then I noticed that the operation of the fan was erratic to non existent. b Also I installed a new relay in the engine compartment fuse box for good measure - then all was new.
My excuse was all was original and that is going on ten years now and my intent is to keep the 3 for a few years more.
https://landroverforums.com/forum/lr...e-relay-79499/
#4
Yes I saw your thread which had helped me figure out the issue with my own. However my Calgary dealer couldn't get the parts for 2 weeks. I had missed the order deadline so I disassembled. If you ordered or bought the thermal fuse and transistor you could have an essentially new part for less than $10 with shipping if needed. Easy quick fix for a pricey part!
#5
two weeks, not surprised
I am of course not surprised about two weeks to get parts. I have been down that road in the past and never have much enjoyed it. Yes, if I pay the freight so to speak, they will get it to me in maybe a week and I am supposed to be happy. Ordering day is Thursday here; walk in Friday and it is three weeks, assuming the part is in Canada.
I wonder what it is for the FFRR? No wonder you get a loaner as part of the purchase price.
That was why I said I was surprised Land Rover Edmonton had the two items in stock.
Me, I was not and still do not know what part or parts was defective, only that replacing both plus the fuse box relay gave me all new parts and it works.
I justify the "throw parts at it concept" as cheaper than paying the dealer plus my skills level with circuit boards is not the best, but I do appreciate your ingenuity.
I wonder what it is for the FFRR? No wonder you get a loaner as part of the purchase price.
That was why I said I was surprised Land Rover Edmonton had the two items in stock.
Me, I was not and still do not know what part or parts was defective, only that replacing both plus the fuse box relay gave me all new parts and it works.
I justify the "throw parts at it concept" as cheaper than paying the dealer plus my skills level with circuit boards is not the best, but I do appreciate your ingenuity.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post