[BlackedOutBimmer]

Well in the northeast lately it has not only been cold, but freezing. Plus snow. When I get it my car I do not have the heat to come on automatically... I pull out the garage and turn it on the lowest setting... What I hear doesn't sound great.

Sounds like rough turning gears or a slipping belt coming from behind the glovebox area. I can turn it off and back on and sometimes fixes, sometimes not. Doesn't really get much louder when cranking the fan on high. Usually always goes away.

Thoughts on what this is? didn't do this last year.

[Efthreeoh]

Your blower motor is going bad. There is a DIY for replacement in the DIY section. It is a very easy repair. The motor is less than $100. What has happened is the motor bearings have gone bad. It is due to a poor design in regards to the orientation of the motor. The motor uses a squirrel cage type fan blade. The motor is oriented vertically, meaning the motor shaft that the fan is mounted on sits straight up in a vertical position. This orientation allows for water, or condensation, to creep down the shaft and into the shaft bearings. Once the water gets in the bearings, they rust and wear out.

The noise you hear is the fan blade rubbing on the motor housing.

[BlackedOutBimmer]

thanks...

I checked out the DIY, doesn't seem that bad but...

seems the cause is poor design and water getting in the housing and rusting the bearings up.

there is TSB from BMW but I cannot find out mroe info on it ... its "Water Ingress from A/C Blower Housing"

does anyone have this TSB or can let me know what it is refering to? Sounds like if the filter isn't sealer properly, water can get down inside the housing. Will BMW fix this under the TSB?

[Modded328FTW]

I have this exact problem as well.

Under very cold conditions, (cold start), i would get this bad sqeak when the fan is on the lowest speeds. This would come when I brake or put the car in gear. While in gear I would turn the climate off and the noise would vanish. When I turn it back on, it comes back again.
Seems to go away though when the car warms up. Figured the motor was going bad.

Thanks for the advice.

Originally Posted by Modded328FTW

I have this exact problem as well.

Under very cold conditions, (cold start), i would get this bad sqeak when the fan is on the lowest speeds. This would come when I brake or put the car in gear. While in gear I would turn the climate off and the noise would vanish. When I turn it back on, it comes back again.
Seems to go away though when the car warms up. Figured the motor was going bad.

Thanks for the advice.

Take the cabin filter off and shoot the blower shaft with some WD40...worked great for me; no more squeaking!

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by AllBlackBimmer

thanks...

I checked out the DIY, doesn't seem that bad but...

seems the cause is poor design and water getting in the housing and rusting the bearings up.

there is TSB from BMW but I cannot find out mroe info on it ... its "Water Ingress from A/C Blower Housing"

does anyone have this TSB or can let me know what it is refering to? Sounds like if the filter isn't sealer properly, water can get down inside the housing. Will BMW fix this under the TSB?

The TSB is not related to the blower design issue. The TSB Deals with reassembling the cabin airfilter housing where if not done properly can let water in the cabin. The blower fails because water drips down the shaft.

[BlackedOutBimmer]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

The TSB is not related to the blower design issue. The TSB Deals with reassembling the cabin airfilter housing where if not done properly can let water in the cabin. The blower fails because water drips down the shaft.

... i thought the water that "drips down the shaft" was the water coming from airfilter housing?

where else is this water coming from that is going to ruin my blower? i understand it could just be condensation but seems that can't be THAT much condensation to ruin the blower.


...still looking for suggestions on where to buy, and "what" exactly.. i know i need the blower, what about the plugs and wires and whatnot?

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by AllBlackBimmer

... i thought the water that "drips down the shaft" was the water coming from airfilter housing?

where else is this water coming from that is going to ruin my blower? i understand it could just be condensation but seems that can't be THAT much condensation to ruin the blower.


...still looking for suggestions on where to buy, and "what" exactly.. i know i need the blower, what about the plugs and wires and whatnot?

Think about it for a second. There is always water vapor in the air. The air gets compressed when it is blown in to the fan box. This squeezes some of the water vapor out of the air. Over time it gets the bearings wet. The blower works all the time and in the rain when the air is highly saturated with water, keeps the motor wet. Throw in freezing temperatures where the water freezes in the bearings and then you really have a lubrication issue.

Had BMW put the blower in a horizontial position the water would not penetrate the bearings. It's just a bad design. Look up your car on real oem.com use the last 7 of your vin and get the P/N for the motor. You swap over the resistor pack and need no new connectors or wires.

[Agentphish]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Your blower motor is going bad. There is a DIY for replacement in the DIY section. It is a very easy repair. The motor is less than $100. What has happened is the motor bearings have gone bad. It is due to a poor design in regards to the orientation of the motor. The motor uses a squirrel cage type fan blade. The motor is oriented vertically, meaning the motor shaft that the fan is mounted on sits straight up in a vertical position. This orientation allows for water, or condensation, to creep down the shaft and into the shaft bearings. Once the water gets in the bearings, they rust and wear out.

The noise you hear is the fan blade rubbing on the motor housing.

Got a link to that DIY? I searched for blower and blower motor and didn't find anything in the DIY index.

Thanks!

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by Agentphish

Got a link to that DIY? I searched for blower and blower motor and didn't find anything in the DIY index.

Thanks!

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=464807

[Agentphish]

Silly me I found it right after I posted that. Reading through the thread I am going to try the zoom spout turbine oil on the motor and see how that goes before I go spending real money.

No odor like WD40.

[bavaddict]

Agentphish...was your issue resolved with zoom spout?

Did you have to follow the DIY to disassemble the motor or you sprayed the lube from the air vent (under the cabin filter)?

Being a noob I am trying to understand how to spray the motor exactly.

Thanks.