Internal fan blower problem

[Graebob]

Morning chaps and chappesses,

Firstly, let me apologise. This is a cross post from the Toledo forum but I haven't had much success there or with search, and I figure the problem will be similar across the two models.

When I turn my internal fans up on my '99 MK2 Toledo, they make a horrid vibrating noise which increases as I switch up to 4, like the fan itself has lost a blade or something. I've taken the glovebox out to examine the unit, and the vibration is definitely coming from the fan itself, but I can't seem to remove the unit. There doesn't seem to be any obvious screws to remove, and plain yanking just resulted in my breaking one of the tabs round the outside. I've got some pics, if my explanation isn't clear enough.

Has anybody had this problem before? Anybody solved it? Anybody even know what the proper name for the internal blower fan is??!

Thanks
Graeme

 

[UncleFester]

It looks like the blower motor drops out of the bottom of the unit - elsawin is NOT specific about how this is done

 

[Muttley]

Like Fester says, it is supposed to come out downwards. Prerequisites appear to be the removal of the series resistor by drilling out two fastening pieces: I can' t believe this is necessary to remove the fan, but the series resistor is mounted on the bottom of the unit so removing the bits holding the series resistor may well be necessary.

All we can say for sure is that it is supposed to come out downwards. Hopefully someone will turn up who has done it before and can say what needs to be removed to let the blower drop down. Otherwise, all I can suggest is to get in and have a look - not the easiest thing, I know, space in the footwell is limited. But you need to look at the bottom of the blower casing.

 

[Graebob]

Sorted!

Since you helpful chaps mentioned it falls out downwards, I had a peek at the bottom of the unit after I had removed the glovebox.

There is one large, flat screw holding in the sound deadening/internal beautifying material, which comes out using a flat head screwdriver. This allows you to move away the material, and spy the two small cross head/5mm bolts holding the resistor tray in, as mentioned above. Unplug the wires going into the fan motor and the resistor, then undo these two and bobs you're uncle, it all falls out (and I mean falls, the unit is quite heavy and fell on my toe!).

Turns out a piece of foam (probably from beneath/around the pollen filter) had fallen down and got lodged in the fan blades. This was causing the rotating fan to become unbalanced and vibrate. The bit of foam was probably dislodged by the chap from Autoglass who fixed my windscreen last month. Job done!

As an aside, what pratt at VW designed a blower fan with a bare resistor at the BOTTOM of the unit, right underneath where any moisture will collect :S The mind boggles...

Thanks for your help, UncleFester and Muttley

 

[Fl@pper]

As an aside, what pratt at VW designed a blower fan with a bare resistor at the BOTTOM of the unit, right underneath where any moisture will collect :S The mind boggles...

you'll find a lot of them are bare as when they are resisting the by product is heat so they are left bare or only partially covered to allow the heater fan to help dissipate it

must agree though it could have been placed away from the bottom but then they probably didnt expect em to fill with water

 

[UncleFester]

Thanks for your help, UncleFester and Muttley

Glad you sorted it

 

[didsi]

I have just had the same problem on my 2003 Leon 1.6
Glad to say this post helped me fix it! same thing, some of the foam in the fan but just a note for anyone who has this on a leon. No need to remove glovebox, The two bolts you undo remove a cover and you can then fish the foam out of the fan!!

cheers