1993 BMW 325 ventilation fan

ROSSIHOCKEY

MEMBER
1993 BMW 325

Air Conditioning problem
1993 BMW 325 6 cyl Two Wheel Drive Automatic

How do I get to the ventilation fan in the dashboard? Do I have to take off the whole dashboard, or can I get through the big, central vent, somehow? Thanks!

4 Replies

DOCHAGERTY

MECHANIC
9,601 POSTS

It is accessed through the fire wall under the hood.

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Saturday, March 28th, 2009 AT 8:40 AM

DOCHAGERTY

MECHANIC
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I got your E-mail and you may wish to try replacement of the fan if, 1. You have tools and mechanical experience 2. You are sure it is the fan and not the final stage. Let me know. � � �

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Sunday, March 29th, 2009 AT 2:49 PM

ROSSIHOCKEY

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Thanks for your reply. I do have some experience - with my old Porsche. Not too relevant, maybe! What is the "final stage"? The reason I think it's the fan was the fact that it died slowly. First, switch level 1 stopped working, then #2, then, the fan slowed down very badly and whimpered for a couple of days before it died. This whole process lasted months.

I'm most curious about whether I'll have to remove much else to get behind the firewall. It seems really crammed in back there. But I'm anxious to hear about the final stage. Maybe I've misdiagnosed the problem.

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Monday, March 30th, 2009 AT 2:51 AM

DOCHAGERTY

MECHANIC
9,601 POSTS

To access the fan will require removing the plastic wiring trough in the middle of the fire wall, then there are several 7mm sheet metal screws for the panel at the fire wall, then you will be able to see the cover for the fan, remove the cover and there it is. One of the squirrel cages will need to be destroyed in order to remove the fan motor from it's resting place, cut the fins at the shaft and out it comes. Robert Bentley publications makes a very good repair manual, I highly recommend them. The final stage is the solid-state device that pulse width modulates the power to the fan to regulate its speed and should be considered for replacement as well as the fan. In the real world, nothing that breaks is ever alone, it always takes something else along for the ride, know what I mean? Keep in touch � � �

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Monday, March 30th, 2009 AT 12:12 PM