How do i open this vent with no motor?

[Michael999]

I suspect it controls the front left vents, because they dont blow, the vent wont open, and this motor doenst do move or respond to ANY change of buttons with the HVAC control panel.

If i cannot get a new little motor, how do i open the vent that it controls.
The vent is visible through the top dash vent, but i cant seem to get to it, nor can i see because i have a huge head that wont fit between that and the windscreen!

[Paul in NZ]

If my eyes dont deceive me the motor is mounted to the side of tha plenum.If you unscew those fixings and turn the motor body does the vent turn with it.A mirror might help you see into the dash.

[pingu]

The motor looks like it might be a stepper motor - if it is a a stepper motor then turning the motor body might not move the vent (this is because stepper motors have very little holding torque if they're not getting any power, so if you turn the motor body, it's possible that the motor armature won't stay fixed relative to the motor body, and thus that the vent won't move).

Another option would be to remove the motor entirely and insert a screwdriver or something into where the motor shaft went, and see (using a mirror as Paul suggested) if the vent moves. You'll then know if the problem is the motor or the vent mechanism.

[Michael999]

The motors shaft moves freely.
I tried a little with a screwdriver but didnt want to try very hard incase i actually want to use this again oneday.

Tomorrow im going to test the motor (make sure its actually broken and not another electrical problem).
If it IS burnt out, ill take the shaft out and make a tool out of it :)
I really dont like the idea of breaking stuff to make it work.

In taking this all apart i have found ALOT of screws missing, threads stripped, stuff torn, and lots of other half arsed attempts at fixing things that just left problems for future owners, god i hate POs.

[Michael999]

Ok, Motor is ALIVE.
I plugged it into one of the other sockets and it lights up as it should!

So the computer is malfunctioning, or the wire has been damaged somewhere.
Both things that i cant fix or check, because the wiring looms are too tightly wound and go all over the place, and the computer.. well i cant do or check that :(

Going to try turn the little cog by hand :(

[shogun]

http://bmwe32.masscom.net/johan/center_vents/center_vents_v1.1-1.html

[Michael999]

Thanks shogun.

I ended up using a coat hanger, i bent a small L shape, poked it into the vent, turned, and lifted, i now have it open.
Put the motor back on and the vent sits still.

I wont ever have operation of the passenger side dash vents, but i can control it from the vents in a way.

Oh, i noticed that the mixing flap motor was torn from its bracket the same as in that link you gave me.
I tried to fix it but i couldnt.

What does it actually do, when playing with the system i opened and closed it manually several times and didnt feel any difference in the air coming out, so i just left it broken.

[shogun]

More info
http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/200205/

http://bmwe32.masscom.net/johan/ihka/ihka.html