heater blower wont work

[ve39]

hello my blower isn't working but once i went to a mountens where is very clod and it started working i mean work for 5 min turn off and then again but when i came back down to warm temperature it would not work for me would you guys have any idea how i would be able to fix it i think some wire broke and in cold it just gets the connection back

[shogun]

maybe you can tell us a bit more about the problem to understand it correctly.
Heat is always coming at any temperature you select?
But the problem is that just the blower fan does not blow the air?

Does your car have airconditioning or not, do you have a micro filter or not (installed from built year 06/1990)?

For example in case of my car, if I turn the thumbwheel of the fan adjustment to maximum over a certain resistance point, the fan will always blow without any control at max. power, although the sword or whatever one has inside to control the blower fan is out of order.
What is the month/year the car was built?

[ve39]

well i do have air condition but nothing works i mean i do have air coming in when i drive on a fast speed that is it and i don't think ihave that filter
i mean when i turn the blower on i don't even hear any thing work but you know this panel where you turn the heater on i checked it out from the back when i turn the heater on some small fan starts to work there

[shogun]

Just the last 7 digits and/or letters of the chassis number. Then I can check the exact built date and other details of your car.
Makes things easier to check, And then put that data Model, engine type, trans type and month/built year in, preferably with the VIN number. Then one can check on the online parts catalog for your OWN car the details and not in general.
So for example in my case it is E32 750iL (no need to write the A for automatic trans, all 750 have it) 11/88, VIN 5055570.

As for the fan you heard: I am afrarid that is the small fan behind the drivers control panel of the IHKA. That is the fan which just blows the air thru behind the control panel, because there sits a temperature feeler for the cabin temp., and this temp feeler gives a signal to the control module.
The heater/blower fan sits basically in the engine room or part of it under the lower side of the front window, where also the motor for the wiper is situated.

Have you checked all the fuses already?
Also go to my page and click in 3rd or fourth section to e34.net and there is a good explanation under trouble solving. Look for blower fan, sword. Read through that and let us know what's you can say additionally.

Will be back in about 90 minutes.

See you then.

PS: also check one more thing: switch to defrost front window and report what happens.

Edit: just noticed that you added type of engine and year. Tks

PPS: here is the VIN decoder, make it one of your favorites
click (http://www.bmw-z1.com/VIN/VINdecode-e.cgi)

[ve39]

where is the switch to defrost front window, i got the back windows defrost which works
and yes i have checked all the fuses not sure how to check the big once but the thing why i'm wondering is why would it work in cold some one told me that my blower motor might have to be replaced but i mean if this is the case why would it work in a cold

[shogun]

another case is if it does not get all time power of if the control is defective.

this is the owners manual, pls read pages 30-33 heating (http://luuk.xs4all.nl/bmwboeken/bmwe34manual/)

Do not know ehich control panel you have. But you can see there which button is for frony window defrost.
If you do not have a manual, pls copy this one and keep in the car.

In general: if the fan is not working, it is the socalled sword (if you have that, see links before). If the sword is o.k., then either the control module or the operating panel, which could have a problem like a cold soldering.
Try to eliminate one by one.

[ve39]

i got the page 30 controlers
and what is the socalled sword
hrm so if it's the operating panel because you know on my computer it never showes a right temperature always a minus and it kind of resets from time to time like it'll be plus then boom goes to minus

[shogun]

The speed of the fan blower is controlled through two types of setups on the BMW E34: the final stage unit (older E34s) also called "the sword" because of its look ($140) or the blower series resistance ($30).

Failure syndromes:
• Fan blower not working on position 1,2 or 3,
• Fan blowing in full blast whatever the position of the knob.

click here for more details (http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/maintenance/electrical/sword.htm)

[Bill R.]

circuit board... the relay that the arrow points to controls the high speed on the blower, if you manually hold that relay closed and the blower still doesn't run then the problem is elsewhere, usually the brushes on the blower itself

http://www.bimmernut.com/~billr/images/swordrelay.jpg

Here's a rough schematic of the sword circuit

http://www.bimmernut.com/~billr/images/swordschematic.jpg










The speed of the fan blower is controlled through two types of setups on the BMW E34: the final stage unit (older E34s) also called "the sword" because of its look ($140) or the blower series resistance ($30).

Failure syndromes:
• Fan blower not working on position 1,2 or 3,
• Fan blowing in full blast whatever the position of the knob.

click here for more details (http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/maintenance/electrical/sword.htm)

[JonE]

i got the page 30 controlers
and what is the socalled sword
hrm so if it's the operating panel because you know on my computer it never showes a right temperature always a minus and it kind of resets from time to time like it'll be plus then boom goes to minus

Incorrect temperature reading is likely the outside temperature sensor and/or wiring located near the foglight on driver's side on left hand drive cars. This shouldn't affect your heater blower fan situation. As stated above your issues with the fan are most likely the "sword" resistor.

[ve39]

Bill R i would like to try manually hold that relay but i was wondering where is this circuit board located
Thx for all your help guys

[ve39]

Bill R i would like to try manually hold that relay but i was wondering where is this circuit board located, ohh and i forgot to mentune that time when it started working in a cold it sounded like some thing was on the way of fan
Thx for all your help guys

[shogun]

It is inside the sword. And the relay is in the handle of the sword.
And the sword you can reach from the passenger side footwell, as shown in the link I mentioned earlier.
From your questions I see that you do not have very much experience with that.
So I propose that you go another way to solve the problem.
Try to get a used sword (maybe a member here still has one which he does not need) and install it. Installation of a sword is not that complicated and probably can be handled by someone with less DIY experience on his E34.

Or do you think or better to say you are confident that you can resolder some parts on the sword? Ever done it?
Most of us here are backyard hack mechanics with less or more experience.
Does not matter, we just have to know what knowledge someone has and what he can DIY.
So better we look for a solution which suits your technical knowledge, availability of tools, space etc.

[ve39]

yeah i'm not a mechanic and don't have much expiriance but i will try and take this sword out and see what i can come up with then

[shogun]

Don't worry. We will try to help as much as possible. What I would recommend you to save money and to make things easier:
whenever you can, buy used parts for the car when you have the chnace to get some for small money. Mainly electronic parts such as modules: Relay module, general module, LKM, mustard relay, IHKA control module and so on.
I bought that all step by step from boneyards/scrapyards or friends parting a car. With these parts it is easy to check for a malfunction. So if the heater is not working, just swop a new one in and try if it works. Saves a lot of time and money. You are more flexible. I bought a GM (general module from the U.K. these days for about $ 10,-. If I really need a to buy a new one, it costs me really muuuuch more.
Just have a look on the usual sites every day or check on a boneyard from time to time if they have such a car.
Here is a link to the parts for E34, just bookmark it. By the way, the H1 lights on offer for GBP 8.99 I also bought from that company in G.B.

http://search.ebay.com/BMW-E34_W0QQfkrZ1QQfromZR8

[ve39]

Thx alot for your help i will try to take this sword out and try fixing it and go to the junk yard may be try to find another sword to replace it with