fan dead - final stage resistor

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blackbat - 04 Nov 2005 22:07 GMT

Hi all,
I have a 97 BMW 528 and the interior fan has died.

A little browsing on the newsgroups suggests a popular cause is the
final stage resistor, and I have found some pics of where it is
located in the car.

How much is a final stage resistor in UK?

Can these resistors be tested with a meter in the usual fashion to
prove it is faulty before I buy a new one?

If so, what are they rated at?

Are there any other common causes - a fuse possibly and if so, where
is it found?

TIA

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Jo Ling - 04 Nov 2005 22:16 GMT

Ho ho ho! I don't believe it ...

It just died on our 525 TDS (1998) last week. Perhaps these things have an
in-built timer?

The dealer we took it to said that the "diagnostics" had found that the
resistor is faulty. They replaced the resistor ... twice ... but it didn't
work. Now they need to try a new motor. That will involve taking the
dashboard out to get at it. I dread to think what the bill will be.

Good luck - I hope it really is the resistor with yours.

Jo

> Hi all,
> I have a 97 BMW 528 and the interior fan has died.
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
> TIA

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blackbat - 05 Nov 2005 10:52 GMT

>The dealer we took it to said that the "diagnostics" had found that the
>resistor is faulty. They replaced the resistor ... twice ... but it didn't
>work. Now they need to try a new motor. That will involve taking the
>dashboard out to get at it. I dread to think what the bill will be.

Hmmm, the diagnostics aren't up to much then. Was it a BMW main
dealer? Thanks for the reply and good luck.

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Dave Plowman (News) - 05 Nov 2005 01:19 GMT

> I have a 97 BMW 528 and the interior fan has died.

> A little browsing on the newsgroups suggests a popular cause is the
> final stage resistor, and I have found some pics of where it is
> located in the car.

> How much is a final stage resistor in UK?

Roughly 60 quid.

> Can these resistors be tested with a meter in the usual fashion to
> prove it is faulty before I buy a new one?

I've got no information on that.

> If so, what are they rated at?

Forget trying to replace it with something else - or repairing it.
Unfortunately.

> Are there any other common causes - a fuse possibly and if so, where
> is it found?

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*Middle age is when it takes longer to rest than to get tired.

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

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blackbat - 05 Nov 2005 11:46 GMT

>> If so, what are they rated at?
>
>Forget trying to replace it with something else - or repairing it.
>Unfortunately.

I was thinking that if I knew what it measured I'd take my suspect one
out and check it before I bought a new one.
Might try a local BMW indy shop to see if they do one a bit cheaper.

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Grant - 05 Nov 2005 09:52 GMT

> How much is a final stage resistor in UK?

Mine cost £57.50 inc VAT in July.

http://tinyurl.com/7v6tx

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blackbat - 05 Nov 2005 11:43 GMT

>> How much is a final stage resistor in UK?
>
>Mine cost £57.50 inc VAT in July.
>
>http://tinyurl.com/7v6tx

Thanks, that's useful.
Don't suppose you tested the old & new resistors with a meter?
I don't wanna buy one only to find it's not the cause.

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Grant - 05 Nov 2005 11:55 GMT

> Thanks, that's useful.
> Don't suppose you tested the old & new resistors with a meter?

Fraid not.

> I don't wanna buy one only to find it's not the cause.

A friendly word with the parts desk may well get one on sale or return.

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Jo Ling - 10 Nov 2005 21:59 GMT

See my other posting re "cheap maintenance for BMW".

To cut a long story short, have you tried:

Opening the bonnet
Looking for the fan "trumpet" connection (just under the windscreen) and
unclipping it
Reaching in and seeing if the fan has got stuck ... if so, see if you can
free it with your hand!

> Hi all,
> I have a 97 BMW 528 and the interior fan has died.
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
> TIA

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blackbat - 16 Nov 2005 13:47 GMT

>Reaching in and seeing if the fan has got stuck ... if so, see if you can
>free it with your hand!

So that was all that was wrong?
How much did they charge for that?

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Jo Ling - 17 Nov 2005 21:30 GMT

For that, and for replacing the pollen filters, which had got heavily gunked
up, £45.

>>Reaching in and seeing if the fan has got stuck ... if so, see if you can
>>free it with your hand!
>
> So that was all that was wrong?
> How much did they charge for that?

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blackbat - 16 Nov 2005 13:58 GMT

>Hi all,
>I have a 97 BMW 528 and the interior fan has died.

For the group's info:
Changed the final stage resistor - cheaper part from www.c3bmw.co.uk
Job took 35 mins from start to finish, inc 15 mins locating it!

On RHD cars the resistor can indeed be located on the driver's side
but it is on the LEFT of the pedals, high up behind the fan / aircon /
radio control panel.

Incidently, I took readings of my new resistor and compared them to
the faulty one.

Pins look like this

1 2
3 4 5

(my numbering scheme!!)

DIdn't measure all the pins but on the new resistor between pins
1 and 2 = 612
1 and 3 = 599
1 and 4 = 612
1 and 5 = 23

on the duff one:
1 and 2 = 135
1 and 3 = 73
1 and 4 = 136
1 and 5 = 50

all in Kohms

this *may* help someone trying to diagnose if their is duff

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