Blower Fan and Air Con not working

tomthered · Unread post by **tomthered** » 06 Jun 2006, 22:58

Have just the other day replaced by Blaupunkt 3030 radio with a Radio CD single din fitment. Used the adaptor plate from Halfords and evrything worked fine. Then I turned the stereo up to loud and it blew the 2A fuse that controls the radio memory according to the book. I replaced this and everything is fine.

Since then after a short time my internal fans stopped working. This of course stopped the air con working. When I use the slider for the auto or full position on the blower nothing happens. approx 3 days after this, in fact yesterday, it just sprung back to life for one journey home from work, 15 miles;no problems. Gets up next day and it has stopped again!

I had a read through the handbook again and it mentions that the aircon fuse also runs the reversing lights so checked them but they are not working. Unsure if this is coincidental or not.

I have read the forums about the ignition switch problem and about using the cigarette lighter to feed the fan.

Does anyone know what else to look for? I have checked all the fuses and they all seem OK. If I need to I will take it to an auto electrician to check it, but would like to see if I can solve it myself first and its cheaper!!

Hope you guys can help as I am desparate now!

should mention it was regassed approx 4 weeks ago becasue it was not very cold. Oh its a 1996 model Xantia 1.9 TD

cheers People

PS if anyone knows a good auto electrician or someone who might be able to help I am Manchester/Lymm side. thanks in appreciation.

Clogzz · Unread post by **Clogzz** » 07 Jun 2006, 14:09

Simplest is to work out why the reversing lights don’t work.
The reversing lights don’t use the ignition switch contact that causes the interior fan not to work.
You obviously have an intermittency, and should first look for voltage on both ends of the fuses concerned.
Fuses can look normal, but be dodgy.

tomthered · Unread post by **tomthered** » 07 Jun 2006, 17:08

Have since spoken to a guy that does my citroen mechanical work, who used to work for citroen for many years, and he states the reversing light is fed through the ignition switch because they cannot allow the lights to be left on accidentally, ie if you leave the car in reverse gear it would flatten the battery.

Do not have a voltage tester but have swapped F20 and F12 fuses with the spares that are located in fuse department, no joy. Am tempted to do the inline fuse bypass but will try other options if anyone can suggest any?

tomthered · Unread post by **tomthered** » 07 Jun 2006, 22:27

Coggzz sent you an email but posted here as well.

I have uncovered the three connectors underneath the steering column. At this stage I am unsure what I need to do.

Do I split the wire 1 on the brown plug and feed it straight to wire 2 with a relay in circuit?
As I see it the power goes up wire 1, into the ignition switch and is fed back out to wire 2. So in effect I am bridging these 2 wires together. Is that right?

What happens to the two plugs do I put them back together?

Do they feed anything else. Some of the forums indicate that this also feeds the heated rear window, I checked my heated rear window switch and this seems OK although I assume the wires coming back from the brown connectore may feed the relay and the switch just switches this on. No way of testing it in hot weather! well hot for UK.

Have checked all the fuses and they seem OK. My aircon was regas with added dye 4 weeks ago so i dont think it will be that.

My aircon worked fine until I put a CD/Radio in. Turned volume up by accident and it blew the 2amp radio memory fuse. Replaced this and it and the aircon worked. After 4 days the aircon just stopped. after one day it came back on and then next day went off and stayed off.

I did think that the blower motor did not seem as powerful as my last Xantia, which was the same year but 50k more milerage on the clock!

Could this have been an indicator of potential weakness via the ignition switch?

Clogzz · Unread post by **Clogzz** » 08 Jun 2006, 13:32

The interior fan is fed through an ignition switch contact that’s on only when on the go.
The reversing lights are fed through another ignition switch contact that’s on when starting, and when on the go.
That way, the reversing lights are not meant to be on with the key out.
If the fan is weak, it’s either the ignition switch, or a blocked pollen filter, that can be washed.
You tap a thick new wire into wire 1 of the brown plug, and pass it behind the heater and ventilation controls to an in-line fuse first, and next to a relay dangled inside the fan motor cover.
That’s the new supply for the fan.
The output of the relay goes to the thick red wire to the motor.
You keep wire 2 of the brown plug to operate the relay coil, and you reconnect the plugs as they were.
All you do is add a new wire to feed the motor.
All the rest stays as it is in that area.
The ignition switch contact is still good for the low current to the rear demister timer coil, because the rear demister still works.
This link from RichardW may help:

http://www.geocities.com/tricky992002/fanmod.xls

Let us know how you’re going.

tomthered · Unread post by **tomthered** » 08 Jun 2006, 17:32

so in effect i am shorting the brown incoming connector from the car? so wire 1 feeds the relay then output to the other red wire connected into the brown connector and known as wire 2? Presume routing relay to there is to hide it?

As an aside what is the black plug I can see if there is no radio fitted and its just behind the slider controls. It seems round in appearance and has maybe two wire at the bottom? Just curious.

tomthered · Unread post by **tomthered** » 08 Jun 2006, 18:37

Well all sorted. Turned out that my mate who is a motor technician came round and sorted it within 30 seconds. Turns out if you hit the bottom of the fan motor, which is located in the passenger side in the corner under the glove box, it started. Probably need one of those but he said it is quite common and its just its age.

Pheww saved me having to break into the wires!! Glad I texted him!!

tomthered · Unread post by **tomthered** » 10 Jun 2006, 19:42

Decided to take another look at the heater slider controls as the fan seemed not as powerful as my last car. Turned out that clips were missing on the heater control cables. Put these on and heater works full speed. It seems it was not controlling the flaps properly for air distribution. Also checked the wires at the motor and pushed them all in, seems to work OK now. Although may have spoken to soon!!!! hope not!

Clogzz · Unread post by **Clogzz** » 11 Jun 2006, 12:45

A blocked pollen filter will restrict the air flow.
If it’s a good black, it will benefit from a wash.

Keep rinsing until the water is clear.

tomthered · Unread post by **tomthered** » 12 Jun 2006, 12:30

according to my techie mate he says I have not got a pollen filter cos this model has no intercooler. If I have where would it be located or is this info correct?

Clogzz · Unread post by **Clogzz** » 12 Jun 2006, 13:04

There’s no pollen filter when there’s no air conditioning.
The intercooler is for turbo engines, and has nothing to do with air conditioning.
The pollen filter is above the passenger floor, next to the blower motor.
There is a cover with probably 3 brassy Philips screws to remove to access it.
These pictures show the pollen filter partly out, and the air conditioning evaporator when the filter is out.

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