Heater 3 speed switch does nothing

[barreti]

so in this car I am thinking of buying ... !

The 3 speed heater motor switch turns but the heater motor isnt kicking in. No air of any description.

Anybody any idea if this is likely to be a Mare of a job or not much, just the usual crap connection somewhere.

If it turns out the heater motor itself is shot, how difficult is it to replace ?

thanks muchly
Ian

[simpo two]

I can't tell you exactly as I don't know, but it happened to mine as well. One of those 4.x things I'm afraid. On the bright side, even if the switch works, it won't do anything, so you're not missing much! Certainly not a dealbreaker.

[antonyj]

When I bought my 4.0l the fan didnt work.
I removed the passenger headlamp assmebly, removed the fan assembly and it was in a right state.
I can only imagine that somehow some water had got to it.The three resistors were shot and the thing was seized.
I got another one from a nova(£15).Reglued all the vinyl which surrounds it and hey presto.
It was the first job I did on my car,and it has worked perfectly since.
Took about 3 hours altogether..

[ian8542]

It is sometimes a dodgy connector block in the loom in the pillar on the passenger side.

[Paul.B]

barreti said:

so in this car I am thinking of buying ... ! The 3 speed heater motor switch turns but the heater motor isnt kicking in. No air of any description. Anybody any idea if this is likely to be a Mare of a job or not much, just the usual crap connection somewhere. If it turns out the heater motor itself is shot, how difficult is it to replace ? thanks muchly Ian

Silly question! You are pushing the knob down before twisting it? I had to RTFM to get any idea what my heater controls do.

If you already know this I'll not mention it again.

Paul

[barreti]

mmmmm ...
I've never heard of pushing the heater fan switch before turning it, and theres no mention of it in the manual on my desk here.
Is this one of those "undocumented features" I keep reading about. Like the passenger footwell light.

[mrmaggit]

barreti said:

mmmmm ... I've never heard of pushing the heater fan switch before turning it, and theres no mention of it in the manual on my desk here. Is this one of those "undocumented features" I keep reading about. Like the passenger footwell light.

Pushing down the fan button operates the fan on 500's. 4x & 4.3's like the one you're looking at have rocker switches. Buggered if I know which one does what, though. Lorraine has control of the heater knobs .

[barreti]

Sounds about right maggit. And damned right too

[srebbe64]

barreti said:

so in this car I am thinking of buying ... ! The 3 speed heater motor switch turns but the heater motor isnt kicking in. No air of any description. Anybody any idea if this is likely to be a Mare of a job or not much, just the usual crap connection somewhere. If it turns out the heater motor itself is shot, how difficult is it to replace ? thanks muchly Ian

I recently had the same problem with my Griff. Bizarrely when I turned the lights on the thing started to work and it's been fine ever since. Beats the Hell out of me!

[rolfe]

simpo two said:

I can't tell you exactly as I don't know, but it happened to mine as well. One of those 4.x things I'm afraid. On the bright side, even if the switch works, it won't do anything, so you're not missing much! Certainly not a dealbreaker.

Best advice in the whole postings!!!!

[griffter]

The 4.x has a knob (turn it - no pushing required) to operate the fan, and rocker switches (actually window switches out of a Cavalier) to adjust the direction and 'heat' of blow. If the different adjustments on the knob appear to make no difference, check the footwell vents are closed - they're so big all the air seems to come out of them if they're open at all. One of mine was jammed open and required 'fixing' with a screwdriver

[FlipFlopGriff]

You need an engineering degree to work sthe 500 heater system out.
As long as it blows hot in the winter I don't give a toot. Roof off in the summer (and whenever possible in the winter too so heater is more critical then)
FFG

[mrmaggit]

FlipFlopGriff said:

You need an engineering degree to work sthe 500 heater system out. As long as it blows hot in the winter I don't give a toot. Roof off in the summer (and whenever possible in the winter too so heater is more critical then) FFG

That's why Lorraine has the handbook and heater control

[FlipFlopGriff]

We certainly won't be able to hear if its on now anyway.
FFG

[barreti]

FlipFlopGriff said:

Roof off in the summer (and whenever possible in the winter too so heater is more critical then) FFG

Absolutely FFG. Couldn't agree more. I hate having the roof on so if it isn't raining I would want to use it in the winter - hence the concern about the heater.

Strangely, my other 4.3BV was bloomin' freezin' until I fixed the heater servo. I wonder if it's just your 500's that are saunas?

[mrmaggit]

barreti said:

FlipFlopGriff said: Roof off in the summer (and whenever possible in the winter too so heater is more critical then) FFG Absolutely FFG. Couldn't agree more. I hate having the roof on so if it isn't raining I would want to use it in the winter - hence the concern about the heater. Strangely, my other 4.3BV was bloomin' freezin' until I fixed the heater servo. I wonder if it's just your 500's that are saunas?

Yup, Wol does warm, hot and cook, but not cold. But on a more positive note, Have you got the replacement yet?

[barreti]

Na, I'm very tempted by the one James Agger has but I've had a really interesting email recently from someone reading my PH threads !!

I'm on holiday tomorrow until next Wednesday and I'm hoping the situation will be much clearer by the time I get back.
Hasta la vista mis amigos en Inglaterra.

[simpo two]

mrmaggit said:

Pushing down the fan button operates the fan on 500's. 4x & 4.3's like the one you're looking at have rocker switches. Buggered if I know which one does what, though.

Well to be precise there's a 3-position rotary knob for fan speed, plus two rocker switches. One rocker is for up and down, the other is for hot and cold (but don't ask me which!). On my 4.0 they actuated a minor whining noise somewhere but there was no effect on the heating or ventilation.
After much consideration I used the following heating controls:

Window down for colder
Window up for warmer

It's simple and costs nothing

[barreti]

simpo two said:

On my 4.0 they actuated a minor whining noise somewhere but there was no effect on the heating or ventilation. After much consideration I used the following heating controls: Window down for colder Window up for warmer It's simple and costs nothing

Simpo Two - you need to read this
[url] www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=9&t=127751 [/url]

then stick your head into your passenger footwell! it's easy to figure out which bit isn't working and dead cheap to fix. I've got photos if it helps.