1985 528e

[jkbmw]

hey, i have a 1985 528e. Nice, old, used car and the heater isn't working. Getting a little cold down here. My mechanic told me there are two blower for this car. One is for the ac and one is for the heater. Does anyone know how to trouble shoot the heater? I noticed the other day I felt warm air slowly puffing from the defrost vent but it didn't have any push like a blower was kicking it....

[jimoreno]

Ok, our cars have two blowers because they have two separate systems for heating and AC. The blower inside the car right under the radio is the AC one and only comes on when the AC blue switch (with the snowflake) is pushed in. The heater one is in the firewall and accessible after you remove the cover. Another interesting fact is that heat only comes out of the top and bottom dash vents, NEVER from the middle ones above the radio since are for fresh air or AC. Make sure that the top and bottom sliders are all the way to the right. Here are 2 links to working on the fan and heater valve"

http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?t=17339

http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?t=17342

If the fan is working but still got no heat (and you temp gauge stays on the blue part) replace your thermostat (is cheap enough) since is either missing or stuck open.

Good Luck!

[Chaparker]

Hey, I've got the same problem. Last week on the way home from work, my heater motor was making noise. I was plenty warm, and about 10 minutes from home I switched off. When I tried to turn on the heat the next morning, nothing. The switch was dead, so I checked the #14 fuse on the block. It looked good, so I cleaned and pushed the contacts closer together. When that didn't work I replaced the fuse. Still nothing.

So I read up a little, and decided I needed a new resistor. Took the car to my mechnic on Saturday, he tested the fuse block, unhooked the glove box and turned the fan blades on what I guess he determined was the heater motor (under the dash). We also looked at the motor on the firewall. Maybe we had the wrong one. He quoted me 3 hours labor to take off the dash, and a new heater motor from the catalog for $250. I told him I had found heater motor only for 125 (without blades mounted).

Since then I have found a Bosch heater blower motor on eBay this week, and it is going up in auction to where I thing it will sell for around $100. It's got the fan blades attached.

Now I am confused I thought the heater blower was the one under the dash

[jimoreno]

The fan on the center console (under the radio) is for the A/C. The heater fan is accessible from the engine compartment. Make sure that you have a Bosch fan before buying it since there are two types: Behr and Bosch. They have different motor body diameters so make sure that you know which one your car has before buying.

Good Luck!

[Chaparker]

Can't thank you enough for clearing that up. I didn't buy the air conditioner blower motor last week on ebay, so now I will proceed with confidence and find the right recycled Behr or Bosch motor for the firewall.

Had a break in the weather for the past couple of weeks, but now is the time to proceed before we get really cold. Plus the fan for the defroster appears to work off this motor as well.

Thanks again.

[jkbmw]

thank you for the replies....now I know this is going to sound dumb but since I am new to these cars....

when you want heat...and you turn the dial to indicate heat...does this change the location where the air comes out if you don't change the slide controls? Or...does this have nothing to do with the vents for your face at all?

thanks,

jeff

[jimoreno]

Nothing at all. Remember the center vents are only for outside air in Winter (meaning cold!) and A/C in Summer.

[bmwcharlie]

fan switch has four speeds only can get fan to run in highest setting.

[nutgone]

fan switch has four speeds only can get fan to run in highest setting.

you'll need a new resistor pack, not sure where it is but it's a common problem on lots of different cars. It's usually a small black box (looks like a relay) or a cyllindrical coil of wire with various connections. They can sometimes be repaired with a soldering iron & some time/patience. Hope this helps.

[6 Brit]

thank you for the replies....now I know this is going to sound dumb but since I am new to these cars....

when you want heat...and you turn the dial to indicate heat...does this change the location where the air comes out if you don't change the slide controls? Or...does this have nothing to do with the vents for your face at all?

thanks,

jeff

the slide controls determine where the air comes out...defrost (dash) or on your feet...

I like the hot air on my feet these old BMW's have such amazing heaters in them!!!

[Slaytanic_666]

I had the heater blower motor go on me too, I took the panel off, you'll find in the back of the engine compartment, I think it is a an 8mm bolt and there are like 6 or so of them. Once you get the panel off to get to the blower motor be careful not to damage the fins they a finely balanced(if you wanted to reman the motor that is). There will be a buckle style clamp undo it and then remove the wire harness. You then find out the replacement type Bosche or Behr. I Tried putting never seize on mine to release the squealing sound didn't work. Anyways get yourself an owners manual at the wreckers, I got one 10 bux CAD and it has excellent diagrams on the heater switches and vents.