Ain't the intergoogles wonderful?

After 13 and a bit years my Focus has finally developed a fault in something. I noticed today that the heater fan is only working in position 4 and not 1,2 or 3. That seems very specific so I googled "Focus heater fan broken" and the first thing that came up was a youtube video showing how to replace the heater resistor pack for this very problem. How did we manage before the internet?

I'm wondering if the X reg scrapper Mondeo on the drive might have the same resistor pack?

Reply to
Dave Baker
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You might well find that the resistor pack is fine but the thermal fuse has expired. Only a couple of quid to replace these. Plenty of info on t'web on how to replace these. Definitely worth a shot before replacing the whole pack.

Tim

Reply to
Tim+

Hmmmm. Just googled the thermal fuse and found this page.

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Now I'm thinking I remember my fan squealing a bit too some months ago like it had a leaf stuck in the vanes but then it cleared up again. Maybe it's also time to remove the fan and oil the bearings like this guy found.

Reply to
Dave Baker

When the motor is on the slowest speed is when the resistor pack runs hottest and has the least cooling air. Anything reducing airflow can be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back. That said, I think sometimes after many years the fuses just "get tired" and blow.

Certainly, if it's not too much trouble, it's well worth lubing the fan bearings and giving the system a bit of a Hoover out to make sure nothing's obstructing the airflow. On the other hand, you could just change the fuse and see what happens.

Tim

Reply to
Tim+

God it's been a lot of years since I had to do any car maintenance. Now I suppose I'm going to have to crawl under the dash on my back at my advanced stage in years and tinker with the sodding thing. What next I wonder? The original battery, shocks, exhaust, alternator are going to go t*ts up after only 13 years? Sodding Fords.

Reply to
Dave Baker

They still use resistors in this day and age? Sheeez!

Reply to
Don

I had a battery fail earlier this year at just about 10 years old. It was marked "Recharge if not used by Oct 2004". Seems I've been gypped out of 3 years battery life.

As the duct between fan and heater matrix that has the resistor on it is usually stuffed up behind the glove box. You may find you can access it easier by removing the glove box.

I can't count how many T-stats I've replaced in the last 13-14 years. Every car I've acquired has needed one.

Reply to
Peter Hill

Like everything in car design, cost is the key factor.

Also, this is a car designed in the 90's, remember.

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

Most common cause of failure is the thermal fuse, and the reason it fails is usually that the pollen filter hasn't been replaced to schedule.

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

Did they have a pollen filter then?

If it doesn't have a pollen filter then the fan or heater matrix may be full of finely chopped chaff that by reducing flow has overheated the resistor. Some fans have a hose from the outlet duct that passes air over the motor windings. These duct chaff into the fan motor, resulting in a worn commutator. Older fan motors would have a separate fan to cool the windings.

Reply to
Peter Hill

Wouldn't the thermal fuse stop it working in position 4 as well though or does it only protect the resistor pack?

Reply to
rp

all focuses, all years have pollen filters also known as cabin filters, it caused quite a few problems upon replacement, the cover is tricky to fit properly and you may end up with water leaks. Pollen filters have been pretty common in the uk market since about 1990.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

Mrcheerful put finger to keyboard:

Talking of which, what's the trick to getting the plastic cowl seated correctly on the bottom edge of the windscreen? (MK3 Mondeo) I replaced the pollen filter easy enough but no amount of wiggling/shoving/ swearing would get the cowl to clip back on to the screen.

Reply to
Scion
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It only protects the resistor pack. The feed for the fastest speed goes direct to the motor.

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

sometimes they are just warped, sometimes it is because the hook type clips snap off or get bent, on the focuses it can be because people don't understand quite where the water scoop should go. It is no wonder that the later models have moved the filter inside (as the Japs did twenty years ago)

Reply to
Mrcheerful

Thank you, I'll file that away in my memory somewhere that, hopefully, I'll be able to find it again :-)

Reply to
rp

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