Hi all
Hope someone can clarify ....... here goes the story so far........ UK spec BMW 530i sport E39
2001 on a Y plate right-hand driveOver the last 6 months my blowers have cut out twice and then come back on a few hours later - I thought nothing of this as they continued to work ok, albeit with a great deal of fan over-run when the ignition was switched off. In the last week the blowers have simply ceased to work at all. The AC unit still does everything it should - I can hear clicks and whirs whenever I change settings, just no blowers.
Initially I thought this would be a blown fuse. I still haven't located fuse
76 (supposedly behind the glove box) but, having done some research on the internet, I am now led to believe this might be a case of the 'final stage resistor' going defunct. As the car is right-hand drive and I would have to remove the plate underneath the dash but above the pedals before removing the side panel, etc, etc, I though I'd let my local friendly mechanic do the job for me.Having telephoned him, he didn't take too well to my suggestion that the final stage resistor might be the fault and suggested that it was probably the fans that needed attention/replacement. I can't help thinking this would mean loads of money drifting away from my pocket while it still might be the fairly simple problem of the final stage resistor.
At the moment I feel like buying one of these 'resistors' from my local BMW garage and presenting it to my mechanic along with the request of 'try this first please'. Considering they only cost approx £60-£70, I don't feel as though I am risking too much.
Does anyone else have any advice on this matter?? Would I be recommended to replace the resistor before anything else??? Also, my mechanic didn't even mention the fuse might be the problem (although I understand that the 40 amp fuse very rarely goes)
TIA