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Heater fans linked to my near disaster??

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Morning all! My car nearly caught fire last Friday night. The cabin filled with smoke follwoing some electrical fault. I think it is to do with the heater fans. They stoipped working a while ago and I hadn't got round to fixing it as the car has been under wrapps for a while. Anyway, it was alittle chilly so I switched the fans across to max setting on Friday night. Shortly after, I noticed a burning smell and then later the cabin started filling with smoke. I puilled over quickly and turned the ignition off and thankfully no fire occurred! It was only the next morning that I thought about the fans. Has anyone had anything simialr or their fans stop working. I'm going ot investigate at the weekend. Haven't looked in the manual yet but does anyone know how easy it is to get to the electrics and the fans concerned?? Cheers

Kris
 
Fan failure not that uncommon. They tend to seize due to lack of use, then overheat, hence smoke in cabin! They can be purchased for sensible money from independants. Heater blower fan in engine bay is easy job. The fresh air blower in front air box a little more time consuming (watch out for the drain connection that must be relocated on reassembly)
 
I wonder which it's likely to be then? Since it's the control on the dash does that mean it's the non engine bay fans?? Cheers

Kris
 
Not necessarily - if you're not sure the engine bay fan is a very quick removal and easily wired to a 12v source (if necessary - it may be obviously seized!) to eliminate that. If it's not that it's likely to be a front footwell fan which are again easily checked. If it's a fresh air problem (unlikely given your 'cold' description) you can remove the motor easily (from behind the front boot carpet / cover) or test by sliding the top control lever to the right to replicate the problem.

Post again if no luck and I'll happily get more info to you

Cheers

Roy
 
Sorry - read your post again - you are right the dash control only operates the fresh air blower so it's your front fan (apparently relatively common) - relatively easy to access and can be replaced as just a motor (probably less than £50) or there is a post giving a volvo equivalent (do a search on volvo on the 3.2 forum - that should find it.

Roy
 
Hi Roy! Thanks for all your replies. I'll be looking at it tonight or tomorrow. When these fans fail does it usually result in smoke etc? I take it it will be fairly obvious with either evidence of burning or melted wires etc?? Cheers

Kris
 
It seems from the thread that you posted that that is likely to be the cause as other peoples accounts match mine. The only problem with mine was that it was night so I couldn't see where the smoke was coming from, in fact, I could only see the smoke when ohter car headlights shone in!! The fellows account who was follwoing an Elise was just like mine. I thought it was a car I was following at first too, until I saw the smoke! The I jumped out fast but was on the motorway. Unfortunately I bottle it as I didn't want to see it go up in smoke so I used the recovery provided by my insurance. Cheers for your help

Kris
 
Greetings
Now there's a funny thing[:)] having just handed over my hard earned casho to the previous owner, I was driving back from Guildford when I got both nostrels full of that awfull "electrical burning smell" eck[:mad:]
Now I thought this ain't gonna impress the missus when I tell her that my new toy just burned up, "told you so" blah blah.
However it turned out that the main fan motor in the engine bay had just seized, due to age and faulty/worn bearings, hence the smell wafting thro' the cabin.
No big deal, new motor---£150---sorted, and easy-peasy to fit.
I've also replaced the fresh air motor in the front but that doesn't normally run unless it's summer and the top levers are to the right. I have since then rebuilt the "heating" system, with repairs to the central control box etc. If you want more info please e-mail me with your contact number and I can let you know in detail what I've done. For what it's worth.
Hope this helps[;)]
Cheers
Alex
 
Hi Alex,

Thanks for the reply. I'm having a look at the car tomorrow, if it stops raining that is! I was just wondering if it was easy to tell if the motors had seized? i.e. will any carbon etc be seen from the burning etc?? Cheers

Kris
 
Kristain

are you talking about the the fan's behind the covers either side of the front footwells?

Neither of mine were working when I got the car and on investigation I found the adjacent fuses had blown. I replaced the fuses but they simply blew again.

When I investigated further I discovered that the back-plate on the fan had seized to the housing end-plate [ IE the plastic had melted together ] I managed to gently lever the two components apart with a knife, then stripped the unit out, removed the fan from the spindle and reassembled with a little additional endfloat. All has been well since!

R.
 
Hi Richard. When it happened it was dark, so I have no idea which fans it is at present. i.e. because I couldn't tell in the dark where the smoke was coming from. Because the fans that are controlled by the lever on the dash weren't working, I'm thinking it's those fans. I think these are the fresh air fans or fan. It could also be the one in the engine bay. I have not taken them apart yet and was wondering how I would be able to tell which fan had been the problem. Am I making sense? Cheers

Kris
 
It is easy to diagnose if a motor is faulty. It will stink !

Just smell the motor, you will soon know. Melted lacquer from the windings/armature is horrible.

I jumped out of my car armed with a fire extinguisher when the one in my engine compartment gave up !
 
Cheers Nathan! It did stink, just like the night it filled with smoke! So I need the motor for the front fresh air blower. Anyone know where to get one? Cheers

Kris
 
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