Hello there. My first post in the forum...

I have just recently purchased a fiat 500, but I have a minor problem with it.
The climate fan makes a small noise. Seems like it does not work centrifugal, especially when I set the fan speed at low levels (1 to 3 bars from the console control).
From the official service they told me that it had some leafs and pineneedle inside and that they have cleaned it, but believe me it still makes the annoying noise.
I strongly believe that if I just spray some lubricant inside the fan motor it will remain silent.

I have searched the web to find a diagram with the air vents structure but I was unable to find anything and I really don't want to make any experiments unscrewing parts of my car's interior using the "trial and error" method.

Also if you know the air vents structure, its a lot easier to clean them (lets say from dust)

Any advice

just turn it on to full speed using the manual override should clear any bits

doesn't your car have a pollen filter??

RobW said:

just turn it on to full speed using the manual override should clear any bits

doesn't your car have a pollen filter??

Click to expand...

Thanks RobW.
Yes it does, but the pollen filter is before or after the fan? Of course it is wise to place it before the fan, but you never know.
By the way, I have tried putting the fan at the highest speed a couple of times (and of course leave it at full speed for a long time, 2hours journey), but it still makes that annoying growl at lower speed levels. It must surly be replaced, but as I told above I highly believe it only needs to be lubricated.
People at the official fiat service are getting on my nerves cause they try to convince me that this growl is normal, thats why I want to try it myself. But I think I have to urge them have it replaced... ughhh

My 500c is 5 months old and after only a few weeks of owning it a noise developed in the fan (I also have climate control system). I went to dealer and they also thought it might be a leaf or something stuck in system but cleaning it out didn't help. In the end they replaced the fan and since then no problem!

My five months old 500 has developed an annoying clicking/tapping noise on the first setting of the fan. It has gradually become more noticeable, particularly when the engine is cold. Putting the blower on a higher speed or turning the radio on may mask the fault but surely this should be fixed under guarantee. Anyway, I had a mechanic from the Fiat dealership look at it and he seemed to think that the noise is due to a faulty bearing on the blower motor. He ordered a new blower motor which has since arrived. The car is booked-in for monday. Apparently, its a time consuming job as they need to take the front dash panels out.

Mine does this too, the slower the speed of the fan the worse it is. Strangely I have noticed that it gets worse when turning right and all but goes away when turning left. It's definitely something that needs lubricating though...

By the way I don't have climate control.

we have the same thing. it's like a twittering noise in the fan and makes a winding down noise when you turn it off.
it's odd, ours gets worse when you turn right too.
probably take it to the dealers when we get the time.

Interesting to hear that this has happened to others. It might be a hassle but for the sake of a trip to dealer and hanging around for an hour or so whilst they replaced it has been well worth it to get problem fixed. Fingers crossed it is remaining fixed so far

Thanks for your replies.
Seems that a lot have the same annoying noise with their climate fan. It's irrelevant whether you have the optional climate control or just the air condition. The fan is the same in both cases, as well as the annoying growl when the fan is a faulty one.
You are right. During turns the growl is even worse because extra forces are pressing the fan motor. It doesn't matter whether you turn left or right. It depends on your fan and its faultiness.
Okay, I'm going straight away to service demanding a replacement...

Make sure they order the right part! I took my car in first time only to find they had ordered a fan for the normal a/c dial type unit rather than the climate control unit.....! Had to then re-order and I went back again a few weeks later which was not ideal.

Hope you get it sorted with minimum fuss.

Today I took my 500 to the dealer to have the fan replaced and was told that the new fan they had ordered was soon to be replaced by a newly designed one. So I will have to wait a bit longer for the replacement. Anyway, it goes to show that the clicking fan issue must be a common problem and that Fiat is presently addressing this fault with the design of different motor/blower.

Like you this is also my first post on here.

I bought my 500 at Xmas and it shortly developed a squeaky noise from the air vent that seemed to quieten if I turned left too. It got booked into the my Fiat garage who said that it was leaf debris and that they'd cleared it out, and then a few weeks after that (about 3 weeks ago) the air vent stopped blowing altogether. It turned out that it was the heater fan which they replaced with a new one. they confirmed that the sqeaking noise from the air vent was more than likely the fan failing.

That was Friday - I've had it back 3 days and have noticed that the beginnings of new squeaking noises have started again. So I'm going to wait for the noises to become a bit more constant and then take it in again.

not sure if that helps, but it's nice to know I'm not the only one.

I mention in my previous posts on this thread that my climate control fan had to be replaced last January because of the squeaking noise (not leaves and not pine needles!).

After my last post the damn noise started again (new unit only 3 months old) so it was back to the Fiat dealer and about 3 weeks ago I had it replaced for a second time. Fingers crossed this will be the last

I asked the mechanic if this was a common problem. He said he hadn't seen it in 500's but had been an issue with Puntos. I think he mentioned they use the same part so perhaps that is why.

Oh, i'll add mines to the list that does this.
Since I have another issue needing sorted I'll bring this one up as well.

The refererence to the Punto sounds right, On our old Mk2 it made the exact same noise.

Had ours replaced a couple of weeks ago, took less than half hour and solved the problem. There is a guide on how to clean/lubricate it on the panda section (if out of warrenty). Make sure you get it done in the first two years of the warrenty as it is not covered in the third year.
Hopefully the modified part will be better.

Mine also began to make that anoying sqeaking sound after 3 months time. Got my fan replaced without question. It was the fan bearing that was faulty. It only took them 15 minutes to change it.

nebrog23 said:

Had ours replaced a couple of weeks ago, took less than half hour and solved the problem. There is a guide on how to clean/lubricate it on the panda section (if out of warrenty). Make sure you get it done in the first two years of the warrenty as it is not covered in the third year.
Hopefully the modified part will be better.

Click to expand...

Not covered under the third? gah!
Getting the impression that Fiat's third year cover is not upto the level of other dealers (I'm having to cough up the £27 to transfer the third year details and noticing so much that isnt covered, although nissan dealer I got it from will re-emburse me)

Scorg said:

Not covered under the third? gah!
Getting the impression that Fiat's third year cover is not upto the level of other dealers (I'm having to cough up the £27 to transfer the third year details and noticing so much that isnt covered, although nissan dealer I got it from will re-emburse me)

Click to expand...

Third year warrenty is very basic, mainly engine, drivetrain and suspension. I have managed to get a breather hose done through good will from fiat in the 3rd year.(again all belts/hoses are only 2yr)
Think I did read the fan is about £40.