Technical Heater fan resistor location

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Technical Heater fan resistor location

melonman

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Hi,
The fan in my wife's Fiat 500 only works on speed 4.
apparently this is a problem with the resistor pack.
Does anybody know where it is located?

Thanks
 
Reading that thread through, this seems quite relevant

Just reread OP -- if only speed 4 works, then the resistor pack itself is fine, but the thermal fuse that is mounted onto the top of it has failed. This can be replaced separately -- Maplin sell the bit and it is crimped into place -- don't try soldering it ! (heating the fuse will make it fail)

Pete
 
Thanks, some good tips there. I'll have a look under the dash tomorrow.
 
The fan casing is under the drivers side dashboard and the resistor pack is visible when rercirc mode is selected.
No idea how to access it though. I presume it is held in by a screw so it looks like I will have to remove the dashboard unless anyone knows better. :(
 
Ancient thread - sorry. But how the heck do you get to this resistor? I've taken the blower out from the passenger side and can clearly see the resistor but it looks as though it's attached from underneath and so needs to be accessed from the driver's side. I've tried sticking my hands in there and there's no way I'm going to get to it with all the pedals and the steering column in the way. Surely there must be another way to get to it? Surely?
 
Ancient thread - sorry. But how the heck do you get to this resistor? I've taken the blower out from the passenger side and can clearly see the resistor but it looks as though it's attached from underneath and so needs to be accessed from the driver's side. I've tried sticking my hands in there and there's no way I'm going to get to it with all the pedals and the steering column in the way. Surely there must be another way to get to it? Surely?

@DaveMcT has covered all this I believe
:)

An awkward task (n)
 
@DaveMcT has covered all this I believe
:)

An awkward task (n)
Thanks for the vote but I actually gave up. I even removed the seat for better access and still could not reach.

It's maybe possible to access if you lift off the instrument pod, but I've not tried it (yet). Worst case - remove the whole dashboard plastic cover (there's a How to on You Tube). You "could" extend the wires to move the resistor elsewhere but it would also need a box and cooling fan. Not a simple job.

 
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These cars have a seriously strong steel tube frame hidden under the plastic dash. You literally have to remove the car doors to get that out. HOWEVER, with the plastic trim cover out of the car you should be able to access the heater resistor. The video suggests it's not too hard to do. I wouldn't want to do all that again - hence my idea is to move the resistor into a separate box with a computer fan for cooling.
 
These cars have a seriously strong steel tube frame hidden under the plastic dash. You literally have to remove the car doors to get that out. HOWEVER, with the plastic trim cover out of the car you should be able to access the heater resistor. The video suggests it's not too hard to do. I wouldn't want to do all that again - hence my idea is to move the resistor into a separate box with a computer fan for cooling.
Sounds a bit of a flawed design given that these resistors fail fairly reliably it seems. I saw another thread where disconnecting and moving aside the steering column was suggested as a way to gain better access. Looks like the pinch bolt you have to remove is a one-tighten-only variety (in proper parlance, a "torque to yield" bolt, apparently?).

Was this something you tried?
 
Maybe @koalar
With the instrument pod removal might be the best way in..

Not something Ive done since the 90's... :(
5 minute job or less on the panda with the correct tools. I didn't need to remove mine, just did it to see what all the fuss was about

No need to undo anything else. It's only fastened from one side if I remember correctly. But on mine was covered by the wiring harness which just pushes out of the way


Elearn does recommend taking the steering column out for better access. Absolutely a waste of time and effort


You need some light
A flex shaft
The socket
Some string

Once you can see where the socket has to go. You will find there's no straight path


Tie some string near the sock on the flexi shaft

With you other hand guide the socket into place by pulling on the string


Once off you have a bit more room to disconnect the connector
 
Here mine


And

@Louie Bee also had success doing it a similar way

Haven't found a photo of a right hand drive but the left hand cars the location looks similar to the pandas

There nearly always a reason for the thermal fuse to blow in the resistor pack

The resistor pack is cooled by the airflow. Yes I know it can be hot air. If they aren't corroded you can pretty much guarantee the blower has stalled on one of the lower settings at sometime.
 
Hi,
The fan in my wife's Fiat 500 only works on speed 4.
apparently this is a problem with the resistor pack.
Does anybody know where it is located?

Thanks
Hello, Michal here.
Have beatiful Barchetta, but the case may be similiar.
To get there, you have some support, but why these resistors are failing is the clue.
My beauty had the same - just 4th speed, fastest one.
My friendly mechanic, instructed by me where too look for them ( I was concentrated on resistors) and supplied with the resistors, discovered that the fan itself was needing too much force to run - this affeced these resistors very much, asking for much current, blowing them finally. Bearings, etc., just old part. All fan has been replaced, problem is gone. These are cheap parts, I would say, very cheap, no reason to fight too long, what is worth knowing, that the problem appears after few minutes of work, not when you start it. We do not hear it usually when it comes, that's the problem.
Motor with single wiring and resistors - hm, this is so primitive... from other hand, if the fan is good, it works. Mine was 23 Y.O., I had enaugh of few things in this age too, so I don't mind :)...
 
The resistor pack only effects the lower speeds. If max works, just straight through battery voltage the thermal fuse within the resistor pack is likely to have blown. They generally don't blow on their own.
 
Anyone who says this is an easy job must have abnormally long arms. I literally could not reach high enough to get a screwdriver (or socket) on the screw heads.
 
Anyone who says this is an easy job must have abnormally long arms. I literally could not reach high enough to get a screwdriver (or socket) on the screw heads.
Looking in the wrong place

It's approximately 10 inches above the bottom edge of the dash

Anyhow with the flexi drive longer than this you hands are below the dash

The only stretching is to cut the cable tie

It's inconvenient because the gap is so narrow you physically can't touch it with your fingers

Hook the whole lot towards you to remove the electrical connector

With the right tools it's really is a 5 minute job. That includes wasting time trying to unhook the electrical cable first and trying to find a none existent second screw

Long blade screwdriver to hold back in place and jam the head onto the socket firmly with a piece of card so it does keep dropping off
 
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