Heater/Fans only work on top setting.

ManicMum

Hello

My heater/fans only work on top setting. This has been sudden and immediate! It is a Vauxhall Zafira. Fuses have been checked and seem ok. Any idea of what it could be and whether it will be expensive? Car is up for sale so don't want to spend a fortune but not sure anyone going to buy it with a dodgy heater.

Thanks.

oldagetraveller

Someone might know the location and how easy/hard it is to change but I suspect it will be the variable resistor which the fan speed switch connects to. It will probably have failed and there is no electrical resistance between the switch and fan causing the permanent high speed.
Either that or the fan switch itself. Does the fan work at high speed whichever position is selected? Possibly not as you wrote "My heater/fans only work on top setting."!

espresso

It will be the resistor pack that has failed - more info here

Usually the actual resistors are fine and it is the thermal fuse that has popped, often due to a blocked cabin filter restricting air flow. The thermal fuse can be quite easily replaced by any competent DIY'er for about a pound.

richard734

common fault in 200- 206 Vauxhalls in general. You can buy new switches/dials/whole comsoles on ebay and it is about an hour of fiddling to swap them over. You just need a philips screwdiver set, as there are no Torx screws (that I remember) and all the connectors are click fit.

Plenty of 'How To' guides on the web.

Steve059

A tip if you DIY. Don't test the new resistor pack with it resting on the footwell carpet/mat. The resistors get VERY hot and will melt the carpet/mat.

richard734

Steve, that sounds like a lesson learnt from experience??

terrylamps

The same thing was happening to my sisters car but it's a skoda fabia. Turned out one of the filters was totally clogged up and stopped the heater working properly on low settings. Changed that and heater is working perfectly now.

ManicMum

Forgot to say that a few months ago, the air conditioning stopped working too. Do you think it could be related?

Don't know whether to get fixed or sell with problems highlighted?

Thanks

atrixblue.-MFR-.

ManicMum wrote: »

Forgot to say that a few months ago, the air conditioning stopped working too. Do you think it could be related?

Don't know whether to get fixed or sell with problems highlighted?

Thanks

aircon one i should imagine is either there is no refrigerant or the pump has failed.

Strider590

It's definitely the resistor pack, or more accurately the thermal fuse on the resistor pack.

The reason these blow, is usually because of corrosion on the fan (has the fan been squealing for a while????), caused by water ingress, caused by not changing the pollen filter at the correct intervals OR by the water drainage (under the plastic cover, under the windscreen) channel being blocked up with leaves/cr4p.

If your fan has suffered corrosion, then changing the resistor pack will only fix the problem for a short time. You need to removed the pollen filter and then reach in with some lubricant spray (WD40 to remove corrosion, followed by a light lubricant will work well), with a torch you'll see a blower type fan, you need to aim at the spindle in the middle of this fan, leave to soak for an hour or so, then change the resistor pack, then try the fan again.

Resistor packs cost £20-£30, fixing the fan is dead simple.

Talking from experience of my VX Vectra....

What dealerships and garages like to do, is change the resistor pack, send you home, wait for it to blow again, then tell you it needs a new fan assembly and that this requires removal of the entire dashboard (£300+ just for the labour).

ManicMum

Thanks Guys. That has been very helpful. :beer: