I have an E36 M3 and the AC blower fan is doing funny things. It works sometimes and not other times. I don't think the fan motor is bad but something is causing it to act strange. Any ideas?
Agree w John in VA. This is Agree w John in VA. This is a relatively easy and very inexpensive fix. Pelican Parts has a decent write-up with pix. The job is easier if you have the plastic interior trim tools (ref. Bavarian Auto & other BMW suppliers), but one or two paint scrapers will do the trick if you don't. Some additional comments: > The male socket on the internal fan connector to the circuit board has a small retaining tab. Use a small flat-blade screw driver to gently create enough space for the tab to slide up & out of the female socket. > Insert small flat-blade screw drivers into the metal tabs on either side of the plastic box holding the circuit board. Use the screw drivers to expand the box & release the circuit board. You can try to pry the circuit board tabs from their detent, but I found that method to be a PITA. It seems to me the metal tabs on each side of the box are there to be used as prying points. > There is apparently a bit of flexibility in the replacement capacitor ("cap") specs. The OEM cap is .47uF; I used a 1uF cap to repair my E36 M3. So far, no problems. > When removing the old cap, it is easier if you have an assistant pull / wiggle gently on the cap while you apply heat to the backside of the circuit board. > The new cap may be physically bigger than the failed unit. Be sure you install the new cap so that it will fit inside the box. I ended up leaving the cap standing a little tall on the circuit board. Bending it slightly toward the circuit board allowed the board to slide back into the box with no probs.
