Heater not working

deegee99 · 03-02-10, 08:20 AM

Hey guys, came out this morning to the car, frosty horrid weather, fired up the motor and switched on the demist heater. Nothing, nada, not a squeak. Was working fine last night, never ever had a problem with it before, its never made any peculiar noises, always been a strong consistent blow. Checked the 30 amp fuse (no 17) not blown. Am I missing something here? I am now stuck unable to get into college because I can't see anything and its freezing out there. HELP!!!!!!!!!!

c9eag · 03-02-10, 09:34 AM

hi mate, jst a stab in the dark here. what car you got? i had a similar prob on a coupe that i've recently acquired and on them there's a resistor behind the glove box. in my case this was the problem, 2 min job if you have one handy.

hope this helps

creag

deegee99 · 03-02-10, 09:52 AM

What a wally I am, sorry. Its an Audi 100 1990 Avant. How would I know if it was borked?

c9eag · 03-02-10, 10:05 AM

the only way i found out was that my fan only worked on number 4 so therefor i kinda new it was the resistor. i take it your's is just not working at all? or is it working only at one speed?

deegee99 · 03-02-10, 10:19 AM

Not working on any setting at all. Just seems weird that it was working fine up until today. Still its warmed up a bit now so I might brave the cold and have another butchers at it. Thanks for your time in answering my question. If you think of anything else let me know.

Cheers Gaz

Emjay · 03-02-10, 10:21 AM

could be the switch has given up the ghost

c9eag · 03-02-10, 10:24 AM

it could just be something as simple as the cold. i know that both my coupe's have problems with the doors. when its cold like this the doors open fine but because of the hard frost and ice they then dont close as if the door catch mechanism is knackered. but after 10 - 15 mins of the car running and a touch of de-icer they close fine. apart from that im afraid i cant be of much more use. but maybe worth replacing the resistor if it dont start working once it thaws, always best to start with the cheapest options first

deegee99 · 03-02-10, 10:30 AM

Thanks guys, I am going out now to see if I can coax it back to life. Thanks for all your suggestions gentlemen.

pimpdriver · 03-02-10, 11:23 AM

the plastic bit can break where the cables connect to it, behind the heater controls, but I think this is more for the vents rather than the fan.

missfire · 03-02-10, 01:21 PM

ive got the same prob......
the resistor is under the plastic cover.....beneath the wipers....under the bonnet
carefull not to crack the cover....very brittle....!

i found a temp fix......by chance....after much multi-metering and pissing about..
but..! im not leaving mine like this forever....

i wont go into all the readings etc.. but .....there is a 'overheating' bi-metallic strip..behind the resistors.. i drilled a hole in it and screwed the bugger down (in contact) that allowed me enough voltage to get the heater running...multi-speeds and all
but.....
it runs all the time the ignition is on..
i have taken the screw out for now to try to find the real fault but if i ever get stuck...it will be going back in...!!

highlighted the screw in the second pic...

the resistor is the big yellow thing..

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Auto Check not working	Thompy	Electrical problems	1	02-10-09 06:27 PM
rev counter n/working	stoop44rio	Electrical problems	3	07-07-09 11:23 PM
Electric windows half working	MadMax	Electrical problems	2	22-04-09 09:24 AM
Dash lights not working - UPDATE	Daveymaclad	Electrical problems	2	19-04-09 10:13 AM
wow! quiet today! is everyone working then or what??	Coxy	General Chat	9	21-10-08 05:06 PM

03-02-10, 09:34 AM	#2
c9eag Grown up member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 80	hi mate, jst a stab in the dark here. what car you got? i had a similar prob on a coupe that i've recently acquired and on them there's a resistor behind the glove box. in my case this was the problem, 2 min job if you have one handy. hope this helps creag

03-02-10, 09:52 AM	#3
deegee99 Grown up member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 50	What a wally I am, sorry. Its an Audi 100 1990 Avant. How would I know if it was borked?

03-02-10, 10:05 AM	#4
c9eag Grown up member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 80	the only way i found out was that my fan only worked on number 4 so therefor i kinda new it was the resistor. i take it your's is just not working at all? or is it working only at one speed?

03-02-10, 10:19 AM	#5
deegee99 Grown up member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 50	Not working on any setting at all. Just seems weird that it was working fine up until today. Still its warmed up a bit now so I might brave the cold and have another butchers at it. Thanks for your time in answering my question. If you think of anything else let me know. Cheers Gaz

03-02-10, 10:21 AM	#6
Emjay Man Fettler Extraodinaire Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Up my own arse blowing smoke Posts: 7,417	could be the switch has given up the ghost

03-02-10, 10:24 AM	#7
c9eag Grown up member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 80	it could just be something as simple as the cold. i know that both my coupe's have problems with the doors. when its cold like this the doors open fine but because of the hard frost and ice they then dont close as if the door catch mechanism is knackered. but after 10 - 15 mins of the car running and a touch of de-icer they close fine. apart from that im afraid i cant be of much more use. but maybe worth replacing the resistor if it dont start working once it thaws, always best to start with the cheapest options first

03-02-10, 10:30 AM	#8
deegee99 Grown up member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 50	Thanks guys, I am going out now to see if I can coax it back to life. Thanks for all your suggestions gentlemen.

03-02-10, 11:23 AM	#9
pimpdriver Devon Pastie Muncher Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Calne Wiltshire Posts: 7,530	the plastic bit can break where the cables connect to it, behind the heater controls, but I think this is more for the vents rather than the fan.

03-02-10, 01:21 PM	#10
missfire making wooden things Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: cow land Posts: 8,156	ive got the same prob...... the resistor is under the plastic cover.....beneath the wipers....under the bonnet carefull not to crack the cover....very brittle....! i found a temp fix......by chance....after much multi-metering and pissing about.. but..! im not leaving mine like this forever.... i wont go into all the readings etc.. but .....there is a 'overheating' bi-metallic strip..behind the resistors.. i drilled a hole in it and screwed the bugger down (in contact) that allowed me enough voltage to get the heater running...multi-speeds and all but..... it runs all the time the ignition is on.. i have taken the screw out for now to try to find the real fault but if i ever get stuck...it will be going back in...!! highlighted the screw in the second pic... the resistor is the big yellow thing..