I have a problem with my Ford Focus (2002 1.6 petrol Zetec).
As people may know these eat up heater resistors - after the second one failed on me in two weeks I used the fan only on maximum (which bypasses the resistor) but then the heater fan fuse blew - twice. After replacing it the fan then stopped working altogether accompanied by a burning smell. The fuse is still ok but the fan is kaput.
Any ideas? Has water perhaps got in somewhere, I know the pollen filter is a leak point on Focus' but there is no sign of damp in the footwell etc.
s
Max
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Max
It's more the terminals that fail than the resistors. Did you fit the "new improved" repair loom with the new pack?
It sounds as if the fan motor was going and overloaded the whole system.
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Hi, many thanks for that. I just changed the resistor - it worked fine after that, I have not changed any wiring. Can you just explain the 'overloading' bit and what I need to do next please?! Is it a new fan - sounds like a big dismantling job...
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Max
The spades on the resistor pack get hot and damage the terminals in the plug. So, when changing the resistors, you have to cut the plug off and solder on a short length of new loom and modified plug.
If you don't, then you will be changing resistors on a regular basis.
If your fan is now non-functional; then it could have been pulling too many amps as it failed and would have been the underlying cause of the resistors/plug failing.
Replacing the heater motor is only 24 minutes; the resistor change is listed at 18 minutes [as a stand-alone operation] and for the wiring mod you're given another 12 minutes.
I leave such things to the spanner-monkeys so get a Haynes manual, it will guide you.
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Thanks again. Blimey, 18 mins to replace the resistor?! It's only one screw in the glove box - takes about 3 mins tops...
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Max
The job is not finished until the paperwork is done....
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Screwloose,
Thanks again for your advice - you were correct, I have had the fan out this morning and it is well and truly dead. Hopefully, a new one will be ok - just got to find a decent on-line supplier (and price!).
For anyone who is interested it is a very simple job:
1. Undo the two plastic trim screws holding on the small carpet trim panel below glovebox and remove panel.
2. Inside glove box undo single screw (lower RH side) holding plastic air duct and withdraw duct.
3. With your head upside down in footwell remove three screws holding fan in place and drop fan down.
4. Remove connector plug.
Reverse above to fit new one of course...
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Just adding a detail from my local parts supplier.
The resistors can burn out because the pollen filter gets blocked, overloading the fan. It's worth looking at this too. (pollen filter is above the fan motor and accessed through the engine bay. Its under a plastic cover at the bottom of the windscreen, which is removed by one screw and six clips.)
For me, this plastic cover was poorly re-fitted after a service => water entered the cabin => pollen filter got wet (amongst other things) => resistor got overloaded. Not using that garage again!
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