Cabin air fan chirps...

[edlvrt]

When my A/C fan is set on low speeds, there is an annoying, repetitive chirping sound from the dash. It becomes louder when turning right, but stops if I turn the fan speed to medium/high, or turn the fan off.

Has anyone run across this before? Thanks

Ed

[danewilson77]

I bet you got something sucked into the blower.

Pull it and inspect.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

[Ryans323i]

I have the same problem. I remember reading what I needed to fix and thinking "man that's expensive", however at the moment I can't remember what it was. Let me look around.

[kayger12]

I'm thinking the fix is to replace the blower.

Mine used to chirp in the 325. Figured it would eventually fail, which it didn't.

[Ryans323i]

Yes, as KG mentioned, is the blower fan.

Here are some good links: (and apparently it isn't too expensive ~$100 fan.)

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=817559&highlight=cricket+blower+fan

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=818004&highlight=cabin+fan+noise

I will add that I know mine is the blower fan because I can hear the cricket noise outside the car too.

And there's another cricket noise that's more located on the driver's side, that is fixed with another fan. Here's that DIY.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=298527

[edlvrt]

I can live with it, just wondering if anyone has run into this and if the fix is easy and cheap. Ryan, if you remember it being a difficult repair ($$$), I'll pass.

It doesn't sound like it is hitting a leaf or a stick, but almost like a bad bearing or noisy bushing. But I don't understand why it would only make the noise at low fan speed or when turning right...

After 5000 miles on these crappy roads in New Orleans, my rear deck is starting to rattle and creak with every little bump. Poor car. Gonna try and tear into that this weekend.

[SoarinZHP]

There is another guy who replaced his blower motor and HIGHLY suggested getting the genuine BMW part because it comes apart in two pieces making it much easier to install. I believe the motor is located somewhere behind the cabin filter housing under the windshield wipers....

[kayger12]

There is another guy who replaced his blower motor and HIGHLY suggested getting the genuine BMW part because it comes apart in two pieces making it much easier to install. I believe the motor is located somewhere behind the cabin filter housing under the windshield wipers....

Correct. Supposedly a real PITA to get out and in.

[danewilson77]

Correct. Supposedly a real PITA to get out and in.

Chirp comes from bad bearings?

[kayger12]

That's what I'm thinking. Not quite sure what else could do it.

http://realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/y/f/217.png

[danewilson77]

So.....you don't think it could be something caught, and we go right into replacement on these....with this indication?

[kayger12]

Tough for something large enough to make noise to get in there, no?

Plus, with the constant airflow I'd also think it would be hard for something to stay in the same place.

The description of right turn inducement makes me think that it is occurring when there is a lateral gyroscopic force applied, which would put the shaft slightly out of balance and cause the chirp if there was bearing wear.

Droid X. Tapatalk. Use it.

[edlvrt]

Thanks guys. I'll probably hold off on replacing it unless it becomes more of a nuisance.

[SoarinZHP]

The description of right turn inducement makes me think that it is occurring when there is a lateral gyroscopic force applied, which would put the shaft slightly out of balance and cause the chirp if there was bearing wear.


I think there ends up being play in the shaft causing the cylinder housing of the blades to scrape against whatever the blower motor sits in. My old BMW did that... After two years of putting up with it - it finally became sporadic and went away...

[danewilson77]

Tough for something large enough to make noise to get in there, no?

Plus, with the constant airflow I'd also think it would be hard for something to stay in the same place.

The description of right turn inducement makes me think that it is occurring when there is a lateral gyroscopic force applied, which would put the shaft slightly out of balance and cause the chirp if there was bearing wear.

Droid X. Tapatalk. Use it.


I think there ends up being play in the shaft causing the cylinder housing of the blades to scrape against whatever the blower motor sits in. My old BMW did that... After two years of putting up with it - it finally became sporadic and went away...

Werd.

[LivesNearCostco]

Mine chirped... called it "Hyper-cricket." Replacement was not super difficult, just lots of tedious work leaning over the engine bay, and it helps to have a magnetized torx driver and a magnetic pick-up tool. I bought the ~$110 fan that does not have removable squirrel cages so had to remove the fan shroud to get the old fan out and new fan in. IIRC--and I used a DIY from somewhere, probably E46fanatics.com--if you have the removable cage you do this:

Remove cabin air filter (3 push and twist plugs)
Remove cabin air filter housing (4 Torx screws, maybe T45?)
Remove blower fan cover (2 or 3 more Torx screws)
Unclip retention clip and unplug motor
remove old blower fan, probably breaking some fan blades in the process
Install new blower fan, minus one or both squirrel cages, plug in connector
Replace metal retention clip--this was tricky for me
Add missing squirrel cage(s)
Reinstall fan cover, air filter housing, and air filter
Bye, bye crickets!


If you don't have removable squirrel cage(s), after removing the fan blower cover, you must also...

Stop wipers in raised position, to provide more clearance
Remove one of the two ventilation control flaps next to the blower fan--I removed the passenger side one, not sure the driver side flap comes out
Remove blower shroud--2 or 3 torx screws
Then old blower can be removed and new blower inserted, with both squirrel cages attached, from the passenger side.
Replace retention clip, then shroud (hard to put back top torx screw)
Replace movable air control flap
Etc.


Biggest risk, besides breaking a blade on the new fan, is dropping a torx screw into the ventilation system, hence the usefulness of both a magnetized torx driver and a magnetic pickup tool. One or two of the torx screws that hold the fan shroud in place are far under the dash and hard to replace.

[yura]

I had the same noise recently - came up during a ski trip, right after driving on a very salted, sanded, and dusty road. Happened at all speed fans, but went away when fan was turned off. At the time I figured it must have been the fan bearings or something. It has been a few days and the noise has gone away altogether; fingers crossed it stays that way.

From the quick research I did, it looked like replacing the blower was the way to go. I also found a thread where one guy mentions that he had to replace his own blower, and found that the blower motors for the E46 and Z3 are identical, yet the Z3 is something like 1/4 of the price. Keep that in mind if searching for parts.

[danewilson77]

Mine chirped... called it "Hyper-cricket." Replacement was not super difficult, just lots of tedious work leaning over the engine bay, and it helps to have a magnetized torx driver and a magnetic pick-up tool. I bought the ~$110 fan that does not have removable squirrel cages so had to remove the fan shroud to get the old fan out and new fan in. IIRC--and I used a DIY from somewhere, probably E46fanatics.com--if you have the removable cage you do this:

Remove cabin air filter (3 push and twist plugs)
Remove cabin air filter housing (4 Torx screws, maybe T45?)
Remove blower fan cover (2 or 3 more Torx screws)
Unclip retention clip and unplug motor
remove old blower fan, probably breaking some fan blades in the process
Install new blower fan, minus one or both squirrel cages, plug in connector
Replace metal retention clip--this was tricky for me
Add missing squirrel cage(s)
Reinstall fan cover, air filter housing, and air filter
Bye, bye crickets!


If you don't have removable squirrel cage(s), after removing the fan blower cover, you must also...

Stop wipers in raised position, to provide more clearance
Remove one of the two ventilation control flaps next to the blower fan--I removed the passenger side one, not sure the driver side flap comes out
Remove blower shroud--2 or 3 torx screws
Then old blower can be removed and new blower inserted, with both squirrel cages attached, from the passenger side.
Replace retention clip, then shroud (hard to put back top torx screw)
Replace movable air control flap
Etc.


Biggest risk, besides breaking a blade on the new fan, is dropping a torx screw into the ventilation system, hence the usefulness of both a magnetized torx driver and a magnetic pickup tool. One or two of the torx screws that hold the fan shroud in place are far under the dash and hard to replace.

Livesnearcostco,

Can you please start a thread in the DIY section....so this doesn't get buried for future repairs?

Thanks in advance.

[llll1l1ll]

I remember I did the blower fan on my E30. Probably the scariest job ever. It's also perplexing, because you wonder how the fan comes in and out without squishing/crushing/probably breaking the fan blades.

[kayger12]

Pretty ironic... My blower fan was a little noisy during turns and braking this morning.

[LivesNearCostco]

Sure, I'll write up a DIY thread on this, though I don't have any of my own photos. I will go find the DIY I followed and link to that too.

[quikryptonite]

So if we might have a "cricket" in the blower motor for the control module and not the actual blower motor itself sounds like this might fix it... From what I can tell on realoem.com I need this part no.: 12907571019. Has anyone done this before with any successful results? I'm also trying to find a P/N for the pins that hold the trim pieces in place with no luck. I hope I don't break any.

ECS has the three prong listed as: 12907571019 and the two prong listed as: 12907570074. Did the three prong change to the two prong after 09/03?

18171

Blower Motor Control Module DIY (http://m3support.net/thread/52/cricket-electric-buzz-noise-driverside)

[ELCID86]

Why don't you think it's the blower motor itself? If it is, get the x3 motor. (Alex, check me on this and provide the p/n if you can).

[quikryptonite]

More anything I'm hoping I can spend an hour and throw $85 at this and fix it rather than spend a whole Saturday afternoon and $300 cursing at trying to replace the blower motor itself... Maybe I'm getting nervous about a project that won't be so bad?

[UdubBadger]

Only two fixes I've done are 1. Turn the radio UP or 2. Kick the windows down (for the NA stereo).


GoingHAM mobile

[NoVAphotog]

Only two fixes I've done are 1. Turn the radio UP or 2. Kick the windows down (for the NA stereo).


GoingHAM mobile
+1

These are what I'm doing with my crickets until it warms up.

Also, x3 motor is +/- $120.

[danewilson77]

My chirp seems worse when it's cold.

[ELCID86]

My chirp seems worse when it's cold.

+1. Though I'm not sure why that is.

[SoarinZHP]

My chirp seems worse when it's cold.

I believe it has to do with the airflow when the temperature regulator is changed on the center vents.....

[quikryptonite]

Only two fixes I've done are 1. Turn the radio UP or 2. Kick the windows down (for the NA stereo).


GoingHAM mobile

Those sound like great options too! Think I'll give those a try first until April! If it's still "chirpy" then I'll re-evaluate.

[Pip]

I have a different kind of crickets lol. They come from the ecu fan under the driver side steering wheel but sound like they are coming from the cluster. That is a $80 part and about an hour fix (.5 hr if you've done it before).

[LivesNearCostco]

Interesting I didn't know there was an ECU fan but good to know. Amazing how much design and engineering work went into the E46 cars.

[wertyu78]

I have a different kind of crickets lol. They come from the ecu fan under the driver side steering wheel but sound like they are coming from the cluster. That is a $80 part and about an hour fix (.5 hr if you've done it before).

Replace it! Eventually the fan will lock up and stop flowing air. I've seen a few DME's fry because of this... not cheap, or fun.

[Pip]

Replace it! Eventually the fan will lock up and stop flowing air. I've seen a few DME's fry because of this... not cheap, or fun.

Yea I have the part and plan on doing it. Haven't been driving the car so not an issue at the moment. Thanks for the heads up.

[wertyu78]

Yea I have the part and plan on doing it. Haven't been driving the car so not an issue at the moment. Thanks for the heads up.

No problem! The likelihood of it happening isn't very high - but I've seen it happen a few times personally and it was a bummer for the customer. Love your sig btw.

[alexandre]

Did mine last night with X3 part number. 1 hour tops. Put wipers in upright position to move the arms out of the way. Very straightforward, I really don't know what the fuss is about this job.

[ELCID86]

Did mine last night with X3 part number. 1 hour tops. Put wipers in upright position to move the arms out of the way. Very straightforward, I really don't know what the fuss is about this job.

Coming to the reunion? Maintenance day...!

[NoVAphotog]

Did mine last night with X3 part number. 1 hour tops. Put wipers in upright position to move the arms out of the way. Very straightforward, I really don't know what the fuss is about this job.


Coming to the reunion? Maintenance day...!

:thumbsup