Blower Fan Resistor Failure in Your BMW

BMW drivers, enthusiasts, and specialists frequently report blower fan resistor failure. Although BMWs are known for their comfort and luxury, when the blower fan resistor fails, drivers’ comfort level is significantly diminished, as it greatly affects the HVAC system’s performance. In this article, you’ll learn more about the blower fan resistor in your BMW, including: what its main job is, how to recognized symptoms of failure, and what you can do in the future to keep blower fan resistor failure from happening to you.

Engineering and design deficit

All cars run into their specific issues that are typical of their brand. Engineering automobiles is a practice that is perfected with each year and model that comes out. Over time, BMW has attempted to fix the issue of blower fan resistor failure, and to some degree of success—more recent year models haven’t reported as many issues. However, if you own a BMW of any year or model, it’s important that you’re aware of the issues your car is particularly susceptible to, including blower fan resistor problems.

What is the main function of the blower fan resistor?

As part of the heating and cooling system (HVAC system), the blower fan resistor plays an important role in heating and cooling the interior cabin. The blower fan is what pushes the air out of the vents and into your BMW’s cabin. The resistor determines how quickly or slowly the air comes out of the vents. Through an electrical signal sent to the system control module, the resistor can speed up or slow down the flow of air. When the blower fan resistor fails, there are specific symptoms you’ll encounter, and it’s important to follow up with a BMW specialist to properly diagnose the problem.

Signs of blower fan resistor failure

BMWs aren’t the only vehicles that are affected by blower fan resistor failure; however, if you own a BMW, it is certainly one of the issues to be on the lookout for. When it comes to automotive care, we always want to think preventively; therefore, before the summer months are here it’s important that you have your cooling system adequately inspected and serviced—this includes inspecting the function of the blower fan and resistor. Keeping an eye out for troubling symptoms can help spare you the discomfort of those sticky leather seats during the hot months of the year. Here are the two most common signs of blower fan resistor failure to be aware of:

Blower fan only works at one speed

The blower fan might only work on one setting—high, medium, or low. Typically, however, if the blower fan resistor is the culprit, then it usually only blows air out at a fast pace. Maximum setting airflow at all times is inconvenient, and can easily be diagnosed and repaired by a BMW specialist.

Blower fan isn’t working at all

For lack of better words, this is a real bummer. If your blower fan resistor cuts out—especially during high temperatures—it could be due to overheating. BMW design did not take into account the propensity for friction to cause excessive heat in the HVAC system, causing the blower fan to seize function. If you’re unable to blow hot or cold air out of the vents, it can even cause safety issues if you can’t adequately defrost your windows when you need to.

What Ultimate Bimmer Service can do to help

Proper diagnosis of the blower fan resistor in a BMW requires specialized skills and knowledge in BMW repair. To give your BMW the highest standard of care possible, it’s best to bring your car to a BMW specialist with years of dedicated education and experience working with these German-engineered cars. HVAC issues including blower fan resistor failure can be exhausting to deal with. Here at Ultimate Bimmer Service, we have provided specialized maintenance and repair services for BMW drivers all over the areas of Carrolton and Dallas, TX, with honesty, integrity, and quality. We have extensive experience dealing with BMW air conditioning and heating repair, which includes blower fan resistor issues. If you are a concerned BMW driver in the area, please contact us to learn more about our expertise and qualifications, or schedule an appointment to diagnose and treat HVAC system problems before summer creeps in!

* BMW F26 X4 image credit goes to: DarthArt.