Heater blower won't work Citroen Saxo- solution
tonyjeffs
The blower is in a circuit from the alternator via the ignition
switch. It will only work when the ignition is on And the engine is
running. This makes some sense, as you don't want it sapping power
while you're trying to start the car.
If the heater blower stops functioning, the fault is normally with
the ignition switch; the thing behind the key. The correct solution is
to replace the ignition barral and switch, which, if you have an old
car, is disproportionately expensive, £200 even.
But there is a cheat.
There are three circuits run from the ignition switch; the blower- two
brown wires , and two others. (I cant remember the colours. one pair
is yellow, maybe?? not important)
So it is like three switches in one.
- Tap in to one of the other circuits as follows:-
Remobe the cover below the steering wheel. (note dipswitch attached to
that cover)
Cut the plug from the two brown wires from the blower, and strip the
exposed ends.
Strip rubber from the middle one of the other pairs of wires without
cutting.(Colours?? yellow and something???)
Buy a free standing relay. Attach that so that when the yellow wires
become active the relay closes. Attach the brown wires so that they
are connected together when the relay closes.
When you put the cover back, note that the headlight dip switch is
still connected to it. It'll fall off while youre working and is easy
to forget.
.....................................
Thats it. For £5 you get a bit more life out of the ignition switch.
....................................
An easier way is to cut the two brown wires, strip them, and tie them
together, but this is rubbish because it means you have to remember to
turn the blower off every time you get out the car, or it'll keep
running.
.............................
Tony
Ian
"tonyjeffs" <8us...@tonyjeffs.com> wrote in message
news:3d2c6392-4b6f-4359...@b15g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
Tony
Easier idea - take a fused live feed from the battery to the switch. Or
take a wire from something else that only switches on when the ignition does
such as the cigarette lighter. No need for relays.
Why not just solder another wire to the ignition switch to take a new
switched feed?
allan
"tonyjeffs" <8us...@tonyjeffs.com> wrote in message
news:3d2c6392-4b6f-4359...@b15g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
Tony
My rear window heater/demister in Xsara has stopped working.As it, when
working , only does so when engine is switched on .Does this mean that it is
wired in the same way as blower and that I could have the problem that you
describe here.
allan
tonyjeffs
>
> My rear window heater/demister in Xsara has stopped working.As it, when
> working , only does so when engine is switched on .Does this mean that it is
> wired in the same way as blower and that I could have the problem that you
> describe here.
>
> allan
Hi Ian, Allen
-I'm not an expert btw- just (used to) like playing around with cars.
Ian, you can omit the relay, but when the blower is working, the
connection gets warm. I'd rather risk burning out my relay which is
easy to access than burning out something in another circuit, e.g. the
lighter circuit which'd be a pain to figure out.
Allen.
Could be. I don't know. First, get a meter and check the resistance
of the heater element on the window when the engine is switched off.
It should be very low. The needle should leap accross the dial. If you
haven't checked already, it might be a break in that element, in which
case you have to bridge the break somehow, maybe you can get a
conductive compound to paint on.
If you can read wiring diagrams that'd tell you.
Under the steering wheel, there are 3 connectors. One's the blower .
One I think will be to do with the ignition, and necessary for the car
to start. The third could be anything.
You can unplug them in turn, identify by trial and error the blower,
the starter, and the third one.
Check whether disconnecting the third one disables somthing else. e.g.
it could disable the fog lamps, in which case, we're on the wrong
track, so give up, put it back together & have a coffee.
If it looks like it might be the rear heater...
disconnect that connection.
Start the engine
Close the circuit by sticking the ends of a paperclip, or a thick
copper wire, into the part of the connector that is not connected to
the ignition switch.
This shouldn't be a problem because it is only what the switch does in
closing the circuit, connecting the two ends together. Only do it for
a moment though or you might burn your fingers, or damage the spade
connectors if you get sparks.
While you're doing this, Get a friend with a meter to check if there
is a voltage accross the rear screen element. If so, yes it's the same
situation.
disclaimer:- I've never done it myself, and it'd be better and safer
to figure it out from a circuit diagram.
Tony
tonyjeffs
Sorry about spelling
dere...@gmail.com
On a relay there are the 4 numbers 85 86 87 and 30 not sure what to wire where.. Auto electrician wants 60 quid..
Any help much appreciated
James