Changing the HVAC blower motor and resistor pack on your Z3- by W.B.

This is not an insurmountable job but bring your patience with you. This job is basically the same if you have to change the fan motor itself. First the symptoms... If your blower motor does not work except on high then your resistor pack has probably gone bad and needs changing. It is located beneath the motor itself and getting to it requires removal of the windshield wipers, the wiper arms with associated motor drive unit and the plastic liner beneath your wiper blades. For that you also have to remove the weather strip that runs along the front of that piece (very easy).


First remove the negative lead from your battery, close the trunk and open the hood. You can then pull the plastic caps and retaining nuts off of your wiper arms. Now pull the arms off and if stuck too tight try a gear puller or a small amount of wiggle and upward pull to the arm. At this time you may also remove the weather-strip, it just pulls straight up (previous photo).

Now with a small flat bladed screw driver or similar tool start pulling the center pieces of the expandable plugs that retain the plastic trim. Pull slowly and maybe use another screwdriver as a fulcrum to help disengage the part. After the center is out the expandable piece itself can be removed but again a little help from a flat blade will get it started and then wiggle it as you pull outward(upward).

The plastic tray can now be removed. It will be lightly adhered to the bottom of your windshield by a sticky tar-like bead that should stay attached to the tray. Be patient, pull slowly a little at a time starting at one edge and working your way across. Here again a flat bade (putty knife) may help in a clean release. After removal you will see the wiper arm assembly which requires a torx bit to remove the two mounting fasteners. Removal of the torx screws allows you to position the assembly out of your way to gain access to the fan motor cover. Bentley says to remove the assembly, I actually just pushed it out of the way as it is really wedged into the area.

The wiper arm assembly now loose you can attack the blower motor cover. The bower motor cover is held on with two nylon straps that just need to be popped apart and pushed outboard. The fan cover then comes loose and you will see your motor. Mine had two wires taped together and tie-wrapped to the blower motor retaining clip. Snip the tie wrap and disconnect the wires.

I then took a larger flat screwdriver and popped the bottom of the motor retaining clip which loosened the motor itself and enables removal the motor. The two squirrel cage fans are firmly (permanently) attached to this motor so a little jiggling will be needed to pull the assembly out.


Also at this time if you want you can clean the fan blades and vacuum out the area beneath the motor on the car (bugs, leaves, other residue) being careful not to bend the fins of the heat exchanger. This is also when you can inspect the condition of the motor, clean if needed and lightly lubricate it. The resistor pack is located beneath where the motor was and is now readily accessible.

To remove it, pull forward and upward towards the front of the car. It should pop right out and goes back in just about as easy but in reverse. Once installed look around againto make sure you have not dropped anything and the area is clean..

Installation of everything is just a reverse of this process but after getting the motor lined up in its cradle, reinstalling the retaining clip and securing the resistor wires, I hooked up the battery and made sure the fan worked as advertised. It was then that I reinstalled the fan cover and continued with putting the rest back in place.

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