95 E300D heater/AC not blowing - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

kckim · #1 01-19-2011, 12:01 AM

Sorry if this exact model issue has been addressed. I've spent hrs searching through threads and my eyes have all but give in. =)

Over a wk ago, my blower quit working. It has come on during start-up twice and stayed on, but they were short trips; and when the car was re-started (within an hour later) it did not come back on.

I know little about this car, as I've only had it a yr, and have only replaced the rear brakes (pads/rotors) myself, and don't often work on cars. I'm a girl... lol

I live in Canada, and heat is numero-uno up here! The car is freezing, the windshied is frosted over, and I can't keep carrying a cloth to clean a spot to see out of. DANGEROUS!!!

I have no voltage meter, and was wondering where to start? I was told (by a friend of a friend) it was most likely the ballast resistor. I looked it up, and apparently it's also known as the blower regulator!?!? I hear it's a rather cheap fix, and am willing to start with that, but no clue where it is, or what tools I'll need. I do not have access to a garage, and it's snowing tonight/tomorrow. If it's a quick/easy fix, willing to freeze a bit only to warm up later in my car!

Any help is greatly appreciated!

leathermang · #2 01-19-2011, 01:42 AM

Sorry about it being so cold and harsh weatherwise..
I would take the proper fuses out one at a time and clean the prongs .....
You could clean an tighten any connections you can get to... being intermittent is hard diagnosing... but it sounds like some connection may be loose...and being that way gets hot...and connects even less once hot... a vicious cycle... after that some electrical tools are probably going to be needed to chase it down...
I do not think the term ballast resistor is what you are looking at as a problem.... because that is not the common name for the blower regulator. A variable resistor perhaps.... ballast resistor was used in the old days when cars ran on 6 volt coils ..with the key in run.. but in ' start' the ballast resistor was by passed and for starting purposes the engine got 12 volts...

TMAllison · #3 01-19-2011, 11:27 AM

This could also be an issue with the blower motor brushes.

Uncover the squirrel cage fan and try giving it a lil nudge or two the next time it doesnt fire up when turned on.

vstech · #4 01-19-2011, 11:49 AM

First and formost,
Welcome to the forum!

the blower regulator on your car is under the cover under the windshield wiper motor... I'd not start there, they don't often fail on these cars.
on your fender near the fuse box should be another little fuse cover. lift off the cover, and there will be a strip fuse inside. take the screws loose, and pull out the strip. see it's condition. if it's corroded, or broken, you have found your problem. if it's fine. get a meter set on ohms, and see if it's damaged in some way.
if that looks fine, put it back, and try the blower now. sometimes loosening and tightening the screws cleans off the surface corrosion, and fixes it right up.

Zulfiqar · #5 01-19-2011, 04:46 PM

the fuse vstech pointed out is always the culprit

JimmyL · #6 01-20-2011, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

............on your fender near the fuse box should be another little fuse cover. lift off the cover, and there will be a strip fuse inside. take the screws loose, and pull out the strip. see it's condition. if it's corroded, or broken, you have found your problem. if it's fine. get a meter set on ohms, and see if it's damaged in some way.
if that looks fine, put it back, and try the blower now. sometimes loosening and tightening the screws cleans off the surface corrosion, and fixes it right up.

I'm guessing this is your issue, as it was mine. You really need to loosen both screws and remove the strip fuse. Reason being, it is often cracked and/or broken in two, but you can't tell until you remove it and it comes out in two pieces.
Just a couple of bucks at the dealer.