The interior blower is the one keeping us cold when it’s hot.. and, you guessed, warm when it’s cold.
You will find it behind the globe box in a Volkswagen Polo 6R (>2009). It sits before the pollen filter. Issues that may occur:
- get messy and clogged with dirt
- resistor fail – it has 4 dedicated resistors that, when failing, makes certain speeds unavailable. They sit in the same space behind the glove box.
- rotor fail, like any electrical engine
You will need a T15 screwdriver. A user in comments suggests that “the blower is removed with a T10, the dashboard with the T15” – which may be true for newer 6R models or the Highline with illuminated glovebox.
Time needed: 15 min getting to it, 15 min putting it back
Costs, if that’s the case: ~100 usd new blower, ~30 usd rezistor panel, ~3USD a WD40 may come in handy
Things to pay extra care: uncoupling the passenger airbag switch.
Let’s get down to work! Oh, and btw, I used a Polo with the steering wheel on the left (non-UK).
1. Remove the right hand side plastic. Just pull it of, careful not to lose a metal clip.
2. 3 screws on top, 2 in the interior, 2 beneath the glove box
3. This photo is taken from the side, with element in step 1 removed. Attention! Don’t put engine contact after removing the airbag switch. You will get an error on the airbag controller and you can only remove it using a Vag-Com/VCDS. However, you can unplug the switch, then take it of from the glovebox, pressing both metal clips on the sides and then re-fit the switch cable. You can then use the car key with your glove box removed.
Witold S. from Poland was kind enough to share us what else you need to do if you’re a 1.2TSI Highline owner: “I had to unplug USB controler for pendrive, tire pressure switch and passenger floor lamp (I don’t have Airbag switch) to remove glove box.”
4. Don’t forget the air tube to the glove box cooler. It’s just rubber, pull it off.
5. Here’s the blower, bigger than you thought, i bet. 5-8 screws to look for. One in the bottom is pretty difficult to get to. You will keep pressing the horizontal plastic grid.
6. The only plug in the blower.
7. .. but there’s also this socket mechanically connected on the right hand side plastic of the blower.
8. The nastiest part is pulling it through the tight spot. Good luck
Putting it back is similar, 8 to 1. May you have a silent blower in your shiny Polo!