How to remove hvac interior blower VW Polo 6R

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!

[ posted on June 21, 2014, filed under Ordinary blog and tagged , , | permalink | Rss for this post]

  • B

    Thanks a lot mate! The blower from the climate control suddenly stopped working in my car overnight. The cooling/warming function still worked, but the air wasnt being pumped around. After finding this guide online, I decided to give it a go and took the blower out by the steps described above. I tested it on an external power supply and since it didnt work, I decided to pick a new one up from the scrap yard (from a VW Fox). Now it works like a charm again!

    Differences in my car: there was a little light connector on the bottom of the glovebox, the airbag was a different type that didn’t have a switch to turn it off (with this type you can turn the engine on while the dashboard unit is removed without problem), and there was a tire pressure sensor that had to be plugged out. And one tiny side node: the blower is removed with a T10, the dashboard with the T15.

    Total costs of DIY repair: € 50,00. So many thanks for posting the detailled steps! It made me confident to successfully fix my own car!

    • http://www.mesimian.com Mihnea Simian

      Congrats and thanks for the info! You were lucky to find one at the scrap yard!

      You did pay 50 Eur total costs (it seems a bit high given you found a used one at the scrap yard) , but i think you also included the T10/T15 which you get to keep 😉 Master’s bonus.

  • Patrik Nyström

    This guide is awesome! Just changed the fan resistor in an hour, never Done something like this before. Bought the resistor for 30$ instead of the workshop who told me 800$ for the same thing.

    • http://www.mesimian.com Mihnea Simian

      Thanks for reaching! Wow, 800?? I knew labour was very expensive in Scandinavia.

  • Stephan

    Many thanks, your DIY saved me 300 euros! My heating fan was making noise and the VW garage told me it was time to replace it. They asked 400 euros. I bought both the resitor and fan online for around 100 euros. Great

    • http://www.mesimian.com Mihnea Simian

      You are welcome, I’m also very happy i saved you guys some money!

  • Tigrou Ind

    Awesome tutorial. If your motor is noisy you don’t necessarily need to replace it, here is how I fixed mine :

    – Take the blower.
    – There is four pieces of rubber at the back, push them with a flat screwdriver while trying to pull the motor out.
    – Additionally you need to remove the power connector. There is two small gaps between the connector and the blower (on each side). Put two small (1mm) screwdrivers there. Once they are in place, move the sideways to push on the sides of the connector (to unlock it). At the same time push forward on the connector (eg: with another bigger screwdriver) to pull it out.
    – Now you should be able to pull the motor out. Once done clean it (eg: with air compressor) at is it certainly covered with dirt.
    – To fix the noise you need to put some oil (eg: WD-40) on the bearings. There is one bearing at the top and one at the bottom of the motor. Do not put oil on the rotor or other parts, only on the bearings.

  • Georgios Sfakianakis

    This link is not working anymore. Is there any way to find this guide again ?

  • Erez

    Thanks for the demonstration and all the tips, I just finished assembling the fan back, I started hearing the fan noise 2 weeks ago and considered buying a new one, I got it out first to be sure it’s broken and it turned out that it was jammed with a plastic bag, so I removed it, cleaned the fan from all the dust and lubed the bearings.
    It works perfectly and quiet as new.
    Many thanks again, you saved me money, 0 cost for this fix (-: