[Hornet]

Hi to all my Club friends.
The erratic operation of the Air Conditioning Fan started a couple of days ago. These are the weird happenings that  occur in our superb 2011 i30 CRDI CW with 102,000k travelled
•   Sometimes when I start the car the A/c fan will not work. After driving a while it will just start up.
•   Sometimes when I am driving with the A/c working the fan only will just stop and not start again whatever I do, then it will start again of its own accord. 
•   The Compressor is at all times working as normal; I can hear it and also the noise from the relay when I push the A/c button.

I have read the relative sections in the WSM and with my limited knowledge believe any of the following could cause this problem
•   Faulty Fan on/off and speed switch
•   Faulty relay
•   Faulty fuse or circuit breaker
•   Faulty earth or power connection
•   Low gas pressure in the A/c system
•   Faulty fan motor

I also read somewhere that it may be the BCM (Body Control Module whatever that is) and to reset it just disconnect it for a couple of minutes.

Before I do anything to try and rectify the problem I would value the opinion of the “i30 Club Experts”

Any ideas???????

[Dazzler]

I'm putting my 10c worth on a dodgy connection, but I'm no expert so.. @cruiserfied @tw2005 @nzenigma

[Hornet]

Dazz, Thanks for your opinion. Would this show up as a fault code if I connected a Scan Tool??

[Dazzler]

Dazz, Thanks for your opinion. Would this show up as a fault code if I connected a Scan Tool??

I doubt it. I would imagine only things read by the BCM/ECU would register a fault code. 

[tw2005]

Hi to all my Club friends.
The erratic operation of the Air Conditioning Fan started a couple of days ago. These are the weird happenings that  occur in our superb 2011 i30 CRDI CW with 102,000k travelled
•   Sometimes when I start the car the A/c fan will not work. After driving a while it will just start up.
•   Sometimes when I am driving with the A/c working the fan only will just stop and not start again whatever I do, then it will start again of its own accord. 
•   The Compressor is at all times working as normal; I can hear it and also the noise from the relay when I push the A/c button.

I have read the relative sections in the WSM and with my limited knowledge believe any of the following could cause this problem
•   Faulty Fan on/off and speed switch
•   Faulty relay
•   Faulty fuse or circuit breaker
•   Faulty earth or power connection
•   Low gas pressure in the A/c system
•   Faulty fan motor

I also read somewhere that it may be the BCM (Body Control Module whatever that is) and to reset it just disconnect it for a couple of minutes.

Before I do anything to try and rectify the problem I would value the opinion of the “i30 Club Experts”

Any ideas???????

SLX or  SX?

A/C fan ? ventilation  fan (internal) or Condensor fan (ext at the radiator?)

[Hornet]

Again Tks. I suppose I could eliminate "Low Gas" as that safety feature would shut down the whole A/c system. A loose or poor connection seems first item to check. The fan I believe is on the same power source, fuse link and relay as the A/c system so I may as well start there. Here in Bundaberg I find one needs the A/c working 100% or one is inclined to drink to much Bundy Rum or XXXX at the end of a drive.

[Hornet]

 Tks for reply

SLX or  SX?

A/C fan ? ventilation  fan (internal) or Condensor fan (ext at the radiator?)
[/quote]

The model is SX
The fan is the one in the dash that blows cold air from the A/c and fresh air when the A/c is off and outside air is coming in to the cabin. This fan must be turned on for the A/c compressor to work

[cruiserfied]

Hey Hornet,

The easiest diagnosis will be to test for power to the motor when it isn't working. If there is power there you can assume the motor is the problem, if no power there is a chance the relay is dicky or the switching circuit for the relay which has a few components.

[Hornet]

Tks Cruiserfield. I will do as you have suggested but only when I can have someone with me that is more skilled than i. Yesterday I had no fan at all but when I went to the local supermarket a short time ago the fan was working as normal all OK. If I cannot find the fault I suppose a new fan motor and relay would be the way to go. May be a waste of money but what the heck, this great little car is a gem and well worth wasting a little to keep it in good condition.
Also the wise advice and assistance given to us on this forum is just magnificent. I will post when I manage to carry out you suggestions.

[Shambles]

Confused from Manchester, here.

Are we talking about the internal blower motor?  If so, there are threads floating around that mention a resistor close to the motor control unit... that's possibly a weak point worth checking too.

[tw2005]

Confused from Manchester, here.

Are we talking about the internal blower motor?  If so, there are threads floating around that mention a resistor close to the motor control unit... that's possibly a weak point worth checking too.

True, however if the fan is not working at all especially at the max speed then the resistor is unlikely at fault. that's because at max it does not go through the resistor

[tw2005]

[Shambles]

... if the fan is not working at all especially at the max speed then the resistor is unlikely at fault. that's because at max it does not go through the resistor

I wasn't aware of that

[tw2005]

... if the fan is not working at all especially at the max speed then the resistor is unlikely at fault. that's because at max it does not go through the resistor

I wasn't aware of that

Neither was I until I had a look

[Phil №❶]

You haven't got the device set on auto temp control, have you 

[tw2005]

You haven't got the device set on auto temp control, have you 

SX , manual A/C I believe. Complaining of no fan at all at times

[Phil №❶]

o i c 

[Hornet]

No Phil. There is no automatic setting that I can see. It just has Off and 4 speed settings on the dial. My son-inlaw mentioned it may be the Mosfet (????) and he would help me on the weekend. 

[Hornet]

TW its intermittent. Switches itself on and off as it sees fit. Whatever I do with the controls, as you displayed, does nothing. It just stops and starts any time. Thanks for your comments

[tw2005]

No Phil. There is no automatic setting that I can see. It just has Off and 4 speed settings on the dial. My son-inlaw mentioned it may be the Mosfet (????) and he would help me on the weekend.

well won't be that either cause you don't have one. The MOSFET is a power transistor which in the AUTO climate controlled unit would be pulsed to give the multi stepped speed where as yours is simply hard wired switched unit via the resistor which at max is straight batt volatge for full speed.

may want to show him the cct diagram before he goes on a goose chase. I think Tim's approach is more logical.

If say the switch is on, no fan blowing but the power connector is removed from the blower unit and power is at the harness then that would point to the blower motor itself. If no power then you would work back to say the relay or switch.

[Hornet]

Thanks every one for your assistance with the good advice provided here. The logic provided when applied proved the fault was in the relay. I went to a Auto Electrician I know and trust, told him the problem diagnosed using the suggestions made. His recommendation was to replace the relay with a generic brand as it would be better in the event of any similar problem in the future I could go to a parts store like Repco or Supacheap a relay off the shelf. He said some modification may be required so I asked him to do it. Half an hour and $40 later the job was complete and all appears fine.
The $40 was well below what I expected to pay to rectify the fault but if I were not a member of this club it could have cost me big $$$$$$'s.
Again I say thanks to all you have given good advice and assisted me I am happy now 

[Asterix]

 

[cruiserfied]

Good news it's fixed.
Cutting apart and modifying a factory harness just to put an inferior relay that would unlikely have failed again seems a bit strange.