Anyone know how to replace the Cabin Blower?

[scotty2541]

My cabin blower just died. No air flowing. There are no warnings on the screen, and the fuse is fine.

I turn on the AC and I can hear the compressor spin up, then shut down after 20-30 seconds because there is no air moving across the coils.

So, unless this is a "marketing" tool, as it happened at the EXACT SAME TIME that my "service due" reached zero days, I need to R&R it. So I am considering my options to dig in and replace the unit myself.

Can anyone offer advice?

-Scotty

 

[ML Auto]

This is not a DIY job without the tools and experience. The blower is buried underneath all the electronics under the hood. You need to evac the A/C and remove everything to reach it. The evaporator housing is thin plastic and cracks if you look at it wrong. It takes the better part of a day to complete.

You might want to check the blower to be sure. There is a 2 pin connector underneath the brake booster that goes to the blower (green and black wires from the controller, orange and black from the blower). If you don't have voltage, its probably the switch or the controller.

Unless you get lucky and have a problem with the switch, it is not going to be cheap.

 

[scotty2541]

Oh... joy. What a fun car this has been. The word "lemon" comes to mind.

I've used an independent shop of guys for my old Toyota that are very good, and extremely reasonable.
They replaced the convertible top, and could have ripped my off on a check engine light... turned out it was just the airflow sensor needed to be cleaned. His labor of the diagnostic ended up actually being the repair. Didn't charge me anything else.

They've asked me about the Roadster, but never asked to do anything to it.
But I think they would love to get their hands on this thing.

But first, I'll check the connector, as you suggest.

Thanks.

 

[scotty2541]

Okay... There is nothing like you describe. (this is a 2011 2.5 model) Take a look at the picture from under the hood. One set of wires goes to the radiator fans, Another goes into the black box in the upper left, another two wire harness disappears toward the front of the car.

However, I did find this loose connector between the booster and the firewall. Not connected to anything. And I can't find anything to connect it to! It is tie-wrapped to that bundle right next to the brake fluid reservoir. I probed it and turned on the system. With the fan on, there is *no* voltage on that connector. So it's a harness that goes nowhere, and has no power.

Oh well...

 

[Habious]

Ahh, yes. The GNDN connector (goes nowhere, does nothing)

 

[scotty2541]

Ahh, yes. The GNDN connector (goes nowhere, does nothing)

LOL.

Since it is "green and black", I thought it might be the fan control, as MLAUTO said. But it has no power when I tested it. So the connector that he is referring to must be on a different model.

 

[ML Auto]

It is directly under the booster where it attaches to the firewall. It is attached there with a clip. I checked my 1.5 model, 2.0, and my 2.5. They are all the same.

 

[scotty2541]

Thanks. I'm really hoping to solve this myself, as the service center can't even get me an appointment for THREE WEEKS!! Words cannot describe how unacceptable that is...

So then... checking these pics, I don't see that mine is the same.
Comparing the two pics, the black glue on the aluminum chassis corner is a point of reference between the two pictures (yours and my hand)
On yours, I can see the fluid hose coming from the reservoir. I can see the same hose under my hand in my picture.

I am looking at the harness that has a green and black wire in it.

On yours, the harness is coming out of of the bundle behind the black case, which I believe is the Freon diverter cover.

On mine that harness is coming from the driver side frame, and is black-taped into a loop, with that metal clip dangling at the bottom. That is the condition it was in when I dug it out. As is, it wouldn't reach over to where I see it in your picture.

I also see another two wire harness (black and white/red) at the top of your photo. Mine has nothing like that anywhere.

Under the reservoir, as in your picture, I was not able to see anything.

I will look again tonight, to see if I'm missing something. But as I said, I stuck some pins in that harness, and attached my voltmeter. There was nothing when I turned on the fan switch.

-Scott

 

[ML Auto]

My pic is directly from above. You can't see it unless you look straight down behind the booster. It should be there, but if it is no longer attached, it might have fallen down a couple of inches. The end going to the blower is around 10 inches long, so you can pull it out to access it.

 

[scotty2541]

Yeah, I can tell the angle from the pic. I spend close to an hour digging around there last night, with screwdrivers, wrenches and mirrors.

I'll be digging back in tonight... and probably posting again.

Thanks.

 

[MileHighMotoring]

the service center can't even get me an appointment for THREE WEEKS!! Words cannot describe how unacceptable that is...

That's completely normal for a Tesla service center, FYI. I've never had a shorter duration between calling for an appt and getting in than 3 weeks, unless it was a flat tire and they did that right away (Model S).

 

[scotty2541]

That's completely normal for a Tesla service center, FYI. I've never had a shorter duration between calling for an appt and getting in than 3 weeks, unless it was a flat tire and they did that right away (Model S).

Really?? Geez. On my Toyota or Accura (or any other car for that matter), I can get in the same day, even if it takes a while to get a part ordered after dropping off the car, at least they got started on it. Waiting 3 weeks to get a breakdown looked at isn't a good practice... (IMHO)

 

[MileHighMotoring]

Waiting 3 weeks to get a breakdown looked at

If you had a breakdown they'd probably get you in right away. Parts can take a long time too, keep that in mind for any issues now or in the future.

 

[scotty2541]

MLAuto,
there is no harness on mine like yours. And I followed that harness under the booster, and took a picture.
Behind the booster is a block dot... It's plugged up. Sealed.

On the bottom side of the booster, the harness is totally secured, Pictured below, this is as far back as I can get the image... I can't budge the harness. And there is nothing to plug into. So that "Goes Nowhere, Does Nothing" harness still has no place to plug into.

so... still nothing. And no fan for weeks to come.

 

[ML Auto]

Its the connector with the orange and black wires shown in your last pic (green and black wires from the controller, orange and black from the blower) as previously stated.

 

[scotty2541]

The green and black wire way back in my earlier picture isn't plugged into anything. And from the position it was in, I don't think it ever plugged into anything.

The most recent picture of that cable (looks kinda yellow to me) feels like it's already plugged into something. Although my camera phone couldn't get the full image, and I can't see it directly.

It's also tightly held with a cable tie, I'd have no hope of cutting the tie blindly without cutting a wire that I'm not supposed to.

I'll spend another hour arguing with it this morning. Since I'm not in my office today.

 

[scotty2541]

Okay, here is the last update, no point is bothering you (MLAUTO) anymore.

These images are basically a "panoramic" of under the booster. The harness in question is connected to something and is totally secured, I don't see anyway to access it to measure it for power. Whatever it plugs into, is going behind the plastic cover (looks like it might be the fan housing and evaporator). And I can't get any grip on it to pull any slack (if there even is any slack)
I have also included a quick camera phone video of the area, as well as me turning on the car and watching nothing happen except the compressor making a bad noise. The link is below.

Left:

Center

Right

 

[scotty2541]

Oh... one more thing... Compare the image above, named "left" with the one below, which is a top view. There are two harnesses, a big and a small.
It looks like the harness goes down, and is pinched BEHIND that plastic cover, and the head of the connector comes out in that "left" photo above.
The service guys had all this stuff apart before. A few times. If the service guy pinched it when he put it back together, and it eventually wore it's way down and cut it, I'll be rather pissed... These are the same guys who folded down my VIN plate, hiding it when they put the dash back on. Had a cop tell me "You better get that fixed, really quick"

 

[gregd]

I don't know if the fan draws enough, but does the Amps display on the speedo change when you turn on the fan? Thinking to differentiate between the car trying to spin a stuck fan, vs not even trying (or open circuit somewhere).

 

[scotty2541]

Tested just now. The car is typically at 1 amp at a standstill. In this case, it's still at 1 amp, regardless if I turn the fan on or not. So it's open, it's not pulling current trying to turn a stuck motor.
I also turned the seat heaters on, and there was no change. Not sure how much they are supposed to pull, if anything when the ambient temp is already in the mind 90's.
But when I turned the heater on from the dial, it went up to 10 amps. Then back to 1 when I turned it off.

Also, when the AC light is on, but the compressor is silent, it's still 1 amp. I know from experience that the compressor takes it up to about 7-8 amps when running. As you may have heard on the video, the compressor starts then stops. I cannot repeat that test. Even after powering down and exiting, when I try it again, the compressor doesn't even start. It seems to have a memory that only lets me do that once a day.