Blowers not working

[Aquavalver]

So back in march I had a new Alpine headunit and Focal amp fitted for the speakers. All was fine until I had an Alpine internal DAB aerial fitted by the same guy. As soon he fitted it, the radio made a split second of sound (but didn't light up) and then he couldn't get it working again. He said he'd contact the place I bought the headunit from, but didn't and after waiting for a few days and having no music or sat nav, I got pissed off and called them myself. A friend said to me, didn't you buy a new genuine VW aerial with DAB? I thought yeah! I had completely forgot that and wondered why they hadn't got that connected working properly! So when I spoke to the audio place I bought the unit from, the things they mention that could cause that problem had already been checked such as main power wires etc, so I booked it in with them to investigate. They found that there were too many wires on one feed and many things were not done quite correctly such as a lot of house connector blocks on speaker cables etc, so it was booked it to have a lot of stuff re-done which wasn't going to be cheap! Anyway!

A couple of weeks later where I hadn't need to use the Climatronic air-con etc much, on the Monday it was cold so I had the heaters on and all fine. The next day it was cold again, so I put the heaters on. 10 minutes later, I realised that the car was still cold and no air was coming out, whatever button I pressed or temp/speed I turned the knobs too. When I had chance I checked all the fuses and even changed the related ones to the climatronic and blowers etc to new ones to be double sure. I then had my local mechanic look at it last Sunday and he said the fuses are fine, he tested the blower motor and resister and they tested fine. He said the problem is, is that there isn't power going to them.

Anyway, I went back to the audio place today as I wondered if it could be related to why the stereo had stopped working, so they took the glovebox out as well and also found the same thing. The put a wire direct from the blower to the battery and got everything working fine, but that was just to test that each thing was working. They said they could do that permanently, but it's not really correct and he wouldn't want it done like that and the same with me-I want it original and correct. He spoke to a local VW specialist (who is booked up for 2 months) and he said to him that he'd done everything that he would do and the only thing left would be the BCM.

Now the BCM issue, was that mine is a 7HO one, I bought an upgraded 7EO from Fernando as I was going to change my steering wheel in February to a 6C one and needed the upgraded one for the MFSW buttons to light up. That was done and all fine apart from the rear foglight didn't light up in my LHD LED rear lights (with RHD adapter looms). No big deal in the summer until I had to have the MOT, so as couldn't find the issue, the BCM was swapped back to the original one which had been fine (apart from MFSW buttons not lighting up) until the blowers stopped working just recently.

So, could the problem with the blowers be the original BCM? If not, then what could it be?

[ciclo]

Hi Aquavalver, I know that your BlueGT is a -model year- 'D' (that is, from May 2012 to May 2013), but please look in the vehicle documentation and tell me the 'exact manufacturing date' of your 6R BlueGT, 'MONTH and YEAR'. First registration when the vehicle was brand new. Thank you very much!
It is essential to know what is happening with your 6R (wiring diagrams).

I also know that you recently posted several Autoscans with the problem of the rear fog light with those LED taillights (LHD) that are not suitable for your 6R (RHD) although they are supposedly connected correctly.
viewtopic.php?p=598749#p598749
(I finally got to see the first full autoscan of your BlueGT and I think I know what is the solution for that rear fog light)
Due to the coding on the autoscan, I assume you have not installed the wiring for automatic lights?

I also know that you have recently been installing the heated seats, viewtopic.php?p=590051#p590051, have you installed them and are they working correctly?

Do you have or have you already purchased the VCDS?
If so, install the BCM 7E0 (which is the 'good' and best for your objectives/purposes/targets), do a new autoscan and post it here, maybe in this way we will be able to solve at least half of the problems of your 6R.
We will also try to solve the other half of the problems, but it depends on how far the people who 'worked' on your 6R have gone.

Note:
If you do not have the diagnostic tool, there is little or nothing we can do.
Diagnosis, coding, and wiring are essential to troubleshooting your 6R.

[Aquavalver]

Hi Fernando,

the build completion date is 8th May 2013.

With the auto-lights I went to have them fitted and found that they were 6C ones with a shorter back. I then got some 6R ones with a deeper back and all seems to be working fine. Then when sorted my parts to fit I found the auto-lights wiring that you sent (I had forgotten about this)! Does this still need to be fitted?

With the heated seats, I have fitted the new seats, but not done the heating yet. I was going to visit a friend who lives a long distance away as I was going to get him to fit and check them that everything is working -I do have some spare heating elements (new and 2nd hand) as spares and do some other retro fitting/coding things such as to finish my power folding wing mirrors etc. But as this wasn't urgent and I am short of money still (monthly mortgage is still the highest amount that it's ever been) and a new set of tyres needed before Christmas, this has been put off until next March.

No, unfortunately I haven't bought the VCDS, as no money to as it's not just that, it's a laptop as well (last month I was £1400 overdrawn before I received my salary). I have 2 full interiors for sale which would help, but Polo owners are amongst the worst/hardest/most annoying people to sell to. I had 2 people say that they were going to have both interiors, but I still have them! They never seem to want a full interior or want a new condition interior for pennies, or say they want it and then ignore you!

[ciclo]

Hi Timothy, you need to take a few images/photos and post them here.
- From the fuse box under the steering wheel. Please, as sharp as possible.
- From the back of the light switch and dimmer connectors so that I can see the color and size of the wires that reach both connectors. Please, pay special attention to T17/9 and T6/3.
You don't have to worry if there are additional connections, or fuses installed later that don't look good.

Checks:
Start the car.
1- Turn on the rear fog light, check with a multimeter that there is voltage in the SB18 fuse. Check the condition of the fuse.
2- With the multimeter verify that there is voltage in the SB40 fuse. Check the condition of the fuse.
3- Check that the rear windshield wiper works.
4- Check that there is voltage/current in the 12v/lighter socket.
Stop the car.

When I receive this information, I will try to explain to you what is happening and what you have to do... to try to solve the problems with your 6R.

[Aquavalver]

Hi Fernando,

thank you. What us the T17/9 and T6/3?

Should I do the things in your list before swapping the BCM, to see if it solves the blower not working problem?

I can tell you that I know the rear window wiper works and also the cigarette lighter socket as I use them every day.

The Auto lights switch was fitted around the end of May. The fog light problem started as soon as the upgraded BCM was fitted at the end of February/early March.

[ciclo]

T17/9 is position 9 on the T17 light switch connector.
T6/3 is position 3 on the T6 dimmer connector.

What must be installed is the BCM 7E0 and the original light switch.

We intend to try to solve the rear fog light problem on your 6R RHD 7L6(Start/Stop_Bluemotion).
The 6R 'R'HD 7L6 (from May 2012 to the end of production 2014, not the RHD 7L6 previous ones) with factory BCM MAX (7H0) are the only PQ25 models that do not have the rear fog light managed by the BCM MAX 7H0 (from factory). This seems to be the exception that proves the rule, hard to understand why VW did such a thing in this specific model and not in other models.

The BCM 7E0 expects to manage the rear fog lamp. Adding two new wires would be the same as from the factory for BCM MAX 7E0 and we would supposedly solve this problem if the electrical installation of those LHD LED taillights is correct.

From what you say, the Climatronic problem doesn't look good, it's not dramatic but maybe the fresh air blower control unit J126 is not right. It would be interesting if you knew where they got the power supply for the Amplifier.

However, "waiting for your checks on the fuses and photos" to specify the diagnosis..., there is no rush, when possible for you.

[Aquavalver]

The power for the amp goes direct from the battery. I don't think the blower control unit is the problem as it has been tested and everything worked as it should do, when power direct from the battery to the blowers was made. There is something that is stopping the power from reaching the blower motor/control unit. I do however have a spare blower control as I bought a used mint one for a good price. I haven't been able to test the other things yet as it has been raining on and off for most of the weekend! I do have a photo of the fuses though:

C91924B3-A99C-4FA8-9FBC-3BD7633ECD64.jpeg (1.7 MiB) Viewed 2298 times

[ciclo]

That overhead fuse is one of the worst ways to take power, in addition to being unstable because it can come out of the SB40 slot at the first bump in the road or by inadvertent manipulation of those exterior wires... plus it is overloading an important supply circuit (75). What powers that overhead fuse?

Did an electrician do that? really? Is the electrician who did such an installation the same one who told you that the problem with the climatronic is in the BCM?
Do a test, remove that overhead fuse, put in the original fuse (30A) and check if climatronic works.

[ciclo]

While we wait for those images to physically see the wires that reach the light switch and dimmer connectors, which can be taken in a couple of minutes, I leave here the VW diagrams in which the rear fog light on the 6R '7L6' RHD (May/2012->) models is Powered directly from the light switch and protected by fuse SB18.









And now for the fun part... if you look at your SB fuse box, there is no fuse in slot SB18, which opens up two options:
1- you have removed it and have not put it back.
2- VW diagrams are a joke.

I think it is option 2 (and I'm not kidding ) because the entire PQ25 platform with BCM Max or BCM Reku (Re4) has the rear fog light under BCM control.

Let's wait to see the size of the T17/9 wire on your 6R BlueGT RHD (May/2013) to know which is the correct option.

[Aquavalver]

That overhead fuse is one of the worst ways to take power, in addition to being unstable because it can come out of the SB40 slot at the first bump in the road or by inadvertent manipulation of those exterior wires... plus it is overloading an important supply circuit (75). What powers that overhead fuse?

Did an electrician do that? really? Is the electrician who did such an installation the same one who told you that the problem with the climatronic is in the BCM?
Do a test, remove that overhead fuse, put in the original fuse (30A) and check if climatronic works.

The overhead fuses were either done by the company that fitted the front & rear dash cams, or/and the first guys that fitted the new head-unit and amp (that placed too much load on one power feed that caused the headunit to stop working). The place that said they thought it could be the BCM is a local VW specialist near the proper car audio place who got the headunit working again. If it's not the BCM, it most be something that has happened to the wiring between the fuse and the blower motor or blower motor control unit. I'm not sure what power feed the guys that first fitted the headunit have tapped into.

I'm pretty sure I already put a replacement same amp fuse into No.4 and tested it, but will try again when I get chance when it will ever stop raining!

What amp fuse should SB 18 be?

[ciclo]

Any 'specialist' or 'Superman' who doesn't know how to diagnose and fix these little problems on your 6R has no credentials.

Perhaps they could have used these free spaces/slots for new installations with original/appropriate fuses. ...and not compromise other electrical installations.

Removing the fuse box is a piece of cake. Working little and earning a lot of money without deserving it has become very common nowadays.

Most likely, your BlueGT does not have the SB18 fuse from the factory, don't buy it yet until we see the requested images.

[Aquavalver]

I got some photos of the light switch, but they are not so clear of the wires, as it was impossible to pull the plug out any further to get any clearer shots. I think there were wires in numbers 1,2,4,8,10,12,15,16,17

[ciclo]

It is enough, it is appreciated that the T17/9 wire is not 1.0mm2 thick, but 0.5mm2 thick, so the original diagrams are not correct for your 6R RHD.
That is, the rear fog light in your 6R BlueGT RHD is under control/managed by the BCM.

So, with the multimeter and with the rear fog light activated you must check if power/current reaches the ORIGINAL connector (right side) in position T6/6, ... if yes, the problem could be either in the adaptation wiring that your friend made later or on those aftermarket LED taillights for 6R LHD. Use the multimeter to find out how far the power/current goes.

[ciclo]

The electrical circuit of your rear fog light is:
- Activation signal:
From T17/9 light switch, to T73b/43 BCM white connector.
- Power signal:
From T73a/6 BCM black connector, to T6/6 Taillight right connector.

You should check it too, because someone you talked to or was working on your car didn't know or wasn't clear about it.