Gary Foster

The other morning I tried to start my car and the battery was dead...I charged went to work and it was dead when I was ready to go home. When the key is off you can hear a faint sound of the blower and the air conditioning light stays on. I can also turn on the blower when the key is off.. Any help would be appreciated.
Thank You and be well
Gary Foster

Randy V

Model year Gary?

Bradsters

I have a 79 928. The blower does not work with ignition off, but the wipers, radio, windows, etc. do. I'm not sure why, but I make sure everything is turned off before I leave the car.

Gary Foster

Sorry! It is a 1987 S4....
Thanks
Gary Foster

Randy V

I'll take a stab at it - it sounds like your ignition switch may be bad, not allowing the accessories to power off.

Try sliding both climate control levers all the way to the left (off) position. The blower fan is designed to run slowly when the fan switch is set to off and the selection lever is in any position but off.

Also, with the key removed do the symptoms change? - try rolling down the windows with the key off, and with it removed. If the windows activate, it tends to confirm a bad ignition switch.

Let us know what you find out.

Gary Foster

Thanks..
With the controls all the way to the left and the key out of the car the motor continues to run very slowly (like you said)
however the windows do not work...
When I push the air button the button, it lights up, and I hear a click like the compressor is trying to engage but cannot as the motor is not running.

????

Thanks
Gary

Randy V

Clarification Gary:

The blower motor should be completely stopped when the vent control slider is in the Off position, regardless of blower control switch or key position.

GFoster

Randy the blower is not off it is on with the key out and slidders all the way to the left in the off position........I am disconnecting the battery so I can start it in the morning.

?
gary

John Struthers

Gary,
Shame upon us....
Greg Nichols site ....aka The Old Testament.
Relay! Relay! Relay!
Could be bad or the A/C switch could be holding it in on mode.
Might have to replace the controller...maybe not.
Also, bi-metallic switch adjustment a possibility.
Read all about it!
HTH/LOL
John S. and Pattycakes

Randy V

Well that's a stumper ain't it.

It almost sounds like the PO rerouted the power for the blower to a circuit that is always powered on - plus a malfunction of the blower controller.

Check the fuse board against the layout shown in your owner's manual. See if pulling the designated blower fuse breaks power to the blower.

This might narrow down where the root problem lies.

GFoster

I will give that a try tomorrow...I did get under the hood and removed the black shroud.
I found the wire for the blower and disconnected it. It stopped (of course no power) but when I reconnected the line it started blowing again..I will be on it tomorrow.
Thanks
Gary Foster

Gary Foster

Good news...I checked the fuses and relays. I pulled the fuse (#3) and wiggled the relay (#X) and guess what? No more problem..air conditioning light went out and the blower no longer stays on with the key out! It just doesn't get much better than this.
What a great week my shocks no longer rattle and my blower motor is off when my car is resting.
Life is Good!
Thanks for the help.
Gary Foster

Jeff Parnell

I had a problem with the radiator cooling fan never shutting off. It would run the battery down completely. It ended up being the temperature switch that is located on top-rear of the engine between the intakes.

This was on my 89 S4.

jlp

John Struthers

Gary,
Good news. Glad the critter is fixed.
The relay was the first recommendation on the Nichols site. He really compiled a lot of goddies and most of it came from posts to the Rennlist. So, thanks for posting fix.
So.... Gary did you go back to the relay and check for corrosion......

John S. and Pattycakes

Gary Foster

Well, more news on the mystery blower staying on....I replaced my cam belt today and while pulling everything apart we found(actually my mechanic found)..The wire that goes to the positive terminal under the hood is held on by a clamp on the right side of the motor. That clamp had worn through the insullation and grounded the wire. It had some serious stuff happening under there as not only was the insullation worn but the clamp was melted. The results were that the ground kept the blower on. I would like to be able to explain why but I just don't have that kind of knowledge. It just did. Replaced the wire and every thing works as it should. More stuff happened see powersteering pump post.
FYI
Gary Foster