C5 heater problem

[darreny30]

Hi everyone. Im new to this so please bear with me. I recently bought a c5 estate 2003 with the separate heater controls for driver and passenger. I noticed there was a slight whistling noise whilst I was driving up the M1 on the way home so I turned the heaters off and lo, it solved the whistling! Unfortunately, ever since, the heaters havent come back on at all, so I was wondering if maybe the heater had somehow siezed? The fan indicator in the control panel lights up ok as it should for a few seconds then goes back to a blank fan icon. I don't fancy stripping the heater matrix out to find out if this is what has happened if there is some other (and easier to fix) reason. I have checked the fuses and the wiring plugs under the dashboard etc and even removed the stereo to find out if there was a wire nipped behind there but nothing has fixed it. Any advice?

Cheers

Darren

[myglaren]

In the footwell and above left of the clutch pedal is the climate control unit.



It is fairly easy to remove once the trim is out of the way. A 6mm (IIRC) nutspinner makes it easiest to get the nuts/screws out.



It may be possible to dismantle and repair it, the output transistors are the likely problem and replacements may be available from a local electronics specialist, RS Components, Farnell or from eBay if you want to risk that.



I just bought a new one and binned the old one, a stupid move that I still regret.
A new unit is approximately £130 from the dealer but there are second hand ones available.
Also new ones from eBay. My current C5 has an eBay one, fitted shortly before I bought the car last year for about half the dealer price.

The pictures are not mine and I used a longer-shafted nutspinner, makes it easier to access the nuts.

[darreny30]

Wow, thanks Steve! I will give that a go tomorrow and hopefully that will be the fix. Darren

[den169]

Hell are these £130 now i got one from the dealeras about 4 years back £40 thieving sods.

[myglaren]

Apologies, I confused it with the MAF. Mine was £67 in October 2008.

[tonymike]

£51.00 on ebay,including p&p 3days delivery.a fidley job,the unit I bought was new,good luck.

[Fabian]

great, technical post.