# Noisy AC Blower. Thoughts and Suggestions?



## cddgeneral (Apr 12, 2007)

Hi Everyone - I have a Canadian 2006 Bona Vista X-Trail.
Lately, my AC blower motor, right side of dash somewhere, has started to make a rattling sound. Kind of makes the sound when you get a leaf stuck in the blower.
It is getting worse as time goes on. 

Has anyone else experienced this? If so, what was the fix?

Where is the blower exactly?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.


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## Calculus (Feb 12, 2012)

I am experiencing the same noise. There is some discussion of this in these forums. It has to do with the blower. The labour is the expensive part. Haven't decided to it yet.

Calculus


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## clydesider (Jan 1, 2008)

*Heater Blower*

Try here for some suggestions.
http://www.nissanforums.com/x-trail/153508-c-heater-motor-noise-vibration.html


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## SPEEDO (Jun 9, 2003)

you probably do have leaves etc hitting the "squirrel cage", pull the cowl grilles (behind the hood, in front of the w/shld) and clean out, pull the blower and clean out the hsg..


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

No you don't have leaves, you have the onset of your blower motor failing. I could get the knocking sound to go away by turning off the fan and then turning it back on again, but it got progressively worse. You need to have the bushes replaced with sealed bearings. The end result will be no more strange noises and a more powerful fan. This problem affects lots of Nissans I have since learnt.


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

cddgeneral said:


> Hi Everyone - I have a Canadian 2006 Bona Vista X-Trail.
> Lately, my AC blower motor, right side of dash somewhere, has started to make a rattling sound. Kind of makes the sound when you get a leaf stuck in the blower.
> It is getting worse as time goes on.
> 
> ...


The blower is located on the passenger side under the dash. Here's a procedure on removing the unit:

1. Remove glove box assembly.
2. Remove glove box cover, instrument passenger lower panel and instrument reinforcement.
3. Remove ECM with ECM bracket attached.
4. Remove instrument panel mounting screw.
5. Remove blower unit mounting bolt and screw.
6. Disconnect blower motor connector and fan resistor connector.
7. Disconnect intake door motor connector and harness clips.
8. Remove blower unit.
CAUTION:
Slide the blower unit toward the right, remove location pins
(2 parts), then move it downward.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

*Further info on how to fix blower motor*

For a lot of good practical advice check out the following in another forum
Xtrail 06 blower motor noise - Nissanhelp.com Forums

as well you will find good info on the Australian X-Trail forum that includes this repair in their how to section.
AUSTRALIAN X-TRAIL FORUM :: Technical Problems & Solutions :: blower fan | Runboard

Anyway good luck to anyone having this problem. Considering the repair at a dealership will cost over $1000, if this is not something you are comfortable trying yourself, it would still be very worthwhile to print out one of the above suggested forum threads with pics and provide it to a mechanic you know, and get them to install bearings on the blower motor.


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## Tazyuwa (Jul 28, 2009)

So I followed these steps using a Nissan technical manual (for my 05 x-trail).
Could you please confirm if I should remove the ECM completely? I do have the negative battery lead removed as a precaution. There are lot of cables and I am a bit worried unplugging all of the cables.
I feel this is necessary because there is a cable bundle that appears to be secured to the back of the air-intake motor. That zip tie (or securing tie) seems to be impossible to reach even though I have very thin fingers!
Any and all pointers will be much appreciated.
Cheers



rogoman said:


> The blower is located on the passenger side under the dash. Here's a procedure on removing the unit:
> 
> 1. Remove glove box assembly.
> 2. Remove glove box cover, instrument passenger lower panel and instrument reinforcement.
> ...


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

Tazyuwa said:


> So I followed these steps using a Nissan technical manual (for my 05 x-trail).
> Could you please confirm if I should remove the ECM completely? I do have the negative battery lead removed as a precaution. There are lot of cables and I am a bit worried unplugging all of the cables.
> I feel this is necessary because there is a cable bundle that appears to be secured to the back of the air-intake motor. That zip tie (or securing tie) seems to be impossible to reach even though I have very thin fingers!
> Any and all pointers will be much appreciated.
> Cheers


According to the FSM, the ECM needs to be removed. As you're unplugging harness connectors, mark each one with a label or colored tape to match the pairs as you reconnect everything. You can cut any of those zip ties with a long nose snipping tool.


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## Tazyuwa (Jul 28, 2009)

Thanks Rogoman. I followed your advice and it was indeed LOT easier to remove the blower assembly after removing the ECM. Here are some tips for others pursuing this:
- after you unplug the two big cables to the ECM, pull the ECM down at an angle towards the passenger seat. This removes the module with the mounting bracket.
- now you can easily reach to the door side of the blower unit to unplug the vent motor connector AND a cable tie (clip) used to hold the motor and resistor cables down. This tie is just behind the vent direction motor. It is on the passenger door side in my Canadian (left hand drive) model.

I managed to pull the motor out and use drops of lubricant after apart the washers at the two ends of the motor shaft. UNFORTUNATELY, the motor still does not spin well after connecting it power. I'm glad I did this before assembling the whole thing back. The fan can be spun by hand but does not advance more than half a rotation after I give it a push. The motor does momentarily rotate after this push and then stops.

QUESTION: Is this a sign that the bushing are still gone and I have to do the bearings replacement? Could the drive circuit (amp?) be the problem or does the drive circuit simply fail to work rather than put out insufficient drive voltage/current?
As always, you guys rock in this forum and I would not have advanced this much if it wasn't for this round of discussion.
Cheers!


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Hi 
As Rogoman stated, the answer is yes. I removed mine when doing it. If memory serves there is a clip that you flip down on the ECM connectors and then you pull them out. I am pretty sure that each ( I think two) is specific so there is no risk of reinstalling them in the wrong connectors.
RE the zip ties, I didn't cut mine, as basically they have a little clip on the back that secures them. Best is to get some needle nose plyers, pinch the V on the back and push it forward to release. Again by memory there were 3 of these to disconnect.
Go through the posts on the first link I provided above, and you will find information that will help you a lot.
One thing I would really suggest is to get yourself a good light that you shine around the blower motor, and if you are doing it with the car on the ground, get yourself a pillow or something to cushion your ribs from the door jam, as the job requires you to be a bit of a contortionist. After I did mine my ribs were sore for a week lol.
Good news though, the bearing fix does work. Its now been over a year since I did mine, and the fan blower is fine with no more rattling /jackhammer noises at any time. Its been through -30 Celsius to 35 Celsius with the air con going full blast, and is used daily with no problems whatsoever. Good luck with yours. Its a fairly complicated job but well worth it.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Hi Tazyuwa,
Just saw your new post after trying to answer your earlier question. Yes you do need to replace the brass bushings on both ends of the motor spindle with the appropriate size sealed bearings. Oiling them is sometimes a very temporary fix but it doesnt last. I was actually surprised when I took mine apart as the brash bushings didn't look too bad, but there was a lot of crap beneath them which would have eventually caused the motor to seize up completely.


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## Tazyuwa (Jul 28, 2009)

Thank you for the quick response. I am now convinced about the bearing replacement. I live in Toronto (Ontario) and I gave up trying to find a local shop where I could source these bearings. So now I'm hunting through e-bay. I see that there is a flanged type and a non-flanged type of bearing with the same model number (698ZZ). Am I correct in assuming that I should get the non-flanged type?
BTW, if any of you are in the Toronto area, I would appreciate any hints on a local shop where I could buy these -- I desperately need some heat !! 
Cheers



quadraria10 said:


> Hi Tazyuwa,
> Just saw your new post after trying to answer your earlier question. Yes you do need to replace the brass bushings on both ends of the motor spindle with the appropriate size sealed bearings. Oiling them is sometimes a very temporary fix but it doesnt last. I was actually surprised when I took mine apart as the brash bushings didn't look too bad, but there was a lot of crap beneath them which would have eventually caused the motor to seize up completely.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Hi Tazyuwa,
All the best for the holiday season. I hope you at least have heat in your home! Tough days in TO for some these days.
Regarding the bearings, I got mine from General Bearings in Ottawa. They do not have a Toronto area location, but my googling bearings toronto, showed numerous companies selling them. They may not have them in stock at a particular location but most places should be able to order them for you and have them within a day or two. Autopart stores do not carry them, as they are quite small, nothing like a wheel bearing.
Yes you are right, you want the unflanged ones. The ones I got where labelled AMCAN bearing company, and they cost me $15 for the two needed. The ZZ refers to them being sealed both sides. 698ZZ is the size. Make sure you also pick up some appropriate size washers that you will use as spacers, I think 9mm but check threads I provided earlier.
Make a few phone calls and I am sure you will be able to get them locally. EBAY can be great but usually takes a week or two to arrive after you order. Good luck and Joyeux Noel!


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## Tazyuwa (Jul 28, 2009)

Hi everyone,
while I wait for the bearings to come in, I was wondering if others have had much luck replacing the motor with more readily available heater blower motors? Thanks to bad weather and holiday season, my ballbearings order is still held up in mail. So I got desperate and started looking at alternatives. Almost all other heater motors seem to come with a similar rotary fan but the base mount is quite different. Anyone had had luck removing those motors and using them in the x-trail assembly?
Most motor assemblies seem to resemble the one shown in this thread: Blower motor help - Suzuki Forums: Suzuki Forum Site

Murano seems to have a similar motor + base mount. I am so desperate for heat, I even called up three Nissan dealerships looking for the entire assembly. They cost CAD430 but they are still back-ordered for another month :-(

Any and all pointers will be much appreciated.
Cheers.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Not sure why you are having such a tough time finding the bearings. A few phone calls to companies that sell bearings should do the trick. Automotive supply stores will not have them, or even order them for you. The ones I got over a year ago were shipped to the Ottawa store from Toronto within 2 days of ordering them. 
Glad to see Nissan lowering the price however its for the lower half of the complete assembly that holds the fan blower and does not include the resistor.
Before I did the bearing fix, I looked into replacement motors and was told that you could use one from a Murano, however you would need to change the bottom motor casing. To be honest I wasn't sure if that meant the metal armature on the blower motor, or if it meant the lower plastic assembly housing. If its the assembly no big deal, as you already have to remove the motor to replace the bottom bushing with a bearing--if you have to crack open the motor armature its a bigger deal and given the cost and risk not sure its a worthwhile way to go.
It seems this problem happens with many Nissan models, its not just the X Trail. Makes me wonder how many models share the same fan. Problem is the model is not in many data bases for parts, and Nissan flat out either wont or cant tell you.
As you are finding out, its an essential part of the car in winter time.


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## Tazyuwa (Jul 28, 2009)

Hi everyone,
the bearings arrived and I am happy to report that everything is working after two days of operation. An $8 Nissan instruction manual for 05/06 x-trail via ebay came in VERY handy. Here are the steps I adopted (based on guidance provided in this thread and links provided to the Russian gentleman who posted very useful figures):
- take out bottom glove compartment AND top glove compartment. You need all the space you can use to access the heating unit.
- taking the entire heater assembly requires removal of the ECM first.
IMPORTANT: remove the negative battery cable before doing this to help protect the ECM. It is an expensive electronic part. I wrapped mine in static dissipative bag after I removed it.
- the plastic assembly that extends from the central panel really gets in the way when removing the heating assembly. I don't know if I missed something about removing it. I could not find a way to remove it.
- The wire connecting to the motor that controls air direction (located closer to passenger side in my LHD model) is a pain to remove. I ended up snipping the wires! This was a calculated damage I took for the sake of my sanity (and extremely low temperatures I was enduring during the fix in my garage).
- Three wire harnesses on the heating unit hold the wires in place. You can safely remove them using needle nose pliers and squeezing the clips so that they can be pushed out. Again, extremely cold weather forced me to snip the ties. I used normal tie wraps during re-assembly. Small price to pay!
- remove the ECM by pulling it straight out towards the seat. It is hung in place by two bolts and a metal protrusion on the mounting bracket. The protrusion slides into an opening deep behind the glove compartment area. See my previous notes about removing top glove compartment.
- as described by others, you have to remove three bolts to remove the white heating assembly. The bolt on top left side is a pain to reach. I used a hint from another blogger about using a rachet extension to do the trick. You will endure scratches if not wearing work gloves. It hurts more when it is very cold out side... I digress!
- once the bolts are off, slide the assembly to the right (towards the door) and then down. This involves lot of cursing and wiggling the unit. Have something comfortable on the door sill and the group. Your ribs will hurt too! You are lucky if you have the car up at waist height on hoist. Most of us don't have this in our home garages 
- you have to break the clips to remove the bottom part of the heating assembly. You can use the screws to hold the whole thing in place for re-assembly.
- Remove the motor after unscrewing the only black screw that attaches at the bottom of the assembly. You will have to pull hard on the motor shaft using vise grips. I also slightly warmed the bottom plastic casing using a handheld heater set to minimum.
- forget about trying to lubricate the bushing. You have to remove them and replace them with bearings.
- pry open the metal fingers that hold the bushing in place. You have to open all the metal fingers and not just the long ones. I used a strong pocket knife for this. I took the holding clips on the shaft with a needle nose pliers. Save this along with the washers!
- WARNING: bearings have less tolerance than bushing. So if the motor shaft is miss-aligned, it will make a squeeling sound. Change one bushing at a time. Start with the bottom one. Spin the shaft and listen to squeeling sound (of armature rubbing against magnets) and re-align the shaft by bending the metal fingers more or less towards the centre.
- WARNING: you have to gently tap the bearings on the shaft. Put the 8mm washer on top of the bearings and then use a socket head that is just the right size to tap the bearings down the shaft. I did not realize this first and slightly damaged the bearing shield when I placed a smaller socket head for tapping by mistake. I used one 8mm washer at the bottom and two at the top. I also used at least one original washer before putting the clip back in place (using a needle nose pliers).
- Put the motor back into the base assembly and put the fan on the shaft properly with the same screw.
- now wire it up to the car and check that the motor works properly. It took at least two iterations for me to get the alignment right so that the motor spins silently. It is worth the time and interim testing. You could cope with some miss-alignment if you are okay with using the motor on 3 or 4 speed only.
- now re-assemble the whole heating assembly and assemble it back in. You have remember to take the batter cable off again to put ECM back in. I was using the car without heating for a while and this is why I had to do it again. Re-assembly is relatively easy and getting the heating assembly back in place was a pain because the plastic protrusion I talked about at the beginning get in the way again.

Please don't hesitate to post to this thread if you need any more pointers. If anyone needs pictures, I can post them on my flickr and post the link here.
Thanks again for all the wonderful folks in this thread who had pulled this off before me. It certainly enabled me to win some street cred's with my kids 

Cheers


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Way to go Tazyuwa. Its amazing how well the fix works. Its been almost a year and half since I did ours, and it works just fine. Were you ever able to find them at a bearing supply company there or did you have to wait for ones you ordered on ebay?


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## Tazyuwa (Jul 28, 2009)

Thank you!
I decided to order it from a local belt and bearings place as a backup but the parts via ebay arrived the next day. I now know that there are local resources available even if the price is slightly higher. At the end of the day these costs are still lower than what I would pay to replace the entire heating unit.



quadraria10 said:


> Way to go Tazyuwa. Its amazing how well the fix works. Its been almost a year and half since I did ours, and it works just fine. Were you ever able to find them at a bearing supply company there or did you have to wait for ones you ordered on ebay?


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## Tazyuwa (Jul 28, 2009)

Hi all,
I am sad to report that the bearing mod worked for a week and after about a week of operation, the motor has stopped working and I get a burning smell when I turn on the fan switch to any of the settings. So I have left it turned off.
I will check if the resistance reading of the coils in the motor. If this is a suspect, it will point to a burnt motor. If the impedance readings are good, then it will point to the motor driver circuit... the latter will imply more reading and learning... sigh...
Did anyone else experience this. I see lot of success stories after the bearing mod but I have not heard from anyone where the mod went bad.
Any pointers will be much appreciated.
Cheers.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

What a drag Tazyuwa. Sounds to me like your fan blower resistor is toast, or perhaps your switch.

I would check those out before pulling the motor out again. The resistor module on the X trail is at the base of the blower assembly.
Look at page 7 of the Australian X trail forum link I provided on page 1 of this thread.
Did you inspect your resistor when you had the motor assembly out? There are two different types depending upon whether yours has climate control or not. You can find them on ebay, or might be worthwhile checking a Nissan dealership. I think they have lowered their prices for X trail parts in the past year. Otherwise if you are good with electronics and sourcing such parts check this link out for repairing your resistor
http://forums.********.com/how-to-fix-your-fan-control-amplifier-t433421.html.

Good luck with it.


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## Tazyuwa (Jul 28, 2009)

Thanks again quadraria10. The motor resistor in the thread you suggested does seem different compared to the one in my x-trail (2005, SE model). First, I checked that the motor and fan were easily rotating by removing the air filter and then trying to spin the fan blades (reachable via the air filter opening). Everything seems fine here.

I removed the blower resistor and the thermal fuse on it looks corroded (or may be burnt). I also see corroded or burnt spots near the top tip. Here are two pictures of this resistor:
http://thasan.smugmug.com/photos/i-GT6qpRr/0/O/i-GT6qpRr.jpg
http://thasan.smugmug.com/photos/i-Dm8RvjL/0/O/i-Dm8RvjL.jpg

However, resistance readings between pairs of terminals seem to match what is specified in the service guide as shown here...
http://thasan.smugmug.com/photos/i-qwrjj35/0/O/i-qwrjj35.png
So I am not sure if I should replace this resistor. My gut feeling tells me I should. Thoughts?

I have not taken the switch apart (yet). I have to read up on taking apart this section as it has remained intact through all my recent adventure. I will check this as well and shall post back with my results. 
Cheers


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## Tazyuwa (Jul 28, 2009)

Reporting back after bit more hacking...
- I checked that voltage to the motor connector is 12V when the ignition is on and speed at any setting. I did this test with fan resistor connected but motor disconnected.
- continuity between connectors on the fan resistor and motor connectors are fine.
- ground link between motor and car ground is fine.
- I could not completely remove the fan speed control switch but tried to peek in and don't see any sign of burnt components/contacts. It looks nice and clean and all white plastics look clean white and no sign of charring. 

Conclusion: I am hoping that the issue is indeed the fan resistor. There is a good chance I did some damage to this by trying to run the heater fan on high before I replaced the bushings (see my previous posting in this thread). I'm going to try to pick one fan resistor at the dealership tomorrow. Fingers crossed!
Questions to the forum: 
1. if the fan resistor replacement does not solve the problem, how can I debug the fan control (amplifier) circuit? 
2. if fan resistor replacement does not work, am I running any risk by connecting 12V from the cigarette lighter via a 20A fuse and a hefty switch? I came up with this idea because my alternative is to connect one of those dash-mounted heaters that connect directly to the battery via a fuse. I would rather use the car blower vents and fan as this is far more effective than one of those dash-mount units.

Here is to hoping to resolve this in time before the next burst of cold spell this week... brrr...


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Your resistor/amplifier is different from mine, because its not the climate control version. Good news is that according to Aussie forum yours is less expensive to replace. About 100$ less at Nissan. They do go bad, so my guess is that is your problem. Curious where the burning smell is coming from? Can you smell it through the vents, or is the burning smell strong near the switch on the front stack? From what I read the cause of the bad switch would be arcing between two of the terminals on the back of it. Its pretty straight forward to remove your front dash trim. Just pry with a straight blade screwdriver to undo the clips, and then you have it popped out, you can disconnect the electrical connectors for the various electrical connectors. You could then visually examine the switch in back and see if you have any melting or signs of it. If so you need to replace the switch.
That said its more likely to be the resistor. If your replacement doesn't solve your problem and an examination shows your switch to be bad, it might be an idea to track down a wrecking yard and find an x trail that has been in a bad accident and get the switch off of it. I have no way of knowing but I suspect one from an Altima or Pathfinder might do the trick as well. 
I do not think you will need to bother hooking up a secondary heating source. Re troubleshooting further, only thing I can thing of further would be that maybe you stripped some wiring when removing or reinstalling your blower box?
I feel for you though, what a pain in the butt!


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## Snowyfox (Jan 21, 2014)

*Fan heater removal, and heater control resistor.*

Hi Just a thought as I have done this on a UK model, here is a thread from the UK forum which may help, note there are several links on the site too. Hope it helps

UK Nissan X-Trail Owners Forum ? Login


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## 17HedgeHog49 (Feb 18, 2015)

*Noisy blower - 2006 X Trail*

Nope! My X Trail Boavista has been noise-making for five or six years. Had the leaves cleaned out several times but no improvement.

Neither the Nissan dealer or local mechanic has any clue. Just cleaning out the leaves costs more than I can afford so I don't even ask about a repair or replacement. 

Seems worse in winter (here in Canada). This winter I can put the vehicle inside a heated garage. Much better when starting out warm but a half-hour in the cold and it gets worse again.

I can often get a few miles by turning the fan on full high until the grumbling dies and then ease back one-0third / one-quarter. This may last for awhile and you will have to do it again. Maybe get lucky, maybe not.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Sad to hear HedgeHog. I couldn't have lived with it. You shouldn't be getting leaves in there if you have a cabin air filter in place. Anyway your blower motor will only get progressively worse. At least you can now buy a replacement fan off ebay or alibaba, if you don't want to replace the fan spindle bushings with sealed bearings.
Having reread Tazyuwa's posts, I think a big mistake was cutting the wiring. It's not necessary but I can understand how he got frustrated.
One tip for anyone trying to fix it, would be to remove the passenger seat before going ahead to give yourself more room. Also get a light down there to help you see. Furthermore read the postings in the links provided.
Lastly Hedgehog if you buy a fan expect about 4 hour labour costs to replace it, and get your mechanic to agree to that ahead of time.


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## 17HedgeHog49 (Feb 18, 2015)

Thanks Quadraria 10. Regarding the leaves, it never did seem right to me. Decades ago when one could do the basic things on your own vehicle, I 'think I remember' the sound of stuff in the fan...probably a Ford truck used for everything under the sun on the farm.

I could be led to believe that the dealer's tech had to come up with some excuse to justify the $100 they charged me. It would be a little harder to believe my local mechanic would do that to me, but...

Now when I am old vehicles are tested by computer, parts swapped out and when an ordinary person lifts the bond, very little makes sense except a crankcase dipstick, a jug of windshield washer fluid, a hydraulic brake reservoir and a battery.

You mention four hours labour, close to $300 plus parts, so you can maybe understand why my wife and I have figured out a workaround - that sometimes works for a few minutes or longer.


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## 17HedgeHog49 (Feb 18, 2015)

lifts the 'hood'...


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Hi HedgeHog,
I can relate as to the cost. Through dealership last I checked replacing fan motor was over $1000 with labour included.
I don't know how handy you are, but you could fix it yourself. In my case I was able to do it for the cost of the replacement ball bearings, and the instructions are in this thread and its links. Otherwise you might consider ordering the following off ebay * best price I can find--
Heater Blower Motor Nissan X Trail T30 2001 2007 272258H31C LHD RHD NEW | eBay

And find someone to install it. I actually think it could be done without fully dismantling and removing the ecm, by breaking the blower motor assembly in two at the tabs, and just removing the lower half of it that holds the blower motor. Afterwards it could just be screwed back together with quarter inch tapping screws. Maybe you could find someone who moonlights. I know of someone in my area who does for 40 an hour, and its helpful when you can provide the instructions. Good luck. I have the same Bonavista model as you.


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## GX-Trailer (May 31, 2015)

Fellow X-Trailers, 

I run a t30, 2.5 petrol, 2007/8 (model GX here in Brazil). The other day, upon acceleration, I heard a disturbing noise, which, initially, I presumed was a loose valve tappet or, far worse, a knackered camchain. Then I realised the noise was coming from the blower. I immediately switched this off as a precuation to avoid (further) damage, and only dared to switch it on again once home. And there was the same noise, as if something were touching the blower blades. Luckily, after a few seconds, the foreign body seemed to be cleared out and the blower worked normally. I suppose this was a leaf, twig or bug, but what I'd like to hear from anyone who has had a similar event, is how a leaf could get past the paper filter element and reach the blower. Or does the filter only clean the internal air. If so, any tips to reduce the rather overdimensioned exterior air vent size, perhaps by clippíng on a mesh with holes half the size. Here, due to strong winds in tropical storms, lots of leaves, and even quite large twigs, end up in this veritable trench, just in front of the windscreen.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

I doubt a whole leaf would make it past the filter, however some filters do not come with the foam inserts on the sides and hence could leave a bit of space for items to work their way down to the blower motor. Not much you can do about the exterior venting other than to clean it fairly regularly, but I doubt its an issue.
If it sounds like a jackhammer occasionally and goes away by turning it on and off, your problem is the blower motor bushings at each end of spindle. You can either try fixing it with the sealed bearing replacement, or you need a new blower motor. You will find good links to guide you earlier in this thread. I did mine 3 or 4 years ago now, and still working fine and quietly!


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## GX-Trailer (May 31, 2015)

Hi QUADRARIA10,

Very many thanks for your prompt reply. The noise was definitely of the childhood upturned-bike-cardboard-strip-in-spokes-of-spinning-wheel type rather than the jackhammer racket you've mentioned. As soon as I get a chance, I'll unscrew the glovebox, whip out the filter and hopefully retrieve any debris. I'll report back.

Cheers, 
BRIAN


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Hopefully you are right. Anyway it takes a grand total of 5 minutes to check.


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## GX-Trailer (May 31, 2015)

Hi QUADRARIA10, 
Yesterday, armed with knowledge from 2 helpful YouTubes on how to remove the X-Trail glovebox and a couple of panels beyond, plus a set of different screwdrivers, I set about the task of investigating the cabin filter. Unfortunately, I found the screws were so tight that I couldn't budge them at all. Wanting to avoid risk of damaging the screwheads, I had to apply some WD40 and allow time for penetration. I'll have another go soon. Meanwhile I've verified that you are absolutely right about the external air inlets, i.e. that they are already small enough to prevent big vegetal material from entering. Perhaps it was an insect or a piece of filter that hit the fan. I won't rest till I know.
My next investigation will be to check that the 4WD Auto and Lock are working, as I've had a situation that has left me in doubt. 
Cheers, 
BRIAN


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

That is odd that you are finding them so hard to remove. There are 6 screws if memory serves, but you need a proper sized torx (6 point star) screwdriver bit. Turn right to tighten and left to loosen. Then just the two tabs in the glove box to pull out.
You will see the door for your filter. There is a clip and then you push sideways and out if I remember. Anyway its pretty straight forward. Done it lots of times to change the filter. 
If they have never been removed, just make sure you are lined up properly and applying pressure, and they will break loose. By the way PB blaster works better than wd40 for freeing rusted nuts and bolts. However these shouldn't be bad as they are in the cabin after all.
Not so sure how easy it will be to get your hand in there. Hopefully you have access to some child labour lol. Good luck.


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## otomodo (May 23, 2008)

Você precisa do torx t20 para tirar os parafusos.


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## HOT-SX (Aug 19, 2014)

I've found acorns in the fan of a 1 year old Sentra I bought new and just recently cleaned a rat's nest out of an 85 200SX I bought with 78,000 miles on the clock. It was more of a low rumbling noise when the fan was run on any speed other than low caused by the fan being off balance. Point is, things can get into the fans. I generally pull them and check for debris, if it just sounds rough after you've verified it is clear then it's probably time to replace it.


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## GX-Trailer (May 31, 2015)

Hi QUADRARIA10,

Yes, 6 size 20 torx (6-pointed star) screws to remove the glovebox (t30 model). After a squirt of WD 40 and putting the torx bit in a portable electric screwdriver, they came loose without a fight. Previously, in poor lighting conditions, I had mistaken these screws for philips (cross-head). Was torx invented just to make life more difficult! Also, after realising this mistake, I found that the socket part of the handle in my cheap Chinese set of bits turned inside the handle, giving the false impression the screw thread, or that of the hole, had been stripped (Lesson: it's really not worth buying cheap tools). I prised out the 2 glovebox drawer hinge pins. I also removed the latch hoop (2 philips screws), but later found this was unnecessary. There was so little slack on the fine wires to the top of the glovebox casing that there was a real risk of damaging them with the weight of this unit dangling on them. There was also a small flimsy lower panel to remove by unclipping it at 3 points.

Well, after removing the filter access panel by pulling the tabs on the lower part of each of the 2 clips, I found that there was no filter installed. No wonder some foreign body had got into the blower and caused that "cardboard-on-bike-spokes" noise. Now, as the external air inlet holes are only about 0.5 x 0.5 cm, I'm not sure a filter is really necessary. Even a new one must greatly reduce the air flow. My previous car, a Corolla Fielder 2005, was designed without such a filter.

Many thanks again for all your kind help, including the tips about "child labour" and PB Blaster for loosening rusty "threadware". 

Cheers, BRIAN


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## GX-Trailer (May 31, 2015)

Hi OTOMODO, Thanks for informing which torx size I needed. Cheers, BRIAN


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## GX-Trailer (May 31, 2015)

Hi HOT-SX, 
Acorns ! Rat nest ! If the Sentra external air inlet holes are as small as those on my X-Trail, i.e. 0.5 x 0.5 cm, I really can't see how such large objects could possibly enter the blower system. Perhaps the respective fauna brought the stuff in from underneath the vehicle via the drain outlet. 
Cheers, BRIAN


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Poor lighting in the footwell-- eh eh wait until you actually try getting that whole blower unit out of your dash. A good light source is very useful!


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## GX-Trailer (May 31, 2015)

Now I'm looking into buying a washable cabin air filter. May even make one myself. More than caring for my lungs, I'm concerned about keeping the AC cooling unit spotlessly clean. While at a dealership on a recall to change a passenger side airbag gas component, I enquired about this filter. Price: US$ 185 (equivalent) !!! According to the spare parts attendant, as soon as a model stops being manufactured, the part prices rocket. 

Speaking of difficulty getting the blower out, how about this NIGHTMARE. Note how dirty the filter is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inOqo8PqHB4


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Hi GX
There is a similar video of a dismantle of the X trail dash to remove the evaporator. Between changing the stereo, wiring rear view camera and fixing my blower motor, I have already experienced removing much of the dash, and it is surprisingly straight forward.
What is this bs about an air filter becoming outrageously expensive. Its the same one used in Altimas and a few other models. Fram makes them as well. Best deal and quality for them I have found is from Prime Choice of all places
MERCURY TRACER 1992 - Cabin Air Filter Replacements for Sale in Canada at Discount Prices | PC5530

For what its worth they do not include the X trail in the list of vehicles this fits, but it does, and does so perfectly. Even has the foam strips on the side.
Same part for Altimas 2002-06, Maximas 04-08, Muranos 03-07, Sentras 00-06, Some Mitsubshi models like the Outlander, and a few Infinitis as well.

I have never heard of a washable cabin filter but for less than $20 I replace mine once a year in the spring. If you want it cleaner still you could always remove it and give it a quick shake and vacuum and then reuse it.

Oh and by the way the T30 X trail was being manufactured and sold in different countries as the X Trail Classic, as recently as 2014 and may still be in production.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

I have no idea why the link says mercury tracer 1992, but the it does work and brings you to Altima cabin air filter.


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## GX-Trailer (May 31, 2015)

Hi QUA, It's so difficult out on this southern hemisphere limb to find stuff. So, informing me which other vehicles use this filter is truly invaluable help and very much appreciated. I've spent hours on end already. I almost clicked to buy from the shop you mentioned, but decided to check if the same make could be found here, and, of course, there wasn't, but a broader search led me to the following find. Like you, I would beat/shake/vacuum rather than replace the filter all the time, my principle being that a partly blocked filter filters even better than a new one. You just need to whip it out regularly. I don't care that this one has activated carbon, but why not if it's SO CHEAP. I'm just waiting to check what the dimensions are, as I'm always a little suspicious when they are not quoted in the ad. Anyway, see what you think of this apparent bargain: 






As regards a washable filter, see the make K&N. The trouble is it's more expensive, the pores are obviously bigger (my prime concern is clogging of the evaporator), and you are recommended to regularly clean and oil it with their 2 expensive products, which probably hurt the ozone layer and ground water etc. Another criticism is that this oil could affect a sensor in the intake system and lead to a dreaded engine light coming on.

As I was almost resigned to selling my beloved Xy, it was very comforting to hear from you it was produced for so long outside Brazil.


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## GX-Trailer (May 31, 2015)

K&N WASHABLE filter

I see that, besides washable air filters, they make a washable stainless steel oil filter.

K&N Customer Service & Tech Support
[email protected]
K&N Performance Air Filters, Air Intakes & Oil Filters
Phone: (800) 858-3333

K&N AIR FLOW TEST (pore size)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3bsgZxnR_U

CRITICISM (busy guy) - wash and oiling time + expense
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7a-xlA7jBI


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## GX-Trailer (May 31, 2015)

Hi QUADRARIA10,

Sorry. Me again ! Could you please give me the exact dimensions of the cabin filter you bought. Here I see that the filter for the Outlander is 1 mm smaller in both length and width. I wonder if this is because it doesn't have the foam on the walls. I hope to put this quest to rest very soon. Thanks again for all your help. Cheers, BRIAN


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Glad to help Brian. 1mm will not make any difference, and its not the end of the world if it doesn't have the foam attachment on the sides. I have used them in the past that don't. The ones I linked to do, and are a good price in my market.
The K&N Filters are for your engine air filter, not your cabin filter. I do not think they make cabin filters. I have researched them and decided against using one myself because of oil fouling risk to the air intake and specifically affecting the MAF. Benefit is minor. Cost is over four times that of a regular air filter, and cleaning them is both an art and a pain. For the same money you could buy new spark plugs, and I am sure they would improve performance as much if not more than a new K&N air filter. Seems quite a few guys on the Australian X trail forum got them and liked them, but there isn't much info on the long term effects. Probably not a problem as I have never seen much in terms of complaints as a result.
Re the HQRP filters never heard of them but price is right. I see the FRAM one comes with the foam. The correct number for it is CF10140.

By the way in your future quests you might find a feature on the rock auto website catalogue very helpful. On many of the parts you can click on the part number and it will show you the different models it also fits. It doesn't cover everything but it can be useful in guiding you to find something locally.


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## GX-Trailer (May 31, 2015)

Hi QUA, In vain, I tried to order via both E-Bay and Amazon, but neither ship to Brazil. So annoying, especially after laboriously filling in the online forms. I'll now try the store you mentioned, but I fear they will probably have the same discriminatory treatment. Also, here, when you ask stores to give the dimensions of a filter that may fit, they tend to dodge the question. See what I'm up against? 

Btw, this post from the Ausi Forum allowed me to visualise what the filter rests on, whereas the workshop manual has it "levitating" above the blower with a huge 
gap all round: Australian X-Trail Forum

As my Xy has been filterless for an unkown time, I'm thinking of using the domestic vacuum cleaner in reverse through one of the AC outlets, with the others closed and the filter chamber door panel off. Hope I won't choke to death in a cloud of stuff dislodged from the evaporator. I really wouldn't like to "excavate" this unit !

Many thanks again for all your help. Cheers, BRIAN


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## GX-Trailer (May 31, 2015)

The URL in the last message got chopped:

Australian X-Trail Forum

Unfortunately, it would be a fortune to buy from the store you recommended. They charge so much for even the cheapest shipping mode, tax etc etc that it'd end up like the absurd price at the Rio dealership. I'm resigned to buying locally.


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## GX-Trailer (May 31, 2015)

Chopped again, so sending with spaces 

http : // www . australianxtrail . com . au / Microfilter . htm

www.australianxtrail.com.au/Microfilter.htm


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Wow Brian you are right. Shipping to Brasil is outrageous from North America and I have no clue why. So there is nothing to do but for you to order from China!
Replacement White 999M1 VP051 Cabin Air Filter For Infiniti Nissan Mitsubishi OE 2002 2008-in Air Filters & Systems from Automobiles & Motorcycles on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group

Current price $5.96 (US) with free shipping by China Air Mail to Brazil.

or if you feel crafty, there is thread on the Aussie forum for how to make your own out of a furnace filter. Dimensions are approx 215 mm x 200mm x26 mm thick 

Here is bit better quality (I think) 
Brand New Hypoallergenic Cabin Air Filter for Infiniti Nissan Mitsubishi-in Air Filters & Systems from Automobiles & Motorcycles on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group 

or charcoal activated one
Car Carbon Cabin Air Filter For Old Paladin Teana G35 FX35 FX 45 Altima OEM:27277 4M400 Retail/Wholesale Free Shipping-in Air Filters from Automobiles & Motorcycles on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group

They will take a month or two to get to you, but if you plan ahead, and order 2 at a time you never need to go without a cabin filter again.


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## GX-Trailer (May 31, 2015)

Hi QUA (OK to abbreviate?), 
HALLELUJAH ! Thanks to you, I've just ordered a filter for the Outlander model you mentioned (just a fraction smaller in length and width: 200 x 214 x 30, but side/end strips should fill any gaps) from a local firm, down south, and even added a spare DAYCO Poly V without any postage increase. I'm accumulating the spares that I think are most often needed, e.g. a radiator top hose. I've had a veritable windfall on tyres - a sales manageress at Michelin was ordered to take off her 5 same size, almost new (still spiky) Bridgestones - got the 5 for the price of +/- 1.5. Now she's wearing a dress..... LOL !!!

Unlike "Damnazon" and "F-Bay", the Ali ***** outfits are perfectly happy to ship anything to Brazil, even a whole pulp mill or blast furnace, if you want.! And their prices are unbeatable. The only problem in this case is that it might take as long as 3 months, 2 months of which it'd be stuck in a centralised postal import customs unit in Curitiba, down south. And, sometimes, the ads are not clear re. specifications, partly a language problem, and you may need to buy in bulk.

As a DIY guy, I'm looking forward to seeing that Ausi improvised filter. 

Also dying to see what I can blow out of my evaporator. I remember that once I went hard into a steep-sided speed bump (called a spring-breaker here !!!) and an extremely fine, almost smoke-like, stream of white dust came out of the AC outlets - really thought there was a fire for a few tense moments. I don't think it was coke !!! More like talc. 

Once again, I can't thank you enough, and I hope to be able to help you out too.
Cheers,
BRIAN


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Glad to help and that you found one at a reasonable price there. Its simply folded paper after all. Prob with the Aussie improvised or it may have been a fellow Canadian, is that they would cut up a filtrete furnace filter that itself costs $20, and having tried it originally the air flow is not quite as good. But then Nissan was charging 60 for them here back in 2005-6. 

Re Alie shipping your are right lol. The seat covers I ordered got turned back somehow and returned to sender. Now I have to wait another month or two...
Cheers
Q


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## GX-Trailer (May 31, 2015)

Fellow Xyers,

Having found that my t30 GX had no A/C filter installed, I am wondering if it's possible to backblow the system via one of the A/C outlets on the dashboard in an attempt to dislodge any dust or debris that may be clogging the evaporator (which, of course, you cannot even see unless you laboriously dismantle the dashboard). I'm thinking of leaving the A/C filter door off and closing all but one A/C outlet, into which I'd apply my domestic vacuum cleaner in reverse to blast air into the duct. My big doubt is that I see from the workshop manual the system has various doors, which are probably all closed when the system is off, making the exercise pointless. Anyone know if I'm right about this? I'd be most grateful for any advice on this backblowing cleaning plan. I've already had some kind of foreign body partly, and, fortunately, only temporarily, jam the blower blades making that characteristic "cardboard-on-bike-spokes" noise. No doubt this body was shredded and, along with other stuff, has reached the evaporator.

B.t.w., it has been difficult to find this filter in Brazil, but thanks to member, Quadraria10's very kind, patient help, I now know that those for some other cars, like the Sentra till 2006 and the Mitsubishi Outlander till 2013, fit quite snugly. I've ordered 2 different makes to see which is the "snugliest".


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

You might be surprised how easy it is to dismantle your dash. I think the blower doors would be in the position they were when the car was turned off. If you are on recirculate it should stay there, and give you a closed system. There are foam like products you can buy and spray into your air ducts, but I have never used or researched them. Seen them on the shelf of Canadian Tire though.


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## GX-Trailer (May 31, 2015)

Hi QUADRARIA10,

Thanks a lot. I'll try blasting air with the last control setting on Recirculate, as you suggest. Here's hoping loads of dust from the evaporator will redden sunsets around the globe for years to come.

Cheers,
BRIAN


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## Jay DXB (Jun 22, 2021)

Calculus said:


> I am experiencing the same noise. There is some discussion of this in these forums. It has to do with the blower. The labour is the expensive part. Haven't decided to it yet.
> 
> Calculus


Hi, I am an X Trail owner myself and live in Dubai. It is possible to find most parts of most cars, all original here at bargain prices due to a thriving parts market selling salvaged parts from totalled vehicles imported from all over. However most of the cars I see here are fairly new models.

Do contact me if you need assistance.


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