Faulty VEM = Fixed! ... and air-con works now too!

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Ben Harris
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Faulty VEM = Fixed! ... and air-con works now too!

Post by Ben Harris » Sat Mar 27, 2004 7:41 pm

After discovering the other day that my fan was only working heater intermittantly I remembered reading something about it in the FAQ. I've now done exactly what it says in the FAQ, and indeed did have a bad solder joint in exactly the same place as the example (that's my VEM below - not the one from the FAQ!):

Image

As well as re-soldering it, I also took the opportunity to replace the blown bulbs, and fit a new knob on the front - for the sake of 85p, it's something that I'd recomend everyone does - it makes the car look so much tidier inside!

Anyway.... the even better news - My air conditioning now works (It hadn't worked since I bought the car)! I'd assumed that it probably needed re-gassing, because pressing the air-con button didn't do anything at all before. Now, I hear a relay click, the idle changes note slightly and cold air comes out! I'm not sure if it's a result of fixing the bad solder joint or if was simply fixed by removing and replacing the connectors on the back of the VEM, but it now works, so I'm happy!

Ben.
Last edited by Ben Harris on Sun Mar 28, 2004 12:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1998-2003 ... 1981 Austin Mini City
2003-2005 ... 1989 Volvo 480 ES (B18E)
2004-2006 ... 1994 Volvo 480 ES (B20F)
2006-2008 ... 1995 Mitsuibshi FTO GPX
2008-2008 ... 1994 Volvo 480 Turbo Auto (with RichMod)
2009-Onwards ... 1991 MK1 Eunos Roadster
2013-Onwards ... 1997 Subaru Impreza Turbo 2000 (Wagon)

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coyote1980
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Post by coyote1980 » Sun Mar 28, 2004 9:37 am

Congratulations!!

Nice to hear it when the FAQ articles prove themselves valuable :D

And with the temperatures slowly rising you will enjoy your airco this summer ;)
Daniël Wilten
Volvo 480 Turbo Collection 1995 Dark Green Metallic
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martinholmesuk
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Post by martinholmesuk » Sun Mar 28, 2004 9:54 am

Nice fix! Well done :hopping:
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aidanmorris
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Re: Faulty VEM = Fixed! ... and air-con works now too!

Post by aidanmorris » Sat Sep 08, 2012 3:28 pm

I came across this thread whilst searching what to do with a fault blower fan/VEM and having followed the FAQ instructions and soldered the problem contact - once again exactly the same one shown in the FAQ photo - I've now got a fully operational blower fan and am feeling quite chuffed with myself!

So a big thank-you to those behind then FAQ's and to anyone contemplating this same repair but unsure whether too venture forth I'd say go for it! I'm no mechanic/auto-electrician, far far from it, and it's over 25 years since I last wielded a soldering iron so if I can do it I reckon anyone can. Total cost of repair was £5.99 which was for a soldering iron from Maplin.

One slight word of caution would be that whilst the soldering repair is very straightforward getting the VEM out of the car was really quite tricky. The instructions suggest that once you've got the dashboard cover off (pretty easy) that the VEM will just unscrew and lift out but I found you had to wrestle it round the brackets that hold it in place and getting the heater control flap cable off was a quite a task. Re-fitting was a similar challenge. Not sure if this is just my car - a 1995 Celebration which had some pop rivets on the brackets in places where had they been screws would have made life a lot easier - or if I was missing something obvious.

If anyone knows an easier way to do this then please do let me know and maybe get it added to the FAQ. I'd like to go back and replace the bulbs (annoyingly I couldnt get any of these anywhere today) but the removal/refit would put me off.

Best regards

Aidan Morris

P.S. On the subject of aircon, mine blows cold OK but if anyone knows what would be the cause of the visible water vapour coming through the vents - only occasionally and both when aircon on and off - then I'd be interesting to hear.
1967 Land Rover Series IIA SWB
1995 Volvo 480 Celebration (sold)
2003 Condor Squadra and 2008 Condor Italia (2 wheels, no engines!)

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dragon
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Re: Faulty VEM = Fixed! ... and air-con works now too!

Post by dragon » Sun Sep 09, 2012 9:43 am

With regard to the water vapour, this is one of 2 things, one is easy to fix, and one is a pain in the arse!!!

The easy fix - on my first celebration, I had water in the footwell, and it turned out that the aircon drain hole was blocked with algae. You get to it through the bonnet, and it's a hole in the bulkhead, near the middle of the engine bay (I can't remember exactly where, or which side of the engine to reach through), but it's a hole with a rubber insert in it (to protect the metal of the bulkhead) - get a long thin pointy thing (I used McDonalds straw when I did it, but anything like that), and poke it in the hole, If it was blocked, you will soon be greeted with a stream of cold, hopefully clear water, indicating you've cleared the blockage. You will proably find that once you dry any moisture in the cabin, your car will stop doing the vapour thing.

If however you poke the hole, and you meet no resistance and get no water coming out of it, then it's very likely your heater matrix (which is a small radiator acting as a heat exchanger) is likely to have sprung a leak. Check under the carpets for wet, especially if it smells like coolant in the vapour. problem is the heater matrix in the 480 is not in a nice place and usually entails removing all of the dashboard to get to.

If you don't think it's the matrix (i.e. you're not losing coolant and it doesn't small like coolant), then you may just have a leak into the car from the windscreen, doors etc. But I think it's going to be the matrix or a blocked aircon drain.
Cheers! [img]http://www.dragons.org.uk/images/guin.gif[/img]

Gaz Wilson


1997 V70R AWD in Saffron, RICA 580, hot hot HOT!
1995 480 Turbo, Flame Red Metallic/Jacquard-Leather
1993 480 turbo, Vase Green Metallic/Jacquard-Leather
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Re: Faulty VEM = Fixed! ... and air-con works now too!

Post by aidanmorris » Tue Sep 11, 2012 8:31 pm

Thanks Gaz

I've almost certainly got a leak in the heater matrix as I've got wet carpets in both footwells and the liquid smells of coolant.

Glasgow Jim has sorted me out with a replacement heater matrix but I could really do with some advice on fitting it. Do you have any photos? Do I have to remove the whole of the dash? Sounds like a nightmare of a job.

Given that this sounds like quite a common problem does anyone else have any tips they can share on replacing these?

Also, should I be cautious about breathing in the vapour - is it likely to be harmful?

Aidan
1967 Land Rover Series IIA SWB
1995 Volvo 480 Celebration (sold)
2003 Condor Squadra and 2008 Condor Italia (2 wheels, no engines!)

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dragon
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Re: Faulty VEM = Fixed! ... and air-con works now too!

Post by dragon » Tue Sep 11, 2012 8:54 pm

Not got any pics I'm afraid, as I had my Volvo man at the garage replcae mine years ago, but he did moan about it :)

I'm sure someone here will provide pics.

As for breathing the vapours, probably not as harmful as you might think. (drinking it is VERY dangerous though). Have a look here:

http://www.justanswer.com/medical/6el23 ... veral.html
Cheers! [img]http://www.dragons.org.uk/images/guin.gif[/img]

Gaz Wilson


1997 V70R AWD in Saffron, RICA 580, hot hot HOT!
1995 480 Turbo, Flame Red Metallic/Jacquard-Leather
1993 480 turbo, Vase Green Metallic/Jacquard-Leather
1995 Range Rover 4.6 HSE V8 - Full leather and more!
http://volvo480.northernscum.org.uk <--- Full spec!

Got horses? - [url=http://www.horse-teeth.co.uk][img]http://www.northernscum.org.uk/avatars/ggedt_anim.gif[/img][/url]

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Re: Faulty VEM = Fixed! ... and air-con works now too!

Post by balto8 » Mon Sep 29, 2014 8:11 pm

Hi.

I just bought my first 480 turbo (1991) and I'm having similar trouble to what you tell in the post.

Mine does this:at first nothing works but AC max. When I've done about 15 kms everything works fine. :shock:

Have checked all fuses and relays, have replaced the VEM and the scrappy one I found seems worse than the first one. Right now we're in the cleaning pins and soldering the base phase. I'll tell you the outcome.

Where do you guys get a new knob for the temperature slider? Seen one in skandix at 13 euros each, where do you find those at 99c? Are there new VEMs for sale anywhere? What about lightbulbs? :angry:

An answer to any question will be much appreciated.

Thanks
1991 480 Black Turbo
2012 Seat Exeo ST
2013 VW Polo TSI DSG

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glasgowjim
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Re: Faulty VEM = Fixed! ... and air-con works now too!

Post by glasgowjim » Mon Sep 29, 2014 9:53 pm

Price of the sliders was reviewed by volvo earlier this year and went up from 84p each to approx £8 .
PS check the dates of the previous posters :lol:

Vems new try dealer but be prepared for a hefty price tag that is if its still available. Put ad in forum and check ebay.


lightbulbs can be bought from any motor factors for not much money :D

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Ben Harris
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Re: Faulty VEM = Fixed! ... and air-con works now too!

Post by Ben Harris » Fri Oct 03, 2014 2:42 pm

Just thought I'd do one of my random 480 forum checks, despite not having owned a 480 for about 6 years now and was very surprised to find one of my original posts at the top of the General section!

Does the 480 have a 'resistor-pack' somewhere in the dashboard airflow? If so, I've had cars (non-480's) in the past where the fan will only work on max speed (no resistors required) when the resistor pack fails. It sounds possible that if the 480 does have one, you've got a dodgy solder joint on it somewhere and once it warms up it starts working.

UPDATE - yes, looks like it does, as shown in this post: http://www.volvo-480-europe.org/forum/v ... =8&t=33601

I'd suggest checking that out next, if the soldering doesn't work.
1998-2003 ... 1981 Austin Mini City
2003-2005 ... 1989 Volvo 480 ES (B18E)
2004-2006 ... 1994 Volvo 480 ES (B20F)
2006-2008 ... 1995 Mitsuibshi FTO GPX
2008-2008 ... 1994 Volvo 480 Turbo Auto (with RichMod)
2009-Onwards ... 1991 MK1 Eunos Roadster
2013-Onwards ... 1997 Subaru Impreza Turbo 2000 (Wagon)

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