Volvo XC90 Blower Motor 5th Screw Removal

When replacing the air-conditioning blower motor under the dashboard of a 2005-2014 Volvo XC90, you can follow this suggestion to remove the difficult to access 5th screw that most DIYers just break off.

[@wfoholeshot8614]

It blows me away on how many "hacks" there are online doing this fan replacement the wrong way! Thanks for a GREAT tutorial on a better process for fan replacement...

[@FamilyFunStuff]

Thanks!

[@doug440]

Thanks- I pay it forward when I can. Plus, it’s kind of fun working on the video shots and editing.

[@Semajrethulleveb]

Had to break the impossible screw. After doing that and re-assembling, works like a charm. The impossible screw was in short, impossible. Thanks anyway.

[@FamilyFunStuff]

Thanks for watching.

[@limpet7r63]

This is brilliant thank you. I have to tackle this job at the weekend (I think my resistor has failed, as the motor just stopped working suddenly with no noise or issues beforehand), and was horrified, when I started researching it. Lots of suggestions involving removing seats and carpets, cutting through brackets instead of dealing with the fifth screw, and so on. The Haynes manual is even worse as it tells you that you need to have the air conditioning evacuated, then remove the entire dash! After watching your video, I’m not dreading this quite so much now

[@FamilyFunStuff]

Thanks for sharing this and watching

[@doug440]

Your welcome- just thought I’d repay the community for the many videos I’ve used. I suspect the dealers use a similar process but charge you for the dash removal. It was a little scary to me too, but once I started, I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about. Maybe later model years are a little different. But as an aircraft mechanic I pretty much face horrible tasks all the time 🙂

[@davidcory7850]

Gave me confidence to do the job. A/C is a wonderful thing to have, especially in Texas!

[@FamilyFunStuff]

Glad it worked!🙂

[@dgoldman2846]

very good video. I read it's a 7.1 hr job per Volvo. But I KNEW it would not take that long to replace a damn blower motor! Thanks again!

[@FamilyFunStuff]

thanks for watching!

[@archiegella3979]

super great job! thanks for this great tip! I had to use an air pump wedge on different angles to get me the angle and space that i need to get that screw out. This tutorial is a big help for me trying to put it back together.

[@FamilyFunStuff]

Thanks!

[@CinemotiveShopcraft]

When my fan went out I got huffy about having to break my car just to fix it. Thanks for the tip!

[@FamilyFunStuff]

Thanks!

[@aarongarney2118]

Thanks for taking the time to make this video. I'm about to tackle this job on my girlfriend's 07.

[@FamilyFunStuff]

Glad we could help!

[@doug440]

It was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I just dedicated an entire weekend for it since I had never attempted it before. I suspect the dealer is doing it the same way, but not letting on that they are not really taking your entire dashboard assembly out. But they are glad to charge you for that!

[@aarongarney2118]

@@FamilyFunStuff Just got the motor out, but ended up breaking that fifth screw mounting tab. Trying to figure out how to bench test the motor now. Thanks again. 🙂

[@dmproduction100]

Thank you for taking the time to do a tutorial. Peace.

[@FamilyFunStuff]

Thanks for watching!

[@themaskedman4539]

I dont know how to get the fifth screw???!

[@magnoooz]

Outstanding detail! Thank you!

[@FamilyFunStuff]

Your welcome

[@sailorbob74133]

very nice, thanks

[@FamilyFunStuff]

Most welcome

[@jm-ve8ry]

That was excellent.

[@FamilyFunStuff]

Thanks!

[@limpet7r63]

I have removed the two bolts on the bracket, and gently levered downwards to release the plastic part from the centre hole, but even having done that, my housing is still tight, and certainly doesn’t move aft enough to really help. Did you loosen or remove anything else on the housing to get that amount of movement. At the moment, I don’t even have enough clearance to get a knife all the way in there to cut the insulation back.

[@doug440]

No, I don’t recall loosening anything else. Ours was a 2005 model year- if yours is different it’s possible they added another bracket at some point, but it seems others have had the same success I had. Perhaps the housing and the sticky damping compound are stuck together, and just need a little persuasion. Wish I could offer more help.

[@limpet7r63]

@@doug440 thanks for the reply. Could be it just needs a bit more persuasion :) just wanted to check I hadn’t missed something. Mine’s a 2011 and right hand drive but everything looks identical to yours just on the opposite side of the car :)

[@limpet7r63]

Just by way of update. Sadly, I had to snap the fifth lug. Even with the motor out, and the heater box pulled as far forward as I dared to lever it, the screw head is inaccessible. With the motor in situ, there would be no chance. I suspect it’s due to the different position of the heater versus the bulkhead on a right hand drive vehicle. Plus, maybe model year changes. In all likelihood, it’s probably a combination of both. Just driven the car for an hour, and thankfully they don’t seem to be any ill effects so far from just having four screws holding it in. My issue was the resistor failing rather than the motor.

[@doug440]

@@limpet7r63​​⁠ I bet you’re right- maybe a right-hand drive configuration issue. You’ll probably never have a problem with only 4 screws. I only tackled it because others said it couldn’t be done- I wanted the challenge. It would be ironic if all those others were RH drive also!

[@stacyg838]

I'm having exact same issues in my 2004 left hand drive as our friend with the right hand drive... The assembly won't budge after removing those two screws...

[@4602118]

is the screw more on the side wall near vent tube ? ....or on front firewall

[@doug440]

It’s on the forward outboard area, where the firewall is shaped around the wheel well. The screw is almost directly above the drain tube nipple.

[@rogerbeaird5742]

Nice job rain Man😂😎