Car issue, BMW E39, no heat from the center and side vents

[RhynoCZ]

Hello, my mate's E39 developed this nuisance last night and I'm not sure where to start.

I get no heat/cold from the center vent and both side vents (all I get there is the ambient outside air), but I do get heated/cooled air from the rest of the vents in the car (legs, windshield...)

1) Could it be electrical? Does the system have its own fuse? I also know there should be two solenoids with valves, but those only distribute the heat to the left or the right hand side of the car.
2) Could it be a mechanical problem and if so, why would I then get no heated/cooled air from the side vents. I do know there is a dial with a cable attached to it, that regulates the temperature of air comming out of the center vent, but that dial does not influce the side vents.
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'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[MCN]

I dont know which year you are bangin' on about.. Mines is a 520 2007 (E60) the center vent is controlled via the iDrive in the middle of the consol.
So it is servo/motor driven flaps controoled by electrickery.

Maybe a 'full bore' OBDII reader can pull the diagnostic off the ecus.

You will need a fancy OBDII reader though. The 5 euro bluetooth jobbies only read very very basic shite.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[RhynoCZ]

It's the 37th week of 1998, pre-facelift. So there's no iDrive.
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'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[janner_10]

Loads of answers on Google. That should be the port of call.
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Yamaha FZS600 (Now gone to heaven) > CBR600F4i (SOLD) > '99 YZF-R1

[RhynoCZ]

Yes, but 99% of the google answers is about the center vent, but that's not my issue. Oh, and I'm still after that 1%, that would actually help me.
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'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[dodsi]

You issue could be 'the hedgehog ' - the final stage resistor.

On a e46 3 series this can be resolved by removing fuse 50 and replacing it after 30 seconds. The fuse is probably different on the 5 series but could be the same thing.

It's a common zim zimmer fault

[RhynoCZ]

Isn't that the fan speed controller?
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'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[dodsi]

Yes it does but you might find it's the reason it's not blowing?

[RhynoCZ]

The blower works, it's the heating/cooling that doesn't.
____________________
'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[MCN]

[uberkron]

I have replaced many heater cores on these cars.
You lose some heating, soon all heating.
Of course check all servo motors.
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i ride a zip 50 2smoke. It overtakes a hundred times a day.

[bugeye_bob]

Google flap alignment, some can be reset by pressing a few buttons.

[RhynoCZ]

Problem solved, apparently stuck valve that's on the end of the cable that goes from the center vent's temperature dial.

Anyway, thank you.
____________________
'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor