Cleaning the hybrid fan motor and filter

[Jayw13702]

I know that I do an excessive amount of mileage. but I have noticed that every 6 months (20K miles) my 300h starts to drop its economy, every time so far it has been the same reason.....the hybrid fan filter is getting blocked.

Ive now become a bit of an expert on doing this now, and Ive no doubt that there are a few DIY mechanics who like to look over their own car. If you are doing your own servicing the please include this in your annual check.

 

Tools:

2 x flat ended screwdrivers

Pliers

10mm socket and ratchet

 

The fan assembly is located on the right hand side rear inner wing, its all accessible via the boot, but you have to remove the inner panel in order to get at the fan and filter.

First remove the false floor, then remove the tool tray below the false floor, there are 6 self expanding clips (3 on each side), in order to remove them prise out the centre with a flat ended screwdriver.

 

lift the tool tray out, this will reveal another 3 of these clips that hold the carpet into the rear of the boot, these need to be removed as well

 

the looking at the right side boot trim there are two load restraints that need to be removed, they are held in place with a 10mm bolt, this is hidden. in order to get at the bolt you need to prise the plastic cover away with a screwdriver

 

Undo the 10 mm bolts and remove the restraints.

Looking at the right hand inner boot panel there are 3 trim clips that hold the panel to the car, they are 'spined' and need to be prised out. you can see the 3 holes in the picture.

 

 

With these out the last piece to be removes is the plastic threshold trim, this has another 3 of the spined clips that are used on the inner trim panel. Once they are removed the panel requires a sharp pull as there are 6 clips attached to the threshold trim that need to be released from the body.

Now you can pull/bend

the inner trim back to reveal the fan assembly and trunking for the air duct

the black trunking that runs from the fan to the hybrid Battery is held in place with 2 self expanding clips, again prise the centre pin out and the pull the clip out in order to remove the trunking.

The motor is held in place with 2x10mm bolts and 1x10mm nut

There is also a multiplug that will need to be disconnected in order to remove the fan assembly from the car.

Once removed you then have access to the trunking that has the filter in it

With the motor out of the way the trunking is held in place by a tag at the bottom of the trunking that locates on a plastic pin, a sharp pull will see it come free. and this is what you may find!!

Full of fluff and crud, with a vacuum cleaner give this a good clean, then clean the motor.

The vanes will be fill of dirt and crud as well, with an airline blow this all out (watch your eyes as there will be a lot of dust)

Cleaned out

Putting it all back together is the reverse this, however when reconnecting the fan motor please make sure the connectors go back together with a solid 'CLICK' if they don't and the pins haven't made good connection you will get a 'check hybrid' error message, once the fan motor and trunking is in place and before I have built up the interior trim I normally turn the ignition on so as to check that everything is in order.

 

Hope that helps

[Farqui]

That's a great write up, well done [emoji106]

How much does your mpg tend to drop?

So if you clean it every 6 months, that seems like quite a lot of dust/etc.

Mine hasn't been cleaned in the 2.5 years I've owned the car, so you may just have inspired me. Especially as I need to get into the back of the boot to double check my suspension tower bolts are still tight.

[Pink]

Thanks Jason, I’m intrigued now and will check mine out when I next get the chance ! 

[Herbie]

Excellent write-up, I may just do one when I clean my RX450h vents.

[Jayw13702]

That's a great write up, well done [emoji106]

How much does your mpg tend to drop?

So if you clean it every 6 months, that seems like quite a lot of dust/etc.

Mine hasn't been cleaned in the 2.5 years I've owned the car, so you may just have inspired me. Especially as I need to get into the back of the boot to double check my suspension tower bolts are still tight.

My mpg dropped by about 10mpg and I noticed that the hybrid Battery was discharging quicker.

I average 40/50,000 miles a year, most of that is town driving as well.

After 2.5 years it might be worth having a look, if nothing else you get peace of mind.


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[darrude]

Mine is going in for a 50,000mile service on Friday, I think when I get it back I will check mine out.  I've been renovating a house so filled the car multiple times with rubble, plaster board etc, plus 2 kids and a dog so can imagine mine is quite bad.  Can't say I've noticed any MPG drop off though.

Thank you very much for taking the time to post so a detailed overview.

 

 

[darrude]

9 hours ago, Herbie said:

Excellent write-up, I may just do one when I clean my RX450h vents.

Please do Herbie, I'm just about to switch the 12v Battery in our RX so I'll do this at the same time, My wife is only getting mid 20's Mpg from her RX!!

[Farqui]

Mine wasn't too bad.

[reeac]

I would expect a cleanable or replaceable filter to be much easier to access than it sounds judging by your description .....more like on a vacuum cleaner.

[Jayw13702]

7 hours ago, Farqui said:

Mine wasn't too bad.

No, that looks pretty clean, but don't forget the gauze filter in the trunking

[Jayw13702]

7 hours ago, reeac said:

I would expect a cleanable or replaceable filter to be much easier to access than it sounds judging by your description .....more like on a vacuum cleaner.

it would have been easier to service if it was an easier accessible item.

With a bit more engineering it would have been possible to build that into the vent panel and make it more removable.

[Farqui]

No, that looks pretty clean, but don't forget the gauze filter in the trunking

Mine doesn't seem to have any gauze, on the parcel shelf it has another foam pad and a gap around.

The only ducting i haven't removed is after the fan to the Battery nd wasn't releasing easily.

[200h]

i also had a go at checking the condition of the filter and couldn't find one.

i removed the fan there wasnt anything on the outlet side and on the inlet side

going to the rear seat vent there is some foam lining the plastic ducting

but nothing i could remove.

[Pink]

I finally had a bit of time to look at this after your great write-up Jason. A nice bit of maintenance and easy to follow. I made sure I got that reassuring click you referenced when reconnecting the motor, and had a quick test drive to check no error messages before putting all the trim back

55k miles on a 64 plate Executive. My fan blades didn’t look too bad but the filter gauze was pretty dusted up. Some before & after pics below. 

 

[Jayw13702]

I finally had a bit of time to look at this after your great write-up Jason. A nice bit of maintenance and easy to follow. I made sure I got that reassuring click you referenced when reconnecting the motor, and had a quick test drive to check no error messages before putting all the trim back
55k miles on a 64 plate Executive. My fan blades didn’t look too bad but the filter gauze was pretty dusted up. Some before & after pics below. 
 

Glad my post was of help [emoji1303]


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[Vagtech]

Same story with the dust-filter from the Netherlands. 👍 Thanks for the advice.

The dealer never look at it, they only take the money for the "maintenance" 😉

 

[200h]

i have just taken my boot apart again and still cannot find any mesh filters like yours

here are some images showing the intake to fan , fan to Battery and an image of the boot

 

[Vagtech]

2 hours ago, 200h said:

i have just taken my boot apart again and still cannot find any mesh filters like yours

here are some images showing the intake to fan , fan to battery and an image of the boot

 

Hi Mark, you was almost there.

Search and you will find it, see pictures with signs i made for you.

Take the pipe out with the yellow sign. On the other end you will find the boot. (Red sign)

If you look good at your first picture you will see the bootfilter (Green sign)

Nice car btw!

 

Cheers, Ivo

[Qasim1214]

Hi guys is anyone know how to delete this massage (Maintenance hybrid battrey cooling part on?

[Hadrian]

Is this something which should be checked at a service (a major service anyway)  ?

[Vagtech]

9 minutes ago, Hadrian said:

Is this something which should be checked at a service (a major service anyway)  ?

Not for the IS300h

[Qasim1214]

It was blocked with dust i clean filter and fan but the message is still there.

[Vagtech]

4 minutes ago, Qasim1214 said:

It was blocked with dust i clean filter and fan but the message is still there.

Fan is working?

[Qasim1214]

Yeah fan working hybrid okay now just need to delete this message 

[Vagtech]

I think can be done only with Techstream