Defender Heating and Fan switches

Now that i have bought my Defender a 90 model 300TDI 1996 only 73K miles albiet mostly used by a farmer.

Having driven the 260 miles from Bolton to Kent without so much as managing to budge the heating fan switch, i need to get this repaired or replaced ASAP, my question is will it simply be the switches? It feels like they have rusted or seized up somehow or will it be a case of everything out and have a look. Is it common for these switches to fail?

Also my window wipers although working (LOL) appear to have two speed settings slow and slightly faster no intermitent? Again would this be the switch?

I am by no means a mechanic, but would like to fiddle a little bit if can and get these things which by and large are the only faults sorted.

Any advice greatly apprecaited.

im pretty sure none of them have intermittend wipe...

in terms of the switches, its a couple of screw to take the binnacle off, and then you can see them. If it is the fan switch that is stuck, its probably the cable that runs from the dash to the heater box which opens the 'air or no air' flap which is siezed, as the actual fan switch is right at the bottom of the stroke.

Many thanks i will have a look when i get home tonight.

The little detents on the heater levers go rusty and you wont shift the lever without bending it. Take them apart, clean and grease and drop a few drops of oil down the cables. Mine was the same when I got it and been OK ever since. Only took about 30 minutes to do.

As boydy and shifty say however another one, if you physically cannot move the switch then the cable is can cause this issue or the linkage although I doubt it.

Go to the heater you will see a cable that goes down the side of the heater, this one controls the air flap, it isn't actually needed, it just means you cannot switch the air flow off entirely, I never do though, often just turn the motor off and leave the lever in the middle position. Undo the little clip and disconnect the cable, watch for the little clamp that holds the wire, without the wire though it, it is possible on some versions that it can fall off, likewise the cable retaining clasp. With the cable now out see if you can free it up and get the switch to work, hold it up and work some penetrating oil or WD40 or something down it. If not you could disconnect the cable inside and just use the electrical control, the flap will by default lie in the open position. Even as a temp fix.

Now you should have fan motor control and at least be able to get some heat in.

Down on the stalk should be intermittent wipers, then off, then slow then fast.

Could be the switch or the relay. I would take the cowl off the steering column and look at the pin that is activated when the stalk is down, is it making a good electrical connection, it is possible for the little contacts to come into contact but not pass any power. Giving them a little clean up can sort them out.

Many thanks for all the advice much needed and apprecaited.

"im pretty sure none of them have intermittend wipe..."

Apart from the ones fitted with it in the factory (can't remember if it was 200's or 300's that had it as standard) and earlier ones converted (like mine) with the later stalk & delay relay.

My 200tdi is supposed to have intermittent but it stopped working.

Litch said:

"im pretty sure none of them have intermittend wipe..."

Apart from the ones fitted with it in the factory (can't remember if it was 200's or 300's that had it as standard) and earlier ones converted (like mine) with the later stalk & delay relay.

Click to expand...

oOo how easy is that to do? Id quite like intermittent on mine, i wasnt aware it was an option til the TD5s +!

id quite like intermittent too! i just have to keep pushing it down all the time now.

boydy1989 said:

oOo how easy is that to do? Id quite like intermittent on mine, i wasnt aware it was an option til the TD5s +!

Click to expand...

Land Rover Owner • View topic - Fully Adjustable Intermittent Wipers!

boydy1989 said:

oOo how easy is that to do? Id quite like intermittent on mine, i wasnt aware it was an option til the TD5s +!

Click to expand...

Up until a couple of months ago it was just a case of fitting the later switch, relay & harness but the harness is now discontinued and no-one has any old stock on the shelf so you have to make it up yourself. That said, as long as you can read a wiring diagram and make up your own harness it really is just a case of removing the old and fitting the new.

Mseries3 said:

Land Rover Owner • View topic - Fully Adjustable Intermittent Wipers!

Click to expand...

That requires having intermittent wipers at all...

If ye ain't already looked, this is what ye'll probably see when ye take the heater switch side off..



and the other side...



If ye're not getting intermittent wipers, try checkin' the switch at yer motor (bottom leftish in this photie where the wires connect))...



Also as said above about oiling cables etc

Oh Aye.. got intermittent on mine (200tdi)

My '94 300tdi has intermittent wipers fitted

Buster, extremely useful photos as ever, my switch has seized so Ill be getting on with that soon

boydy1989 said:

oOo how easy is that to do? Id quite like intermittent on mine, i wasnt aware it was an option til the TD5s +!

Click to expand...

I have it on my 1990.