2012 E350 motor blower removal

[barreti]

Hello all.

I have a 2012 E350d convertible.
My blower motor has died so I need to replace it before I freeze to death on the shorter/slower journeys.
I've been following the youtube videos and so far I've got the panel off above the passenger footwell, unplugged the wiring and wedged open the bit of plastic which locks it in position - wedged it with a screwdriver. I can see the arrow telling me which way I now need to turn it but it won't turn more than a couple of mm
I've tried turning and wiggling, turning the wrong way, but I get the feeling there is something stopping it moving more.
Whereas on the videos they just turn the motor and it pops and drops down, mine won't. Is there another lock somewhere?
Or do I just need to apply more brute force?

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

There are a couple of clips you need to undo/slide off to detach the wires, then you just need to pull on a tab and twist it really hard with your hands (clockwise). It will come out, I promise, but wear some gloves as you do it as it might suddenly come free and you'll scrape your knuckles...

A few years ago there weren't any videos showing this, now there are plenty on YouTube, here's just a couple showing the process in detail:

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[DSM10000]

Have you tried pushing upward and turning?

Just an idea as I had to do this on a car some years ago.

 

[barreti]

Thanks for the advice guys, I've got it out.
Nothing as simple as just turning though. The thing that looks like a chute on the side - 1:06 in the video - had a bit of plastic I cant see in any videos and it was fouling the back of the glove box. I cut it off with a hacksaw blade and the motor turned as it should and came out. Maybe a manufacturing fault?
Its a BEHR unit dated 24.05.12 so I guess it went in before the glove box at manufacture so it wasn't noticed.

 

[barreti]

I bench tested it with a very carefully applied 12v and no response at all. Time to buy a new one.