Has anyone replaced the radiator fan assembly on their E9x M3 with something other than the OEM part (17112283621)? The price, at over $1100 is pretty ridiculous but I am not finding much in the way of alternatives.
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06-12-2026LAST POST
Following. On the same boat right now.
Getbmwparts has it for $951 though.
Getbmwparts has it for $951 though.
GiorgioE82 wroteFYI, I found that partsgeek has a UAC part for $306 and ordered it, hopefully it's actually good quality. Will let you knowFollowing. On the same boat right now.
Getbmwparts has it for $951 though.
For a component as critical as the radiator fan, and for how long it lasts, I'd just go original BMW. Mine is still original 13 yrs and 155k kms old.
Redd wroteMine just tore off a piece of the outer ring at just shy of 70k miles. Damn brittle BMW plastics.For a component as critical as the radiator fan, and for how long it lasts, I'd just go original BMW. Mine is still original 13 yrs and 155k kms old.
evermore wroteSo did you get it?FYI, I found that partsgeek has a UAC part for $306 and ordered it, hopefully it's actually good quality. Will let you know
ok this was an odyssey.
The UAC part from partsgeek did not fit the M3 at all (best I can figure it is meant for a Z4).
With the OEM part out of stock everywhere, the potential workaround was follows:
1. buy the fan shroud (ecs has them)
2. buy a fan assembly for a 535i GT (though I think any fan for a N55 would do the trick
3. use the undamaged connector/electronics from my broken fan, attach it to the new fan motor from the 535i GT fan, then install all that with the correct fan shroud
This may still work but I unfortunately did not get the exact right 535i fan assembly (it was NOT OEM but by TYC) so mating the motor to the existing electronics/connector was not an option.
By luck, the right OEM fan assembly for the M3 (17112283621) had come back in stock at tcp euro for $1006.99 so I jumped on it immediately. TCP Euro offered 1 day delivery for $35 and the part did arrive the next day and I finally have a working car again.
The UAC part from partsgeek did not fit the M3 at all (best I can figure it is meant for a Z4).
With the OEM part out of stock everywhere, the potential workaround was follows:
1. buy the fan shroud (ecs has them)
2. buy a fan assembly for a 535i GT (though I think any fan for a N55 would do the trick
3. use the undamaged connector/electronics from my broken fan, attach it to the new fan motor from the 535i GT fan, then install all that with the correct fan shroud
This may still work but I unfortunately did not get the exact right 535i fan assembly (it was NOT OEM but by TYC) so mating the motor to the existing electronics/connector was not an option.
By luck, the right OEM fan assembly for the M3 (17112283621) had come back in stock at tcp euro for $1006.99 so I jumped on it immediately. TCP Euro offered 1 day delivery for $35 and the part did arrive the next day and I finally have a working car again.
Looks like ebay has an option available now, it correctly lists it as 850w instead of previously, the others were listing the N5x 600w fan incorrectly.
https://ebay.us/shuFcI
Looking at the pictures, although upside down, it looks like the plug is on the correct side, as all non-m fans have the plug on the driver side. So I think this one has a chance of fitting if the pictures are correct.
For $135 might be worth the risk if someone wants to try.
Here is the ebay picture rotated to better tell.
You can tell the UAC part that RockAuto has listed as fitting the M3 is the wrong part because the connector is on the driver side like all non-m, and it's also listed as 600w
https://ebay.us/shuFcI
Looking at the pictures, although upside down, it looks like the plug is on the correct side, as all non-m fans have the plug on the driver side. So I think this one has a chance of fitting if the pictures are correct.
For $135 might be worth the risk if someone wants to try.
Here is the ebay picture rotated to better tell.
You can tell the UAC part that RockAuto has listed as fitting the M3 is the wrong part because the connector is on the driver side like all non-m, and it's also listed as 600w
