Aircond Blower Motor Seized — LG Unit Making Loud Noise in Bandar Utama Condo

The Customer's Situation

Encik Rizal and his wife Puan Aida lived in a 3-bedroom condo in Bandar Utama. Their kids' room had an LG 1.0HP wall-mounted aircond that was about 6 years old. Over the past two weeks, it had started making an increasingly loud grinding noise — like metal scraping on metal.

At first, it was just a soft squeak that came and went. But it progressively got worse until the noise was loud enough to wake their 4-year-old daughter at night. By the time they called us, the noise was constant and the airflow had noticeably weakened.

Our Diagnosis

Technician Syafiq opened the indoor unit and immediately identified the issue. The blower motor bearings had seized. The motor was still technically spinning, but the bearings were so worn that the shaft was wobbling, causing the fan blades to scrape against the housing — that was the grinding noise.

The motor was hot to the touch, indicating it had been straining against the seized bearings for some time. The windings were still intact (no burning smell), which was good news — if Encik Rizal had waited another week or two, the motor would have burned out completely.

As explained in our guide on blower motor problems, seized bearings are a common failure mode, especially in units that go long periods between servicing.

The Repair

Syafiq had a compatible motor in his van — we carry common motor sizes for popular brands. He removed the old motor, transferred the blower fan to the new motor shaft, and reinstalled everything within about 90 minutes.

While the unit was opened, Syafiq also cleaned the evaporator coil and blower fan. The dust buildup was significant — 8 months without servicing in a kids' room (where dust from bedding, toys, and general activity is higher) had taken its toll. This dust had likely contributed to the bearing failure by increasing the resistance on the fan.

Results

• Noise: Completely eliminated — unit now runs whisper-quiet
• Airflow: Restored to full capacity — room cools to 24°C within 10 minutes
• Air outlet temperature: 12°C — healthy for a 1.0HP unit

Cost Breakdown

• Replacement blower motor: RM280
• Labour (removal, installation, testing): RM140
• Evaporator coil cleaning (bonus — while unit was open): Included
• Total: RM420

Customer Feedback

"The noise was so bad my daughter couldn't sleep. Syafiq came the same day we called, fixed it in under 2 hours, and even cleaned the coils for free since he had the unit open. Now it's completely silent. We also signed up for quarterly maintenance so this doesn't happen again."

A seized blower motor often leads to secondary problems like frozen evaporator coils, since no warm air passes over the coil to prevent ice formation. This is why early detection matters.

— Encik Rizal & Puan Aida, Bandar Utama