Someone told me that if you remove the center vents x2 (the vents above the radio), then use a "colonosope" (OK, it is the inspection snake that one can buy for $65) to look.

If you look carefully through the colonoscope, you will see where the shaft joins the blower body. This bushing needs just a drop of oil on each side and this should be good for 2 years or so.

This should avoid removal the dash. Very often the squeaky blower motor is from dry bushings. It is not bearing, but bushings.

In the E39, some people remove the Cabin Filter Intake Boot and spray some WD-40 down the blower motor. The cabin will smell for a while but again, this saves time from dash removal.

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1998 E39 528i 5sp MT
2006 E53 X5 3.0 6sp MT