My bmw 318 2001 heater lights are coming on but no air is coming out? is this the resistor?

This is caused by the Blower Motor Resistor Final Stage failing. This should be BMW part # 64116923204. You can pick one up on Ebay for about $50. Most sellers on Ebay have a link to instructions on how to replace. It's very simple 15 minute job. I have seen this issue too many times to count. If you need instruction on how to install the part let me know.

heater resistor's cause battery drains and air con operate incorrectly.

I am pretty sure it is on the passenger side, as that is where the heater/ air conditioning air box is.

You have clean the blower unit , may be its dirty then . and then check the blower resistor unit for malfunction.

It sounds like your cabin air filter has stopped up common problem on these cars. You have to remove the glovebox to get to it. If this filter stops up, your fan will be running on high but hardly anything will come out of the vents.

Hello picotto2006....Your beemer blower motor has a resistor that controls and regulates the voltage and speed. This has been known to to fail due to intensive heat. A lot of beemer owners have replaced the orginal factory resistor with an aftermarket upgrade.
It is a rectangular plastic or fiberboard unit and should be bolted to the base of the heater box. This resistor has most likely failed.
Replacement cost is about 75 dollars for the E46. Attached is a picture of the resistor.
Good luck and i hope this will fixya up and get the beemer heater back in operating condition.

hi, this sounds like this fault would be due to a faulty resistor, quite a common problem on this vehicle. hope this helps, regards mark.

this sounds like the heater resistor is faulty and requires to be replaced

From your discription I feel like it is only the resistor that is at fault.

When you find the fuse if it has blown also check the resistor to control the fan speed. I cant remember if the 1 series has a load resistor multi tap but it may have failed if you use 1 or 2 speed on the fan a lot, max will bypass the load resistor where as 1 will use maximum load and the thermal fuse might have blown. But replace it as caution. In the earlier models it had a block which was nicknamed the hedgehog, a load resistor buried under passenger foot-well up toward the centre, loads of spiky aluminum pegs which cold air blew over to cool it, always packing up in the earlier models £25 from scrap dealer cheap fix compared to the £££££££ BMW dealers rip off. Heater or air con would either not work or blow erratically. Hope this helps