Device and method for fan-based deicing of air door assemblies

A vehicle component assembly comprising:

• an air door assembly having an air door frame, on which at least one air door is movably arranged for adjusting the area through which air can flow in an air flow opening formed in the air door frame, the air door assembly further including at least one door actuator operable connected to the at least one air door to adjust the at least one air door relative to the air door frame;
• a heat source in the form of a coolant heat exchanger of a coolant circuit for an internal combustion engine;
• a blower which in a rated operating mode generates an operating air flow from the air door assembly toward the associated heat source;
• at least one temperature sensor operable to detect an ambient temperature;
• a drive current sensor operable to detect a drive current of the at least one door actuator;
• and
• wherein the blower is switchable between the rated operating mode and a deicing mode that is different from the rated operating mode wherein in the deicing mode the blower generates a deicing air flow from the heat source toward the air door assembly to deice the air door assembly, wherein the blower switches to the deicing mode when both the drive current exceeds a predetermined current threshold and the ambient temperature drops below a predetermined temperature threshold regardless of the position of the at least one air door.