What does a cooling fan switch do?
When the coolant reaches a specified temperature, this switch turns on the vehicle’s coolant fan, which draws air through the radiator to regulate engine temperature.
What controls the electric cooling fan?
The PCM controls fan operation; it uses the signal from the ECT or engine coolant temperature sensor. This sensor senses the temperature of the engine’s coolant and sends a variable voltage signal to the PCM. The PCM operates the fan motor through the engine’s cooling fan relay.
How do I know if my cooling fan switch is bad?
The best way to tell if your cooling switch is faulty is to listen to your engine while you drive. You know how your engine is supposed to sound, and if you notice that you don’t hear the fan as often as you normally do during your afternoon commute, you might have a failing switch.
Where is the cooling fan switch located?
The cooling fan switch should be located near the thermostat housing on the left side of the engine, behind the distributor assembly.
When should the cooling fan come on?
Most fans should come on when the coolant reaches about 200 to 230 degrees. If the fan does not come on, something in the control circuit is defective.
What tells the cooling fan to come on?
The engine temperature should trigger the fan to turn on. It will also turn the fan off once the engine has cooled to under 200 degrees. You may have heard of a part called the radiator fan switch or temperature fan switch. This is linked to a thermostat and works much like your home’s HVAC system.
What causes cooling fans not to come on?
Six things may prevent an electric cooling fan from coming on: Engine thermostat is stuck OPEN (engine never gets hot enough to turn on the fan) Faulty fan relay. A wiring problem (blown fuse, loose or corroded connector, shorts, opens, etc.)
Why is my cooling fan not working?
The most common reasons a radiator fan is not working are luckily due to a blown fuse, bad relay, or a broken wire. It can also be caused by a faulty coolant temp sensor, low coolant level or the fan itself can be damaged.