Pass side fan stays on after shut down

catera00 · #1 (**permalink**) 08-06-08, 04:47 AM

My car will randomly not start due to a dead battery. The battery is 3 months old. I had the alternator tested at 3 autozones and it comes back fine. I bought a new battery just to be safe and today when I came back from lunch I noticed the fan was still running as I walked away. I have noticed this before and I know it is normal for it to run for a bit after shut down. Plus I'm in Arizona so its 100 plus degrees out. But when I returned to the car 3 hours later the fan was still on. The battery was too low to start the engine. I got a jump and drove home and the fan ran after shutdown again but turned off this time.

Of the 2 fans up front, the one that didnt turn of at work was the passenger side one. It seems like it spins faster than the other one and I think it's the fan that kicks on when the A/C is turned on.

So I'm thinking that for some reason the fan was stuck on and this is why my batteries keep randomly die-ing.

So what needs to be replaced to resolve this? Any ideas
Thanks guys

cateraowner · #2 (**permalink**) 08-06-08, 04:17 PM

check the relays

FAN CONTROL RELAY
K26: LH front of the engine compartment, in the ECM housing, at position 12.

K52: LH front of the engine compartment, in the ECM housing, at position 14.

K67: LH front of the engine compartment, in the ECM housing, at position 20.

K87: LH front of the engine compartment, in the ECM housing, at position 15.

also there are 2 fan switches (temperature related ) primary in the driver side of the radiator (upper) and the secondary switch is on the lower part of the radiator on the same side.

catera00 · #3 (**permalink**) 03-19-09, 12:10 AM

ok, I'm revisiting this issue because its happening again. The fan stays on sometimes after the motor is turned off. Long enough to drain the battery pretty good. So I found the culprit relay in the triangle shaped fuse box under the hood. It was real hot so I pulled it and the fan shut off. I put it back in and the fan turned on again. (The car has been of for about 20 min on a 70 degree day at this time)

I took the relay out and tapped it on the ground a few times and reinstalled it. The fan is off now. So the relay is sticking. Can I pic up a new relay at Autozone or do I need to get one at the dealer? Also, what causes them to stick? Just a relay going bad or could the battery having a low charge be causing it to not release?

I'm trying to determine if the cause of my battery discharge is from my alternator going bad or if the relay is staying on.

Thanks for any help guys.

ZiggyCatera · #4 (**permalink**) 03-19-09, 11:18 PM

stuck relay mayb?

Matera97 · #5 (**permalink**) 03-20-09, 08:53 AM

My 97 was doing the same thing, theres a fuse under your steering wheel that will turn the fans off as well. OM will tell you which fuses control the AC

catera00 · #6 (**permalink**) 03-20-09, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZiggyCatera

stuck relay mayb?

Yeah its sticking for sure. Gonna pick up a new one and see if that solves the problem. Cheaper than starting with the alternator

CateraMV6 · #7 (**permalink**) 03-20-09, 09:10 PM

Well the OEM ones have built in Diodes... so etiher open it and see how the diode is installed... then get a cheap one from Autozone.. get a diode from Radioshack... I think they are 1N400X... X=1-4 I think thats how they are, I have used 4001 before and it works great...

It just prevents a high voltage from shooting through the electrical system when the relay shuts off.. .you can read all about that phenomenon on the 12volt.com...I think it was...