What is the Cooling/Radiator Fan Motor all about?

Your vehicle's engine is constantly burning fuel and gets hot. The car’s cooling system is responsible for carrying heat away to the outside air. The cooling fan motor powers the cooling fan, which keeps the engine from overheating. The fan is located in the engine compartment, at the front or rear of the radiator. The fan cools the coolant as it passes through the radiator. The coolant flows through the entire engine and is responsible for absorbing the extra heat and thereby preventing the engine from overheating. The fan blows the air from the outside and passes it through the radiator. If the cooling fan motor and the fan stop working, the coolant will remain hot and cause the engine to overheat.

Keep in mind:

• When the cooling fan motor is replaced, the cooling fan blade should also be inspected.
• Anytime that maintenance is performed on the cooling system, the fan motor should be inspected.

How it's done:

• Scan the computer system for any diagnostic trouble codes.
• Test fuses and relays.
• Test for power and ground going to the fan.
• Remove and replace the radiator fan motor.
• Check for proper operation of fan.

Our recommendation:

• The cooling fan motor is an electrical motor that resides in a high temperature environment. At some point over time, it may fail. If you notice that the engine is overheating (see the temperature gauge in the dashboard), and you do not hear the fan(s) working get the cooling system inspected immediately.
• Your mechanic should check the coolant and fill, if needed.
• Follow the service maintenance schedule provided by the manufacturer to replace the coolant. It is a good practice to change the coolant every 25,000 to 40,000 miles.

What common symptoms indicate you may need to replace the Cooling/Radiator Fan Motor?

• Car overheats.
• Check Engine light may be on.
• Cooling Fan fuse may be blown.

How important is this service?

If a defective cooling/radiator fan motor is left unchecked, the car will overheat and effectively become undriveable.