Engine Fans - Stopped working

[ian_hammersley]

hi, chaps,

i have a 98 S Reg 500 and the cooling fans have stopped working.

Please bare with me, my knowledge is not amazing, but this is what i do know :

i've looked at the otter switch (which is on the nearside of the radiator on my car??) tried to bridge the connections with a paperclip (a metal paper clip!!) but the fans did not work.

I'm not entirley sure which fuse it is, but the horn still works (think the horn and fans use the same fuse?)

I'm out of ideas, what can i do to get my fans working again?!

Many thanks, Ian

[theaxe]

I think by '98 the fans had a separate fuse. Check all of the 40 amp ones. It could be the relay which I *think* is one of the ones on the fuse board.

[mouseymousey]

Same thing happened to me, it was one of the relays on the fuse board. It had worked lose and fallen out, I fished it out from around the battery, plugged it in and the fans were working again.

[V8 Archie]

Check the plugs down by the fans themselves too (centre of the car).

My '99 car has two fuses, one for each fan. Only one of them serves the horn too.

[jasandjules]

Yep, get your head in the footwell, check the fuse board?!?!

[ian_hammersley]

hi guys, thanks for the advice,

i've check my fuse board, and i have no 40amp fuse anywhere.

do the radiator fans definately use 40amp fuse?



thanks, ian

[paulathome]

You could have two 25 amp fuses one for each fan.
See if you have a supply to the fans when you short the otter switch connection.(with your paper clip) or get someone to listen in the foot well while you stuff your paper clip into the otter switch connector. (the listener should hear a click from one of the fuse board relays)
You could have a dodgy earth problem.
But as V8 Archie says check the connections just behind the fans cable tied to the front chassis member.
I had a intermittent fan problem caused by high a resistance connection at this point.
Cheers
Paul

[V8 Archie]

paulathome said:

You could have two 25 amp fuses one for each fan.

If memory serves they should be in positions 3 and 11 (from the left). Don't take that as gospel though, I don't have the handbook with me.

Edited by V8 Archie on Saturday 24th June 20:27

[ian_hammersley]

hi guys,

i think it is definately the relay as i've just connected a 12v battery to fans directly and they spun into live, so....

which one is the fan relay? and where do i get a new one?!!

many thanks, ian

[mouseymousey]

Before buying a new relay have a feel around in the footwell to make sure one hasn't fallen out.

[Nuggs]

ian_hammersley said:

...which one is the fan relay?..

Have a look in the Bible - this has the most fuse board/relay diagrams...

[hugepiece]

Same thing happened to me a month or two back. After much head scratching the issue was down to the earth connection to the otter switch, once we traced back we found the earth was not connecting. In the end added another earth and all was fine. Well worth 2 mins with a multi-meter!