no radiator fan
 

I have an 02 c2 that does not seem to have a functioning radiator fan. Here is my list for troubleshooting; fan motor, thermostat, relay (?) fuse. Are there any points I am missing? Are these things I can check myself? I am mechanically inclined, but don't know much about electrical.

thanks

keith

If both high and low speeds on both fans are out start with fuses C 8 & 10. Not even with air-conditioning on?
Then relays.

I think the most likely problem is you have a pebble or something stuck in the fan. Take off the inner fender liner in front of the front wheel and manually turn the fan. If only one is not running this is most likely the problem. It happened to me and a tech told me they rarely find anything but a mechanical jam as the problem. Really easy and cheap to fix too.

If both fans fail to come on when the A/C is switched on I'd say fuses or relays.

If only one radiator fan fails to come on when the other one does my WAG is that resister or whatever it is in the wiring close to the fan is bad.

My Boxster passenger side fan failed and the tech traced it to this. He said what can happen is they run hot -- normal -- and then get splashed with water and this ruins them. They are usually out of the way but if they are messed with they may not be tucked up where they belong and more likely to get wet and run hotter too boot. (He's found them jammed in between plastic panels to hold them in place instead of being properly secured.)

I have never heard of a rock getting in there and jamming the fan. The rock would have to make it through the condenser and the radiator unless perhaps the wheel well liner is damaged and allowed the front tire to throw trash against the back of the radiator.

My Turbo's passenger side fan quit and the tech found the shaft had snapped. First time he's ever seen that kind of a failure.

Sunset Porsche service tech me to check for a rock or other debris as that is almost always what they find. I did and there was a small rock which dislodged when I manually turned the fan. Maybe not it, but certainly worth checking before more complex troubleshooting. In fact this same topic came up a couple years ago and when I suggested this possibility the guy responded back that it was a small rock jamming his too. He was very happy.

Disconnect the power to the fan and set your multimeter to DC, low voltage, and give the fan a spin. If the winding is OK, it will generate some voltage when it's freewheeling).

The cylindrical thing with wires that Macster mentions is a resister (to convert electricity to heat) for the different fan speeds, and there is one mounted on each fan shroud. I had to replace one once on my car.