My son's Forester has a fan problem. They don't come on. I did the diagnostic test and the fans function. That means the fuses and relays are working properly. I replaced the temperature sensor, not a fun job, but still they won't work upon warm up, or when the A/C is turned on. Any ideas where to look next? Help.
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engine fans won't turn on in normal conditions.
I keep trying to post questions here, but only one has ever showed up. I still need someone to try to tell me if there are two temperature sensors for the electrical radiator fan unit and where they are. I have replaced the coolant temperature sensor under the intake manifold. I have also used the green wires under the dash to show if the fans work. They do, but not when the A/C is on or when the engine gets hot. Is the ECU the only thing left?
I keep trying to post questions here, but only one has ever showed up. I still need someone to try to tell me if there are two temperature sensors for the electrical radiator fan unit and where they are. I have replaced the coolant temperature sensor under the intake manifold. I have also used the green wires under the dash to show if the fans work. They do, but not when the A/C is on or when the engine gets hot. Is the ECU the only thing left?
Where? I've never heard of them. I'll go out and look. The only wires I see going to the fans are the power wires.Did you check the radiator thermofan switch(es)? on the radiator?
I am new to your forum and I am sorry if I didn't know some of your rules. I just wanted to find some information. I am not new to Subarus. I've owned two SVXs as well as having done several timing belt replacements on this particular engine. I'll try to follow your rules from now on, if I have broken them. I just wanted some help.
I have done what you wanted Bobby. Any more issues you have with a fellow Oregonian?
It was intermittent for about a week, now it's all the time. We haven't driven the car in more than a week at this point.
I replaced the temperature sensor at the rear of the engine last Sunday. No change.
Thanks for the wiring diagram it helps. I ordered a Haynes manual and should receive it tomorrow. I'm putting it up on ramps today and I'll try to locate the sensors that were referred to in an earlier post. If it's the ECM then I guess the car is toast at 215,000 miles.
I replaced the temperature sensor at the rear of the engine last Sunday. No change.
Thanks for the wiring diagram it helps. I ordered a Haynes manual and should receive it tomorrow. I'm putting it up on ramps today and I'll try to locate the sensors that were referred to in an earlier post. If it's the ECM then I guess the car is toast at 215,000 miles.
Thanks for the information. I'll clean them up when I'm under the car, but it was my impression that if the fans start doing the diagnostic it wouldn't be a connection problem. I've had Subarus before, but never had an issue like this. Of course I've had SVXs and worked on Outbacks, but Foresters are pretty new to me.
I just ordered one from EBay. All the numbers match so what the heck. It's worth a try.
Yes. I replaced it last Sunday. It was the one in the back of the engine under the intake manifold. It had a three prong connector. It didn't seem to make any difference. I just ordered an ECU, am I going to have to get the the unit recoded to make it work. It's a 2000.
Thanks. I guess I'll know by this Friday if I've exhausted my efforts.
Well I just installed a used ECM and no results whatsoever. Is there anything else that this could possibly be? I've checked every fuse and have switched relays and nothing changes. Some people havre referred to two coolant temperature sensors, I can only find one. I've even got a new radiator cap. Has anyone else had this particular problem?
It's really hard to see, but as far as I can tell there are two, a green one and a white one. I'd have to disassemble the ducts leading to the throttle body again to get a better look.
The only code was 'fan malfunction'. I forget the number. I should have written it down. I kind of remember it was 1408, or something close. I just put my scanner on it and it read no codes. Even though it has been started and got hot, but not to the red mark.Yes, they did both come on Bobby.
It would be interesting to see if any old codes exist.
I don't believe that I have a scanner that can perform that function. I'll probably need to buy one. I have a Schwaben by Foxwell. It is set up to read OBDII, as well as BMWs.@Derek'sForester questions:
[1] Just to verify... when you connected the green test connector, did the both radiator cooling fans operate?
[2] Have you read the coolant temperature with a scan tool, Scangauge II or an UltraGauge?
Bobby...
['07 FSXT Member Journal] ['03 X Member Journal]
The A/C doesn't work. My son said it did in the past. We haven't needed it for months, until this week.
So I figured out how to check the engine cooling temperature. It stayed at about 160 as the temp gauge headed towards the red. I turned off the engine before it hit the red mark. The coolant temp stayed at 160. When I earlier removed the coolant temperature sensor very little coolant came out. Does this mean I have air in the system? Do I need to re-bleed it? Could this be a thermostat issue which is not letting the coolant circulate? However the heater is putting out hot air. I bought a coolant funnel thing that will arrive on Monday. I never had issues like this with my SVXs.
Any ideas?
Any ideas?
@Kevin We had a very cold winter, for Oregon that is. Maybe that's what started this out. If I pull the radiator cap the coolant drops and feels hot. Since we got this car right before winter set in it's hard to tell what it will do in hot weather. We did have to put in a new radiator right after we got it. It was a free car from an old friend that had sat for awhile. Maybe the cold winter hid the issue until spring, but my son says he heard the fans before. He's never been much of a car guy. Maybe I'll drain the system because that's what you have to do to access the thermostat.
It appears to be grasping at straws time. I always thought that if the heater worked that meant the cooling system was circulating the coolant well. Maybe I ws wrong.
At least it's not an Audi A4. You had to pull the front of the whole engine apart to to change the thermostat in those, at least the 2.7 V6.
It appears to be grasping at straws time. I always thought that if the heater worked that meant the cooling system was circulating the coolant well. Maybe I ws wrong.
At least it's not an Audi A4. You had to pull the front of the whole engine apart to to change the thermostat in those, at least the 2.7 V6.
The coolant gauge appeared to work correctly before it was replaced. The replacement was new and came from Napa. I'm ready to change the thermostat at this point, but it's Mother's Day and we're going to the coast. I'll start again on Monday. I've done multiple timing belts and water pumps on this model engine, that may be next.
@2.5x_sleeper That makes sense.
So I changed the thermostat today. Still no luck. Could it be the waterpump? I've never had one go bad without making noise, or leaking but this one doesn't seem to be moving much, if any water. Still I've replaced about everything else, and this should be about my fifth or sixth Subaru water pump replacement and I'm getting pretty good at it. Anyone know of a GOOD waterpump replacement kit with timing belt that could last a while?
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