What do fan relays do?
What do fan relays do?
The cooling fan relay essentially functions as the switch for the engine’s cooling fans, and is therefore an important electrical component of the vehicle’s cooling system. They will be able to look over your vehicle and replace your cooling fan relay if necessary.
Why do you need a cooling fan relay?
Average rating from 29 customers who received a Cooling Fan Relay Replacement. Most modern vehicles use electric cooling fans to help pull air through the radiator so that it can keep the engine cool. Most cooling fans use electric motors that have a moderate to high current draw, and as a result are commonly controlled using relays.
How can you tell if a fan relay is faulty?
You’ll know the cooling system relay is faulty if the fan works with the substitute relay. You can also measure the relay coil’s resistance. A normal relay’s resistance will read between 40 to 80 ohms. Higher resistance levels warn that the coil has started to fail while lower readings mean the relay has broken down.
Can a bad fan relay cause an engine to overheat?
However, a bad cooling fan relay isn’t the only culprit for excessively high engine temperatures. Many other issues can cause the engine to run hot or overheat. Rather than uncommonly high engine temps, the driver may notice that the cooling fans have stopped running.
What happens when a radiator relay goes bad?
A faulty or broken relay cannot deliver power to the cooling fans. In turn, the unpowered fans won’t run, leaving the radiator to its own devices. Deprived of the helpful influx of air from the cooling fans, the radiator cannot remove as much heat as it usually does.
When to turn on the cooling fan relay?
The cooling fan relay is an electromagnetic switch that controls the power supply to the engine’s cooling fans. It ensures that the energy-intensive devices only run when needed, usually when the vehicle is immobile. When the engine temperature approaches unsafe levels, the vehicle’s computer or temperature switch turns on the cooling fan relay.
However, a bad cooling fan relay isn’t the only culprit for excessively high engine temperatures. Many other issues can cause the engine to run hot or overheat. Rather than uncommonly high engine temps, the driver may notice that the cooling fans have stopped running.
What should the resistance of a fan relay be?
A normal relay’s resistance will read between 40 to 80 ohms. Higher resistance levels warn that the coil has started to fail while lower readings mean the relay has broken down. Still another DIY test involves shaking the cooling fan relay and listening for any noises.
A faulty or broken relay cannot deliver power to the cooling fans. In turn, the unpowered fans won’t run, leaving the radiator to its own devices. Deprived of the helpful influx of air from the cooling fans, the radiator cannot remove as much heat as it usually does.
