How is my cooling fan still running??

[stormtroopervan]

I was sitting at a drive through waiting on my order when my cooling fan kicked on. It is the first time I've ever heard it run and it startled me before I realized what it was. Temp was slightly over half on the dash, so it made sense. Took it home, parked it, and 15 minutes after shutting down it was still running. I disconnected the battery and waited 2 hours. Now, whenever the battery is connected, the fan runs.

What I've tried so far with no luck
1) pulled the #1 fuse
2) pulled the #5 relay
3) pulled the relay and fuse up under the dash that are supposed to control the fan when A/c is on
4) pulled the thermostat switch on the radiator

Is there some other source of power I can check?? Aside from physically cutting the wire (not going to do) it seems like this thing should not be getting power but it is.

What other fuses/switches can I check?

[0to60in6min]

I'd think it's normal...

on mine, after a drive, I shut it off, walk away a few steps and the fan starts to run... and it shut off by itself a few minutes later...

on yours, if it run for an hour or more then there's a problem...

[stormtroopervan]

Yes, there is definitely a problem. Engine is now completely cold and the fan runs no matter what, as long as the battery is connected.

[crazyvwvanman]

Try pulling fuse 12 and see if that stops it.

If it doesn't then it could be the AC relay in the rear driver side pillar.

Mark

[Timwhy]

A/C switch?
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[AZ Landshaper]

my money is on a bad relay
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85 Weekender w/ EJ22
Previously
64, 71, 72, 73, 76, 81, 84, 85 & 87 Campmobiles and Westfalias
and a 67 bug.

[stormtroopervan]

A/c is switched off, pulled all relays and fuses from rear pillar for a/c. Tried pulling #12 fuse. Fan still comes on with battery connected.

[stormtroopervan]

[crazyvwvanman]

Just to be sure, panel fuses are numbered from the left end, #1 is 30 amp.

When you earlier said you pulled a relay and fuse up under the dash, did you mean the metal strip fuse that is held in by screws?

And same type of fuse in the rear AC pillar, you unscrewed it?

Mark

[stormtroopervan]

No, it was a small 2 blade relay and the fuse just beneath it. Are there fuses I need to unscrew? Pictures would be great if you can swing it. I'm fairly new to vanagons and am not familiar with screw in fuses. I see in the back pillar a metal strip connecting two wires. Is that it? Similar one in the fuse panel? [/img]

[crazyvwvanman]

Yes, the biggest fuses are just a bare metal strip with a srew at each end.
So you never pulled the main rad fan fuse for the high speed fan relay and probably missed the relay as well. They are very hidden, up under the left end of the dash.

Mark

[stormtroopervan]

Is it part of the main fuse panel? A Google search led me to pull the small silver relay and yellow fuse from the top row. Is the main fuse on the panel, or do I need to pull part of the dash/cluster? I'm not seeing the bare metal strip up front. Pulling the main a/c fuse in the back did not help

[crazyvwvanman]

This photo shows the hidden fan relay. Just above where all the brown wires plug in. It has a metal strip fuse screwed to the relay holder. Unhook the battery negative cable when working in this area. That fuse and relay are always live. Pull the relay.

Mark

[stormtroopervan]

Got it. It was the white fuse by the main fan relay WAY up under the dash. Pulled the cluster to get my hand to it. That did the trick. Any troubleshooting suggestions aside from replacing the fuse and hoping that takes care of it? Thanks all for the help! This was really bugging me.

Finally got the van on the road today for the first time in months. My wife wanted to drive it around tomorrow but the fan always being on would have been a no go.

[crazyvwvanman]

How about a photo of what you pulled to finally stop the fan?

Mark

[stormtroopervan]

Same one you showed Mark. Thanks again helping me find it

[crazyvwvanman]

Ok, that is the right part. If you look at your earlier photo of the relay panel there is a relay in slot #8 with the large number 18 marked on it. You could borrow that 18 relay for a brief test in the fan relay socket. It is needed in slot #8 for driving so just a quick test.


(also 2 relays in your photo appear to be in the wrong slots, another issue maybe)

Mark

[AZ Landshaper]

Thats the one. On the money. Thats the relay that stops my fan. Nice to see VW actually got around to normal fuses. Ive never seen a later model fuse panel. Nice!

Crazy dubs man has this in the bag.


_________________
Support Small Business.

-------------------------------------------------------
85 Weekender w/ EJ22
Previously
64, 71, 72, 73, 76, 81, 84, 85 & 87 Campmobiles and Westfalias
and a 67 bug.

[stormtroopervan]

[crazyvwvanman]

Sorry, I'm currently on the road without much internet time available.

The 43 relay should be in relay position 3 but looks like it is position 4.

I'm not aware of any stock Vanagon use of relay position 2 but you have a 24 relay in it.


You should be able to find a photo in the gallery.
The Bentley diagram for 1990 shows a drawing of the fuse/relay panel at the beginning and on the adjacent page defines which relays belong in which slots.

Mark