Running Hot: Fan Off

**weezer** · 08-11-2006, 11:19 PM

Okay....So I took a trip to Newport, RI for the Jazz Festival. Upon arriving I saw the temp gauge needle wslowly went to red, so I pulled over and see what's up. Turns out th radiator fan was not coming on. Checked the fuse, relay, they seem okay. I think it's the temp switch sensor (hooked up to the radiator). Went to the nearest BMW dealer and ordered overnight the part (Plug for Newport BMW). I hope this is the only problem.......anyone experienced this?
Thanks and wish me luck.

bullmand · 08-12-2006, 05:36 AM

As a matter of fact, this just happened to me last Saturday at an autocross. I had just pulled back into the grid after my first run and noticed my temp gauge was at 3/4 and going higher. I checked the fuse in the box and under the dash. They both looked fine but the fan still wouldn't come on. I replaced the 15 amp in the fuse box just to check and every thing worked fine. It's been working correctly ever since. I would try replacing that fuse and see if yours comes back. It's a lot cheaper than the switch.

**weezer** · 08-12-2006, 01:52 PM

Bullmand, thanks....I tried but still did not work. I got the part overnighted from the local Newport BMW dealer (no shipping cost, and they were cool about it) and installed it myself, but with no luck.
If somebody could help with some advice, it would be greatly appreciated.
Otherwise I will be stranded here for a while.
Thanks again.

bullmand · 08-12-2006, 02:26 PM

Did you check the fuse under the dash? It's a little hard to get to and I have no idea where you would get another one. It's a giant orange 40 amp fuse. Other folks have had issues with the fan resistor, but all that knowledge was lost when the Yahoo group went away. IIRC, that part is not available separately and you have to buy some huge expensive part to get it unless you can fabricate it yourself. If the fuse under the dash is OK, you may have to bite the bullet and have that dealership troubleshoot it for you. Does the fan come on when you have the AC on? I'm pretty sure the AC condenser fan only runs when the AC switch is on. That may be enough to keep the thing cool enough for you to get home as long as you don't get stuck in too much traffic. Good luck and let us know how this turns out.

**weezer** · 08-12-2006, 03:00 PM

No......where were you 30 mins ago....

)
That's exactly the symptom......fan comes on only when the A/C is turned on. I bet it is the 40 Amp. you mentioned under the dash. Well, it's at the dealer and I still will have to get the part from the dealer anyway....right?
So....hopefully that's the only problem and I won't get stuck on my way home on Monday. Thanks again.

bullmand · 08-12-2006, 04:32 PM

I've never seen a fuse like that in any of my local auto parts stores. It looks just like the ones in the fuse box, but about four times the size. You have to take the dash panel under the steering wheel off to get to it. It's in a little junction box tucked up under the cluster. I think this is the part.

FUSE MAXI, ORANGE 40A ? 61138367132

It's hard to describe how to remove it but I'll give it a shot. The socket the fuse plugs into is clipped into a plastic distribution block. There's a catch that you can release to let the whole fuse/socket assembly drop down. I figured that out after I took a bunch of other stuff off. I haven't put everything back together yet so maybe I'll take some pictures later.

**weezer** · 08-13-2006, 03:33 AM

I've seen them at Pepe Boys/ Autozone, they are 40-75 amp fuses and large in size. The Dealership couldn't find anything wrong with my car. They kept it idling for about 1.5 hours and did not overheat, the fan came on. But when I drove it after they had it, it did the same thing. I'm gonna check the fuse under the panel myself tomorrow, Thanks Bullmand.
I want to let you all know that The Newport BMW Dealer gave me and my wife exceptional service: No shipping charge on overnighting the Temp Switch the, took my car in and checked it righ away on a Saturday Morning and had it ready within 2 hours. And photocopied my BMW CCA card for parts discounts.
So, if any of the members here are in Newport anytime soon and need BMW service, make sure you contact them (NEWPORT BMW).
Thanks again.

**weezer** · 08-13-2006, 12:51 PM

Bullmand, is this what the fuse looks like:
http://i16.ebayimg.com/02/i/06/45/69/c3_1.JPG

**weezer** · 08-14-2006, 12:21 AM

I found the fuse you mentioned under the dash. Replaced it w/ a 30 amp (previously 15amp), but same results.
Perhaps a bad fan?

bullmand · 08-14-2006, 01:36 AM

That big orange one on the left looks like it. It should be 40 amp though. I'm pretty sure that's what mine was. I hope it's not your fan, those are not cheap. So the dealership couldn't get it to overheat? That's odd. You didn't lose any coolant did you? Is it possible you got an air bubble in the system and that's causing the problem? Keep us posted.

**weezer** · 08-14-2006, 01:58 PM

I have a feeling it's an air bubble. So, how do I proprly bleed the system?
I know there's an air pressure bleeder next to the coolant expansion reservoir lid.
Thanks.

aceyx · 08-14-2006, 09:06 PM

Run the car while it's on a level surface with the bleeder screw unscrewed. Put something near the hole to catch the coolant, as it will bubble up a little bit. Do this until it stops bubbling.

I generally repeat the process at least once more, just because some air pockets get trapped. You can also massage the hoses to speed it along.

**weezer** · 08-15-2006, 01:34 AM

I made it back to DC without a hitch, although just outside Providence we hit heavy traffic, the temp gauge started going north from the halfway mark. I turned on the A/C and it started coming down again. This only tells me that the fan stil is not coming on when it should. I'm going to check the orange fuse under the dash again in the morning. Is it possible that it's the relays?
If this persists, I'm thinking of doing what I did to my Rabbit GTi, give direct juice to the fan via a toggle switch; this way I know it's on.

**weezer** · 08-15-2006, 01:36 AM

One last thing.....could an air bubble cause the fan not to work? Is it because it's not properly giving temp readings to the sensor/switch?
Thanks all for the help, I'm glad I belong to this forum.

bullmand · 08-15-2006, 03:38 AM

Glad you made it home. I've heard that the fan switch has to be submerged to work. So, if you had enough air in the system that switch is high enough that it wouldn't be submerged.

Try this:
When the engine is cool, check the coolant level.
Make sure the cabin temp knob is on hot, then start the car and let it warm up to the normal temperature.
Loosen the bleed screw. You will probably get a little air, but if everything is OK you should get fluid with no bubbles immediately. It helps to get the front of the car as high as possible. I just went through this a couple of days ago on my E30. We pulled the left front wheel up on a curb and then filled and burped it. It works well now. Good luck.

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