Location of the "Cooling fan switch"

[azmattaz06]

Hi im new to the board's and a new SHO owner.. i love the car but recently it started to overheat during Idle and the fan's don't come on but they do with the AC on so my uncle told me its the "Cooling fan switch" but i don't know where it's located and that engine compartment is pretty packed.. Anyone have any idea? It would help VERYYY much.. Thank you -Matt

 

[Ishodu]

Why do you say its over heating? The Normal range means normal. Also its quite normal for the temp to go as far as r or a before the fans turn on. But to answer your question the cooling fan relay is in the metal box under the fan cover. The ECC looks at the ECC temp sender and then tells the relay when to fire to start the fans.

 

[azmattaz06]

Well it goes past the N in Normal and the fan's don't kick on still.. And im not looking for the relay im looking for the Cooling fan switch shown in picture.. according to autozone.com

 

[Mr Anonymous]

I suspect you mean the ECT (Engine Coolant Temperature) sensor. That's what tells the PCM (computer) the temperature, and then the PCM turns on and off the fan via the CCRM (relay module) based on temp.

It's on the water outlet housing on the drivers side of the rear head.

 

[TopGunnYFZ]

You need a 1" deeeep well to get it off. I replaced mine and it still didn't fix my fans, so i ended up just wiring the fans up to manual switches hidden inside my car.

 

[Storm-Chaser]

Do you have a manual (MTX) or automatic (ATX)?

What is the large-letter code on the CCRM - a "D", a "J", or an "M"?

You may have to peel-back the foam pad on it, to read the code.

CCRM - Constant Control Relay Module (that small metal box underneath the radiator shroud cover)

Hi im new to the board's and a new SHO owner.. i love the car but recently it started to overheat during Idle and the fan's don't come on but they do with the AC on so my uncle told me its the "Cooling fan switch" but i don't know where it's located and that engine compartment is pretty packed.. Anyone have any idea? It would help VERYYY much.. Thank you -Matt

 

[azmattaz06]

Oh i see well i thought the Temp Sensor was just for the Temp Guage.. am i wrong? if that's what tell's the fan's to kick on and off then i'll just change that i already bought it but someone told me it was the wrong part and that most likely that was for the Guage.. Thank's

 

[Storm-Chaser]

There's two separate temperature sensors - the Gauge Temperature Sending unit provides information to the instrument panel "TEMP" gauge; the Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor provides engine temperature feedback to the PCM > CCRM > cooling fan. The image in your second post is the Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor.

Realize that you're assuming that the temperature indication on the instrument cluster is correct. Thus any of the following could be happening:

• Gauge Temperature Sending unit is not sending accurate information to the Temperature gauge on the instrument cluster
  
  
• Temperature gauge on the instrument is not displaying temperature correctly
  
  
• Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor (ECT) is not sending correct temperature information to the PCM
  
  
• PCM is incorrectly interpreting the information provided by the ECT, or providing incorrect information to the CCRM
  
  
• CCRM is not signaling the low-speed cooling fan relay (ATX)

The Gauge Temperature Sending unit [ F1SZ-10884-A ] is the small brass sensor in the lower-left of the image below. The Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor [ F2AZ-12A648-A ] (bottom image below) is the sensor in the right-half of the water housing below:

​

 

[92inPA]

If replacing the temp sensor doesn't fix your problem, you will need to replace the CCRM. It looks like this...

You can find details on the CCRM's operation here.

 

[azmattaz06]

If that's the case then what is this? this is the Sensor that i have right now.. is this the coolent temp sensor that i'll need to kick the fan's on when the engine get's hot?

 

[TopGunnYFZ]

That is the ECT, the one that will tell your fans to come on

 

[AREA 91]

If replacing the temp sensor doesn't fix your problem, you will need to replace the CCRM. It looks like this...

You can find details on the CCRM's operation here.

Nifty pic Bob.
P.S. I gotta go some track events with you this year!!!
You go with the BMW club, correct?

 

[92inPA]

Between our the three SHOs in my household we use all three boxes (J, D & M). I've learned the hard way that this is one part worth keep a couple of spares.

AREA91 - I will PM info to you.

 

[Storm-Chaser]

Did you not read my previous post?

Do you have an ATX (two fans) or an MTX (one fan)?


In addition to the five possible reasons that the fan(s) is/are not coming on when you think they should, the following could also result in the fan not coming-on when it should:

• wiring harness at the fan motor has melted/failed (there was a Ford Safety recall for this problem)
  
  
• fan motor has failed

If that's the case then what is this? this is the Sensor that i have right now.. is this the coolent temp sensor that i'll need to kick the fan's on when the engine get's hot?

That's incorrect. The ECT is a simple sensor that provides the PCM information on what the engine coolant temperature is. It's the PCM that initiates the process that "turns the fan on". Once the PCM determines it needs to turn the fan(s) on, it signals the CCRM, which then actuates the fan-control relay, which in turn provides power to the fan.

That is the ECT, the one that will tell your fans to come on

 

[rubydist]

My experience, fwiw, is that the CCRM (relay) or fan motor is much more likely to fail than the engine coolant sensor.

 

[itwonder]

In addition to looking at the sensor, I suggest that you get a loaner coolant system pressure tester from Autozone and check both your radiator cap and your cooling system for pressure leaks.

 

[azmattaz06]

it's an Automatic so an ATX i guess.. And it's not the fan motor because it turn's on when the AC is turned on and also the wire's are fine.. And i understand that the PCM turn's the fan's on but a sensor must tell the PCM when it's time right? Well i need to change that sensor so what im asking is which Sensor that would be... Would it be the one in the picture o posted? im starting to get confused.. Thank you

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Well i need to change that sensor so what im asking is which Sensor that would be... Would it be the one in the picture o posted? im starting to get confused.. Thank you

Yes. The second picture you posted is the correct ECT sensor.

 

[rubydist]

it's an Automatic so an ATX i guess.. And it's not the fan motor because it turn's on when the AC is turned on and also the wire's are fine.. And i understand that the PCM turn's the fan's on but a sensor must tell the PCM when it's time right? Well i need to change that sensor so what im asking is which Sensor that would be... Would it be the one in the picture o posted? im starting to get confused.. Thank you

Well, one of the fans will come on w/ the a/c, and the other fan should come on when the ECT gets high enough. Just because one of the fans runs does not mean that the CCRM is good.

 

[projectSHO89]

Well, one of the fans will come on w/ the a/c, and the other fan should come on when the ECT gets high enough. Just because one of the fans runs does not mean that the CCRM is good.

Nope. On dual fan setups, they are wired in parallel. They simply use a dropping resistor and two separate relays to control fan speed.

Original poster: In none of this have you properly identified your car (year, engine, tranny). Do so.

Steve