What is the radiator/cooling fan?
The radiator houses coolant; a liquid which stops your engine from overheating. The coolant flows from the radiator into the engine, absorbing its heat. Once the coolant finds its way back to the radiator, it needs to be cooled. This is where the radiator fan comes in.
The radiator fan (or engine cooling fan) is mounted onto the radiator and designed to pass air through the cooling system, removing heat from the coolant. It is temperature controlled, meaning it will only run when the engine is in need of colder coolant.
Learn more about how the cooling fan works >
What causes cooling fan problems?
Mechanical Damage – If the radiator cooling fan gets knocked or something gets sucked in or stuck between the radiator cooling fan blades and the cooling fan shroud or radiator core, then the radiator cooling fan may become jammed or unbalanced.
If the radiator cooling fan becomes jammed or stuck then it will not be able to spin and pass air through the engine radiator, which can cause your engine to overheat. especially when the vehicle is driving at slow speeds.
If the radiator fan becomes unbalanced it will cause a vibration and noise throughout the engine bay.
Damaged fan motor – The fan motor drives the radiator fan, allowing it to reduce coolant temperatures. If the motor malfunctions, the fan will not operate.
Blown fuse – There is a fuse which delivers power to the cooling fan motor. If this fuse is blown, the fan will stop working.
Symptoms of damaged radiator/cooling fan:
Overheating – Perhaps the most obvious symptom, overheating happens when the engine’s temperature becomes too high. A broken fan will increase engine temperatures due to the coolant not being able to cool down properly. As the radiator cooling fan does a significant amount of its cooling at low driving speeds and when the car is stationary you may notice a rapid rise on your temperature gauge under these conditions if the radiator cooling fan is not working.
Steam coming from the engine – You may notice white steam coming from your engine. This is a common sign of a malfunctioning cooling system and possibly a radiator cooling fan that has stopped working.
Engine damage – An overheating engine will often run roughly or loudly. As heat builds, the engine components can sustain damage, meaning you should avoid driving as much as possible. If you radiator cooling fan stops working while you are in say heavy slow moving traffic, then In a worst case situation your engine could overheat to a point where you blow the engine head gasket, the cylinder head cracks, or your engine seizes up.
How important is a radiator fan replacement?
A healthy radiator fan will keep your coolant and engine at a healthy temperature, allowing it to effectively reduce your engine’s temperature. We recommend that you get your radiator fan fixed as soon as possible. This will prevent further damage to your engine.
Radiator/coolant fan replacement service in Hamilton
Is your radiator/cooling fan in need of replacement? At Grimmer Motors, we can install a new cooling fan, allowing your coolant to stay at a healthy temperature at all times.
As well as cooling fan replacements, we are able to provide effective diagnostics and replacements for other components in your car’s cooling system. This includes the radiator, water pump, and hoses. We can also fix coolant leaks.
Stop your car from overheating. Bring your car to Grimmer Motors today!