Can a bad relay cause overheating?
If the relay fails, it will be unable to supply power to the fans, and as a result they will not operate. This can lead to overheating, especially when the vehicle is at a stop, where there is no forward motion by the vehicle to pass air over the radiator.
How do you test a cooling fan relay?
The quickest way to tell whether or not the electric fan(s) are working is to start the engine; let it reach normal operating temperature and then turn the A/C on. The cooling fan in the engine compartment should turn on to pull air through the radiator and A/C condenser.
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 if you have a faulty cooling fan?
If you have a faulty cooling fan relay, it will typically produce symptoms that you can identify beforehand so that you know when to bring your vehicle in for service. The first symptom associated with a failing cooling fan is that your engine starts to run hot or overheat.
Why do I need to check my cooling fan relay?
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. Finally, if you suspect that your cooling fan relay, may possibly be having issues, have it checked.
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.