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Both radiator fans stopped working/ fan relay

Tiny
DHORNB1
  • MEMBER
  • 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA
  • 145,000 MILES
I have a '04 Nissan Maxima. Still trying to isolate the following problem:

The car started overheating at idle and the A/C started blowing warm air at idle also. I found that BOTH radiator/ac fans are not working. My local Nissan dealership suggested that the fan assembly could be bad but I find it hard to believe that BOTH fan motors went bad at the same time. I started thinking the problem could be a fuse or relay.

I looked up a diagram and I found that there are 3 cooling fan relays. Why are there 3 relays to only 2 fans? Whats the 3rd relay for? Do you think this is the likely problem? I'd figured i'd start with the relay since it is the easiest.

thanks for your help!
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Friday, September 7th, 2012 AT 2:19 PM

31 Replies

Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
There are 3 fusibles that need to be checked as well as three relays here are guides to help with both with the relay locations and the cooling fan wiring diagrams so you can see how the system works below.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-a-car-fuse

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-an-electrical-relay-and-wiring-control-circuit

Check out the diagrams (Below). Please run this test and get back to us.

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Friday, September 7th, 2012 AT 2:37 PM
Tiny
DHORNB1
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
I wouldnt even know where to begin on testing the motors. I have no voltmeter or anything, never really had to use one before & I doubt I would know how to use one even if I had one handy.
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Friday, September 7th, 2012 AT 2:52 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
For electrical testings you would at least need a test light or DVOM. To test the fans, disconnect the fan connectors and ground one terminal while applying battery voltage to the other but this fan should have 4 terminals so you might make a mess out of it.

Get a DVOM or testlight first because to test the fuses or relays and their terminals you need to know if battery voltage is present.

Heres a guide on how to use a test light and a DVOM

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-a-test-light-circuit-tester

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-a-voltmeter

Attached below are the wiring diagrams for you cooling fans
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+8
Friday, September 7th, 2012 AT 3:56 PM
Tiny
DHORNB1
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
Will give it a shot, thanks!
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Friday, September 7th, 2012 AT 5:42 PM
Tiny
DHORNB1
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
  • 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA
  • 145,000 MILES
I have a '04 Nissan Maxima, both radiator fans stopped working at the same time. I started thinking its possibly a fuse or relay since both fans stopped working. I contacted the parts dept. Of my local Nissan dealership and they didnt list any fan fuse or relay for it (which I find a bit odd).

I find it hard to believe that both fan motors went bad at the same time. Any suggestions of what else it could be if there isn't any kind of fuse or relay for the fans?

Thanks!
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Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 AT 6:22 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
I dont know what they are talking about because there are 3 relays that run the system here is a guide to help you test the relays.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-an-electrical-relay-and-wiring-control-circuit

Here is the wiring diagrams for the fan and the relay locations.

Check out the diagrams (Below). Please let us know what you find. We are interested to see what it is.

Cheers
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Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 AT 6:22 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DHORNB1
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
It was the relay thank you so much I love this site :)
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Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 AT 6:22 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KEITH S WILLIAMS
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1998 NISSAN MAXIMA
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 249,000 MILES
Car runing hot
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Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 AT 6:22 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
Have the cooling fan motor tested. Check for blown fuses and bad relays.
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Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 AT 6:22 PM (Merged)
Tiny
TWCMAX
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1998 NISSAN MAXIMA
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 205,000 MILES
My car is overheating. I noticed that I have two fans, but only 1 is working. Could this be a fuse or a bad fan? How do I test this issue?
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Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 AT 6:22 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LEGITIMATE007
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,121 POSTS
Hi, could be either issue, either a bad radiator fan relay, or a bad fan altogether, if you hard wire the faulty fan to the battery, and it comes on strong, you know the fan is good and the relay will need replacement,
thanx
joe
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Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 AT 6:22 PM (Merged)
Tiny
TWCMAX
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
How do I hard wire the fan?
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Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 AT 6:22 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LEGITIMATE007
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,121 POSTS
You have to unplug the fan and put jumper wires from the fan directly to the battery, pos to pos, neg to neg.
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Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 AT 6:22 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SRMURILLO
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1998 NISSAN MAXIMA
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 192,997 MILES
My 1998 Nissan Maxima SE overheats when the car is idleling and the A/C is on. I replaced the radiator in March so it's new. I noticed that the fan on the passenger side does not turn on. Could this be the problem and if it is do I have to replace the whole kit that comes with the mounting bracket and two fans or can I replace the single fan?
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Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 AT 6:22 PM (Merged)
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
This is a very complicated circuit with dual, 2 speed fans with a control module in charge of everything.

They are designed to run simultaneously though so if one runs and the other doesn't, yo probably have a bad fan.
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Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 AT 6:22 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SRMURILLO
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Thanks Wrenchtech for your reply. This is the same thing that I thought about the fan and that I would have to replace it soon. But do you think that this is what is causing the engine to overheat when the car is in idle with the A/C on? Thanks again for your help
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Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 AT 6:22 PM (Merged)
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
You can't know until you have the fans working correctly. The fans have a 2 speed system so you will have to see if both speeds are working.
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Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 AT 6:22 PM (Merged)
Tiny
GMAREK
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 1990 NISSAN MAXIMA
  • 100,000 MILES
The problem Im having is that the radiator fan won't kick on, but when I unplug the temp sensor it kicks on. I've gone ahead and changed the sensor to a new one but it still wont come on unless the sensor is unplugged.
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Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 AT 6:23 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
The fan would only come on when the required temperature turns the fan switch on. Is the engine overheating and is coolant level correct?
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Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 AT 6:23 PM (Merged)
Tiny
GMAREK
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Yes and yes, I also read elsewhere that the fan won't kick on if the car is idle? It would have to be actually running?
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Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 AT 6:23 PM (Merged)

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