SPONSORED LINKS

Battery keeps draining and fans will not turn on

Tiny
TNEAL777
  • MEMBER
  • 1994 JAGUAR VANDEN PLAS
  • 4.0L
  • V6
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 54,000 MILES
If I do not drive the car for a week the battery keeps draining. When I do drive it the fans will not turn on and the car overheats.
Saturday, April 14th, 2018 AT 10:20 AM

17 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,363 POSTS
Hello,

It sounds like you have two different problems. first is I would check the fuses for the cooling fans. (Fuse panel below)

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

For the battery drain does this car have a CD player? If so a CD could be stuck in the player causing the internal motor to run.
Here is a guide for that as well:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-battery-dead-overnight

Please let us know what happens.

Cheers, Ken
Images (Click to make bigger)
Thumb
Thumb
SPONSORED LINKS
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Monday, April 16th, 2018 AT 11:39 AM
Tiny
TNEAL777
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Thank you for your help. I will check everything and let you know how it goes.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, April 16th, 2018 AT 12:18 PM
Tiny
MIKE H R
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,094 POSTS
As far as the battery draining after a few days, have the battery check, had the same thing happen, it was a new battery a garage had put in the Fire Bird and getting it home and a few days later the battery was drained. New battery had a bad cell.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, April 17th, 2018 AT 11:43 AM
Tiny
TNEAL777
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Hi Ken. I checked my fans with the multi-meter and the motor is good. I replaced cooling fan fuses and relay. My electric fans still do not come on. When I turn on the A/C it does not get cold and the fans do not come on.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, April 23rd, 2018 AT 5:41 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,363 POSTS
There is a thermo switch that causes the fan motor to come on let try shorting that to see if the fans will work here is a wiring diagrams for the fans so you can see how they work. It a two wires sensor up by the thermostat housing.

Check out the diagrams (below).

Please run this test and get back to us.

Cheers, Ken
Image (Click to make bigger)
Thumb
SPONSORED LINKS
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Tuesday, April 24th, 2018 AT 11:17 AM
Tiny
TNEAL777
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Hi Ken. I tested the thermo switch connection with a paper clip and the fans came on. Does this mean that the thermo switch is bad and needs to be replaced in order for the fans to turn on?
Thanks
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 AT 4:48 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,363 POSTS
Sure does, the fan never come on correct? If so the thermo switch is bad.

Let me know what happens.

Cheers, Ken
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Thursday, April 26th, 2018 AT 9:37 AM
Tiny
TNEAL777
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Thank you so much for your help! The fans finally turned on. :-). So it was the thermo switch. We really appreciate it!
Now it seems like my reservoir seems to gets really hot and steam comes from it. When I loosen the top pressure and steam come out. Is it because I am not topping it off at the proper amount that it is building up so much pressure?
Thanks Ken.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, May 3rd, 2018 AT 9:19 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,363 POSTS
How fast does it get hot? This could be because of a ticking thermostat or a slight blown head gasket.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/head-gasket-blown-test

Can you take a video of the problem and upload it here?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Friday, May 4th, 2018 AT 11:03 AM
Tiny
TNEAL777
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
The car does not get hot. The car stays in the normal range. It is the reservoir that is builds up pressure and steam.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, May 4th, 2018 AT 12:02 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,363 POSTS
This could be normal depending on how fast it pressurizes. You could still have a blown head gasket even though it does not overheat and there is no coolant in the oil. Please do the chemical test.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Sunday, May 6th, 2018 AT 11:37 AM
Tiny
TNEAL777
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Okay. Thank you. What chemical test do you recommend? My electrical cooling fan fuses blew but I changed them. I also replaced the cooling fan relay switch. My thermo switch was bad and I changed that also (which you had advised) and it worked, happily my fans worked again. Could this switch being bad caused the car to get hot, overheat and blow the head gasket? Or what could have caused the blown head gasket so I could address the issue so it does not happen again? Clogged radiator, bad thermostat or water pump for example? Appreciate your expertise.
SPONSORED LINKS
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Sunday, May 6th, 2018 AT 12:08 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,363 POSTS
Getting hot can cause the head gasket to blow but it can fail due to age as well. You can get a chemical tester from Amazon follow the guide and let me know. Click the link below.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06VVBSFTF/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=2carprcom-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B06VVBSFTF&linkId=fc9d3fef1fdd238a3290279a162b7db3

Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, May 7th, 2018 AT 9:52 AM
Tiny
MIKE H R
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,094 POSTS
I agree with Ken, I would also check the radiator for air flow. I had a car that had so much junk between the radiator and A/C unit that air could not get through enough for the radiator to cool down. When you put coolant in it is the car running? That way it works out so it does not vapor lock.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, May 7th, 2018 AT 4:58 PM
Tiny
TNEAL777
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Thanks Ritzel. How do I check the radiator for airflow? Yes, the car was running when I put coolant in. Thanks Ken for the Amazon link.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, May 7th, 2018 AT 7:22 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,363 POSTS
I like to use a garden hose and shoot water through the core you can see how much dirt is in it and how the water is flowing through.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, May 8th, 2018 AT 10:58 AM
Tiny
TNEAL777
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Okay, thanks.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, May 8th, 2018 AT 12:11 PM

Please login or register to post a reply.

Related Battery Drain Content

How to Test for a Battery Drain-Draw
VIDEO
How to Test for a Battery Drain-Draw
Instructional repair video
Battery Parasitic Drain Repair
GUIDE
Battery Parasitic Drain Repair
A car battery should hold its charge for a few months before needing to be recharged, if not the battery has gone bad or the car has a parasitic draw, something is staying ...

Sponsored links