My car was boiling when I got home yesterday. Don't think my radiator fan's coming on. Checked the fan motor and the relay; all good. Thinking it may be the switch, but I was just wondering when the fan should be coming on. I read a post where they said it comes on when you turn on the A/C. Condenser fan does, but rad fan doesn't.

 

Unplug the fan switch, insert a paperclip into the harness side of the plug. Put key in accessory. Fan should come on. If not, the fan is most likely dead.

Are you overheating? Any CELs?

 

You mean the switch is dead? (I can't try this right now; at work......)

I checked the fan motor itself already. It's fine. Guage never went past half way as usual. CEL stuck on from knock sensor I have yet to ground.

 

The first thing to do (after the car cools off) is check the coolant level in the radiator. Do that before every trip so you can tell if any is being lost.

Fan operation depends on what model you have. From 1992 to 2000 the A/C condenser and radiator were side by side and entirely separate systems. Only the condenser fan comes on with A/C. The radiator fan is controlled by coolant temperature. Earlier and later models had the condenser and radiator in front of each other and the full width of the grille. Those are wired so both fans come on with the A/C on or if the coolant is too hot.

 

It was low on coolant, but I'm hoping that's only because it was boiling out the overflow. When I noticed the car boiling, the fan was not coming on and I thought that it should in that case.

Mine's '97 ex......