Please help... radiator fan not turning on
 

i need some advice, i dont have a thermometer or anything like that because ive never had an issue like this before... i have a 1995 saturn SL1 that had been sitting for a while, brought it out from the back yard, did an oil change, replaced alternator and battery, replaced radiator and thermostat and while running the car it made it up to half way on the temp gauge and the fan did not turn on... im reading that alot of saturns the fan doesnt turn on untill the temp gauge is at 3/4 of the way... is this true? im so scared to run this car for extended periods of time, when ever it starts getting anywhere near half way i turn on the AC so the fan kicks on... someone please chime in on this, i dont want to replace any more parts on this car and i am scared to drive it, ive never had a car have to get that hot for the fan to kick on

my two saturns 95 n 97 SC2s kick on just above 3/4's.
Always have
Always will

Breathe deep.

Let the car idle in your driveway.
Watch the temp gauge.
Wait.
Wait some more.
Temp gauge will eventually climb to the point that the PCM kicks the fan on and it cools down to less then 1/2 on the gauge.

You already know the fan is operational as it comes on with the A/C.

Then all will be well with your universe

and now the fan doesnt come on with the AC anymore.... this car is a nightmare in a time where i really need a car

Try pulling the fan relay if you can find it and cleaning the plug and contacts. Since it's been sitting a while, it may have corrosion on it. And check the damn motor too. Direct wire it off the battery and make sure it didn't die. Sometimes it's the simple things that we overlook.

is the ac blowing cool air/compressor actually kicking in? If not the refrigerant may have leaked out to the point that the low pressure switch kicked in, which tells the pcm not to power the compressor (or fan).

As Rube said, direct wire the fan motor to the battery to ensure it still works.

well a member on another forum had said that the ac fan wont kick on if the IAT senses that it is 40 degrees or below outside... the ac kicked on ice cold but no radiator fan... so i dont know if thats the same thing or if the fan just died

I'm throwing in the towel on this one.

wish i could throw in the towel on this lol.... but unfortunately i need a car, have alot of personal problems going on in my life and lots of places i need to be... if these things werent going on in my life i would be fine with no car at all... but thats life for you

Results?




As for not kicking on below 40 degrees, I have no idea if that's true or not. I'd go out and try it in my driveway right now but we are having a warm spell near Pittsburgh.

i never got around to testing it because we had some wicked thunderstorms here today.... will attempt tomorrow