Re: 2006 Boxster S front rad fans not working??

I just checked my front rad fans after reading some info on boxster issues.I read that the fans have a low and high speed setting.I started the car and turned on the air but both fans do not
turn on.Is there a delay before they will run on slow speed.I waited a few minutes.I do remember cheaking them end off last season and both were working befor storing car for winter.
Also wondering if u can run car with low speed not working as long as the high speed are working,Frm what i have read the high speed setting will always work as long as the
fan motors are good,its the resistors that go for the low speed to come on and off.Is that correct?

Quote
moresquirt
I just checked my front rad fans after reading some info on boxster issues.I read that the fans have a low and high speed setting.I started the car and turned on the air but both fans do not
turn on.Is there a delay before they will run on slow speed.I waited a few minutes.I do remember cheaking them end off last season and both were working befor storing car for winter.
Also wondering if u can run car with low speed not working as long as the high speed are working,Frm what i have read the high speed setting will always work as long as the
fan motors are good,its the resistors that go for the low speed to come on and off.Is that correct?

Never noticed a delay with my 2002. When I turn on the A/C -- and the snowflake lights up -- the fans come on running at low speed right away. I never bothered to see what happens if it is too cold to let the compressor run -- the snowflake doesn't come on -- if the fans still come on. But not likely it is cold enough where you are for this to be a possibility.

You can choose to continue to drive the car with the fans not working at low speed -- you had better be sure they work at high speed -- but I'd limit the driving to home then come Monday to a shop to have this looked into, if you choose not dig into this yourself. Both fans not working suggests a common failure mode and this would have me worrried the common failure mode could have the high speed mode non-operational at some point. If this happens then you are pretty much out of luck.

I've always treated the two radiators with their separate fans as back ups to each other. All is good as long as both fans work but as soon as one side develops any problem I consider that serious enough to get the car to the shop pronto. Now I admit when I found a radiator fan not working in my other car while down Fresno way I didn't have the car flat bedded to a dealer but instead drove it home. But I kept a close eye on the temp and oil pressure gages and an ear tuned to any signs of trouble from the working radiator fan. I did this rather than press on eastward. Bad enough to be down to just one radiator in Fresno. No way I wanted to drive through even hotter regions with only one working radiator fan. BTW, the non-working radiator fan was not an electrical problem but instead a mechanical one. The motor shaft had snapped. When the fan on the other side acted up the fan was working but drawing way more current than it should have been. When one of the Boxster fans stopped working it was the resistor.

For trouble-shooting have you checked the fuses? Relays?

Yes i just did the rad clean outs but did not disconnect any wires other than the fog light large plug,there is a sensor off sort that was attached near the
centre off the bumper i noticed when i pulled the front bumper.I dont think it got damaged but i guess theres a possibility.Do u know what that sensor is for.
I think that the relay could be the culprit,can u tell me were that is located.I find it strange that both fans are not working as they both worked in the fall.
Is it possible that both Ballast resistors went at the same time! Thx

Quote
moresquirt
Yes i just did the rad clean outs but did not disconnect any wires other than the fog light large plug,there is a sensor off sort that was attached near the
centre off the bumper i noticed when i pulled the front bumper.I dont think it got damaged but i guess theres a possibility.Do u know what that sensor is for.
I think that the relay could be the culprit,can u tell me were that is located.I find it strange that both fans are not working as they both worked in the fall.
Is it possible that both Ballast resistors went at the same time! Thx

The sensor you mention I believe is the outside temperature sensor. There is one attached to the "grill" on my Boxster's passenger side. AFAIK that sensor has nothing to do with the functioning of the radiators. Maybe.

The fans are nominally controlled by the DME based on coolant temperature or the cooling level demanded by the A/C system if the A/C system is switched on. (Normally when the A/C is switched on both fans are switched on low speed. Under some conditions though the fans can be switched to high speed even though the coolant temperature doesn't warrant high speed.)

The sensor wants to be corrently attached to wherever it was attached before you dislodged it when cleaning the radiator ducts.

Unlikely both resistors went bad at the same time. For both fans to not work that suggests a common failure point but I'm not sure what that could be. While I don't have the info for the 2006 MY earlier MYs show two relays for the radiator fans, and two fuses for the radiator fans.

Thus I find it hard to imagine a failure that would take out two separate resistors, or two separate fuses, or two separate relays.

On the outside chance the sensor you disturbed when cleaning out the radiator ducts plays a role in both radiator fans not working be sure the sensor wiring is not damaged/broken and the sensor is put back where it was, attached probably to the "grill".

You can of course check the fuses and the relays. If you suspect one bad fuse I'd replace both. Likewise with the relays.

Unless you get lucky both fans not working concurrently I think is going to require a Porsche tech's experience/knowledge to diagnose.

ok Thx Marc.

Hi

Did you not just remove your bumper and clean your rads? Possible reassembly concerns?

Mike

MIKELLIG