Does my engine fan run too much?

fgaffney

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Just noticed recently that the fan in my engine bay seems to be coming on quite a lot and I was wondering if it was a fault or a 'characteristic' of my TDi engine?

As well as coming on all the time in slow moving traffic I notice it regularly comes on not long after startup and long before the temp guage hits the 90 mark so I don't know what it's trying to cool down?

My temp gauge rises steadily to 90 and doesn't move from there at anytime during my drive. I've also had a replacement cylinder head, cam belt and water pump fitted approx 3000 miles ago if that could be relevant?

Is this normal?
 
Coolant levels are fine and haven't moved since the head was replaced.
 
i was getting the coolant message on the DIS plus the fans coming on, Turned out to be a faulty coolant temp sensor. I had the same problem with the temp gauge, everytime it hit 90 my fans would go wild.
 
The fans will run a lot in this warm weather if you have climate control on (which most of us will do this time of year)... Sounds normal.
 
The fans will run a lot in this warm weather if you have climate control on (which most of us will do this time of year)... Sounds normal.
my fans run alot in this weather to from having the climate control nearly on constant so if your levels are normal and your car runs fine then its because you have got the climate control on nothing more
 
Thanks for the replies so far.

Just to clarify... I'm talking about the engine fan which I thought should only come on to cool the engine temperature in the event of it rising above 90 degrees?

Yes the cabin fans are on all the time as I do use climate control but I don't see how this would determine when the engine cooling fan comes on? Are they relevant?

My engine fan comes on long before the temperature ever rises to 90 which is why I'm questioning it?
 
If the climate control is on (which it generally is if you have it) then the engine fans run in conjuction with it as they run to cool the air/con radiator which positioned next to the main engine radiator. This is why the fans have variable speeds to increase/decrease the level of cooling required....
If it's hot in the car, then both the internal fans and engine fans will run at maximum speed to cool the car as quickly as possible regardless of whether the the temp gauge is at 90 or not..
 
If the climate control is on (which it generally is if you have it) then the engine fans run in conjuction with it as they run to cool the air/con radiator which positioned next to the main engine radiator. This is why the fans have variable speeds to increase/decrease the level of cooling required....
If it's hot in the car, then both the internal fans and engine fans will run at maximum speed to cool the car as quickly as possible regardless of whether the the temp gauge is at 90 or not..

Many thanks... that would explain things. I tried driving with the climate control off and the engine fan didn't come on in the same manner as it had done... I didn't know they were related!
 
My fans never go on, or I can never hear them. No errors on VCDS.
 
Rather than start a new thread thought I'd add to this. Had the ECU update done today (3.2v6)
only now the temp guage sticks at 50 and the fan permanently runs. This car is doing my nut.
Had it a month and its one thing after another. Coolant is fine etc and the temp guage does
lift to 50 but won't go any further and as said the fan runs from the moment you start.
Possible temp sensor?? Only thing is that if it is the temp sensor and it doesn't go above 50
why does the fan always come on? Is it some sort of default?? i.e If a sensor fails does
it do that as a safety precaution?

Cheers People :(
 
Coolant sensors are usually the issue here Nezzy, try these 1st mate.
 
Thank you kind sir. I'll get my friend to check them next week.
Would you advise not to drive it or should it not be too much problem.
 
I cant be 100% sure it wont be an issue, but it sounds like if the fans are running, then it will be ok as its keeping things supercool atm, which is a good thing.

If audi did the ecu update, then why not go back to them or whoever & advise of the issue at hand, as if wasnt there before, then they really should be responsible to see what is causing.