Can faulty A/C condenser fan make car overheat without ever having turned on A/C

Tiny
MICHAELSMITHEY
  • MEMBER
  • 1997 HYUNDAI TIBURON
  • 11,100 MILES
Are both fans supposed to come on at the same time on a 97 hyundai tiburon 2.0 liter. Sorry to ask 2 questions but this overheating problems starting to get to me. Thanks again, Michael p.S Already replaced one thermostat now on to number two and the water pump is fine
Friday, July 6th, 2012 AT 9:18 AM

13 Replies

Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,796 POSTS
Did it overheat prior to the repair? If so, how many times? Get a leak down test to confirm a blown head gasket.

Roy
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Friday, July 6th, 2012 AT 11:19 AM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
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Both fans are supposed to run together with or without A/C.

Do you mean engine has more than one thermostat? This is news to me.

Do you have coolant losses issues?
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Friday, July 6th, 2012 AT 2:05 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
These fans are NOT wired to run simultaneously. One of them is a radiator cooling fan and the other is an A/C condenser fan and are prompted to run differently
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Friday, July 6th, 2012 AT 2:19 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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Please check the wiring schematics.
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Friday, July 6th, 2012 AT 2:30 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
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I did, They are triggered independently

http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa448/Wrenchtech/62548557.gif
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Friday, July 6th, 2012 AT 2:47 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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Circuit is independent but they work together.
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Friday, July 6th, 2012 AT 4:49 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
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They wouldn't be independently controlled if that were the case.
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Friday, July 6th, 2012 AT 5:56 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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This is what says.

DESCRIPTION & OPERATION

The electric cooling fans are used for radiator and A/C condenser cooling. Cooling fans operate when A/C is on and when engine coolant temperature exceeds a specific value. One or more cooling fan relays may be used. Radiator and condenser fan motors are controlled by the Engine Control Module (ECM) based on engine temperature input and A/C system status.
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Friday, July 6th, 2012 AT 6:21 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
Nothing in that description states that they run simultaneously all the time. The PCM has in dependent controls so it is able to control them independently. I'm not saying that there is never a scenario that runs both of them but they have their own independent criteria to run and they may or may not run together at any given time.
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Friday, July 6th, 2012 AT 6:35 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
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I don't know maybe the vehicles over your place has a different system but the Tiburon we have here have both fans running when A/C is turned on or when temperature increases.
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Friday, July 6th, 2012 AT 6:46 PM
Tiny
MICHAELSMITHEY
  • MEMBER
  • 41 POSTS
Yesterday I drove for about an hour using the a/c for the first time this year and the car overheated, so I turned it off "the a/c " and still the overheating persisted. Even at highway speeds 70 to 80 mph. So I let the car cool down and tried again with no a/c usage this time and same problem.I replaced one thermostat and apparently there's another one behind that one with another gasket so I will have to do that again. Hope this helps How do you jump the a/c fan from the battery to see if it works maybe Ineed that extra cooling power
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Friday, July 6th, 2012 AT 7:09 PM
Tiny
MICHAELSMITHEY
  • MEMBER
  • 41 POSTS
And no there was no other overheating problem before yesterday
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Friday, July 6th, 2012 AT 7:12 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
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If the car overheated at highway speeds, then the fans are not your problem. You need to pressure test the cooling system to determine where any leaks are.
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Friday, July 6th, 2012 AT 7:15 PM

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