Had a hot wire short out and now the car is overheating

Tiny
JUDITH TRAMMELL
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 DODGE NEON
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 50,978 MILES
I just replaced the cooling fan motor. I recently had a hot wire short out and now the car is overheating. I cannot find the sensor that tells the fan to come on. How do I fix this?
Saturday, January 19th, 2008 AT 3:15 AM

1 Reply

Tiny
SQM
  • MECHANIC
  • 6,383 POSTS
Hello,

The radiator fan can be inoperative due to a bad relay, coolant temperature sensor or faulty wiring.

First check the relay. It is located in the under-hood fuse box (see diagram below).
Check for corrosion or burn pin(s).
This relay can also be tested for functionality:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-an-electrical-relay-and-wiring-control-circuit

If the relay is good, then check the coolant temperature sensor. That sensor is what send the signal to the ECM to turn on the fan.
The coolant temperature sensor is located on the side of the engine, between the battery and the engine (see diagram below).

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/symptoms-of-a-bad-coolant-temperature-sensor
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/coolant-temperature-sensor-cts-replacement

Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you.
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Friday, October 22nd, 2021 AT 7:56 PM

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