Radiator fan relay location

Tiny
DELIHLE
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 DODGE STRATUS
Four cylinder front wheel drive automatic 198,000 miles.
Radiator fans only come on when the air conditioner is running on high. I discovered that after I replaced fan assembly, but changing fans did not fix the problem. Thought it could be the fan relay(s) but cannot find where they are. Could it be another problem? Thanks for any assistance!
Monday, November 2nd, 2009 AT 9:56 PM

17 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 54,137 POSTS
Hello,

Yes, it does sound like the relay is bad, but to be sure lets d a test by following this guide:

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

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-a-car-fuse

Here are the fuse and relay locations along with the wiring diagram for the radiator cooling fans.

Check out the diagrams (below).

Please let us know what happens.

Cheers, Ken
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Monday, December 18th, 2017 AT 2:40 PM
Tiny
LALFAN
  • MEMBER
  • 179 POSTS
  • 1998 DODGE STRATUS
  • 20,000 MILES
Want to know how the cooling fans work. Low speed and high speed. Does the low start first, then if needed the high speed run? If the high starts does the low stop running or should they both run until cool enough? With the air on in town it will overheat. I have seen them both run but the low stops and the high speed actually runs faster. If the air is on should they both run all the time? I have some information on testing relays with ohm meter. Not sure which setting you use. It has the 2.4 with automatic transmission. Thanks, Craig
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Monday, December 18th, 2017 AT 2:41 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
The low speed will kick in at lower temperature then when the higher temperature is reached the high speed fan kicks in.
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Monday, December 18th, 2017 AT 2:41 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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The information will help you see if the fans are working correctly. Is the upper and lower radiator hoses getting really hot?
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Monday, December 18th, 2017 AT 2:41 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LALFAN
  • MEMBER
  • 179 POSTS
Not sure on the hoses. I just know that soon as the high speed turns on the low speed goes off and the high speed actually goes faster when the low shuts off. They should run together for awhile and its seems like the low is shutting down right away. Will have to put my scanner on it to try to read temperature correctly. If the air is on should they both be running?
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Monday, December 18th, 2017 AT 2:41 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
The fan on with the AC depends on the engine temperature as well as the low speed running with the high speed. I posted the fan operation and a chart that tells you when the fans should be on and off. In my last post also your scan tool could be reading the incorrect temperature if the coolant temperature sensor is reading incorrect. I would use a infrared temperature gun to measure temperature where the upper radiator hose goes onto the head. You can also use the infrared temperature gun to see if the coolant temperature sensor is reading the correct temperature on your scan tool which would effect the fans operation. Also, see if both upper and lower radiator hoses are getting really hot so you know if the thermostat is working correctly.
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Monday, December 18th, 2017 AT 2:41 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LALFAN
  • MEMBER
  • 179 POSTS
The top hose feels hotter to me. Is the temperature sensor in the middle of the block under the intake? At idle with the scanner and air on both fans on at 199 then as it got warmer the low went off at about 203 and the went faster and stayed on. It was running at 206. With air off the ran pretty close to your information you sent. It seemed to me that air on at a idle the temperature would just keep going up. Would have thought driving in town maybe would have been okay. Thinking I should try a thermostat and probably a new sensor to make sure. So my scanner reads what the sensor reads? When it gets hot she said transmission does not want to shift right. Has codes p1776, p0700, and p0420 in it. Thanks.
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Monday, December 18th, 2017 AT 2:41 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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I posted the location of the coolant temperature sensor for you. I would also use a infrared temperature gun to make sure the coolant temperature sensor is tracking actual temperature.
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Monday, December 18th, 2017 AT 2:41 PM (Merged)
Tiny
PATBAKER
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1998 DODGE STRATUS
  • 250,000 MILES
The cooling fans do not work. The fuse is good. Do not know where the relay or the sensor is located. Do not know what the relay or the sensor looks like either. The relay is not in the fuse box as shown. I am not a mechanic as you can tell.
Just trying to sell it but need to replace or fix these first. Can you help me?
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Monday, December 18th, 2017 AT 2:41 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Those codes do not look good. I posted the trouble tree for them.
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Monday, December 18th, 2017 AT 2:41 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,796 POSTS
Did you try to see if the fan works with the AC activated?

Roy
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Monday, December 18th, 2017 AT 2:41 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LALFAN
  • MEMBER
  • 179 POSTS
Was told before that they thought converter was bad because code for that has been there a long time. Transmission does fine until it tries to get hot. Then it does not want to shift. I am sure it could use a filter and new fluid. Otherwise it really seams to do good for the miles and shape it is in. Need to talk to you about her; 2000 IS2 Aaturn v6 sometime soon. You have helped me several times with all my Saturn's. Thanks again for the help.
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Monday, December 18th, 2017 AT 2:41 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
From the trouble tree for the transmission code if your going to drop the pan and changing the fluid anyways follow the trouble tree I posted. I remember you I just looked at your user name. I answer so many questions I do not even pay attention to user names anymore. Start a new question for your friends Saturn. Start the question with this one is for saturntech9 and they will leave it for me to answer. We will figure it out not a problem. Also, you are welcome for helping you with your car that is what we are here for. Start that Saturn question there has not been many Saturn questions coming in lately and that makes me sad, lol.
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Monday, December 18th, 2017 AT 2:41 PM (Merged)
Tiny
GNFOSTER
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
There was a question above by LALFAN about Dodge Stratus cooling fan that was not clearly answered for my application. I have the same question so I will word it differently.

Schematic is unclear because I do not know what happens in the PCM.

When the low speed fan runs, there is power supplied by the green wire to fans. When high speed runs, is there power to fans by only the yellow wire, or does high speed occur when power is supplied to both green and yellow at same time?

It seems upon testing that there may be three speeds. Low (green), medium (yellow) and high (green and yellow). Are these fans mean to run only low (green hot) and high (yellow hot) separately or is there an occasion when both green and yellow are powered?
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Thursday, June 21st, 2018 AT 11:38 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 54,137 POSTS
The computer decides what fan to turn on and when so there can be may combinations. Is your car overheating? Do you see each fan come on?
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Thursday, June 21st, 2018 AT 12:37 PM
Tiny
GNFOSTER
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Thanks for the quick response.

No overheating yet.

I am installing the Stratus cooling fan on an older car with a 5.3L Chevrolet motor.

Both fans run when power is supplied to either green or yellow, just at different speeds.

I currently have it wired for temperature 1 to kick on low speed (green) and temperature 2 kicks off low speed (green) and on high speed (yellow). A/C signal overrides and turns on low speed if neither is on.

I was just wondering if I should have wired it so both green and yellow supply power to fan when high speed is needed or if that would overload the fan.

Any chance you know the cfm ranges for the three speeds?
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Thursday, June 21st, 2018 AT 12:54 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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No, it will not overload the fans wire them to come on full when needed. I do not know the CMF of the fans sorry. Let me know how it turns out.

Cheers, Ken
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Friday, June 22nd, 2018 AT 9:34 AM

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