318 e46 electric fan keeps on running

[BladeHunter]

Hi there i have searched the forum for this topic for some reason cant find anything. Ok here goes nothing.
The electric fan on my 2000 e46 318i never shuts of even if the car is left standing over night. Any ideas as to what the problem can be? I'm not even sure if it is supposed to be like that. Oh and by the way it has no viscous fan.
Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[danieljames]

Do theses cars have a fan switch h on the radiator similar to the e36's.?
That's the first thing I'd look at.

 

[Lizzard]

Have a look at your thermostat, we are talking about the fan in the engine bay and not the one in the car as that one if it doesn't switch off then it is the FSR unit that is faulty, this is for the one inside the car

I think you should try and get someone with diagnostics software to read the error and it will guide you to the problem. those fans according to me is switched on by the thermostat temperature, so maybe look at the thermostat or just switch your car on to full blast inside and crank the heat up inside to full 32°C and see if you get heat or something.

Just options to try but it sure sounds like a heat thing :sorry:

 

[moranor@axis]

its the fan module unfortunately you have to buy a whole new fan to fix it because it is not available separately Silverton radiators can supply a new OEM brand one... you can go there get them to fit and make sure the new fan fixes the problem 99% chance it is the module

these can catch fire when on full for a long time so unplug the fan when you park it for now and plug in when you drive
the plug is on the top of the fan left side not the small one but the larger one next to the small plug

 

[BladeHunter]

Ok let me rephrase as i see i did not mention what and where and when in detail.
Its the radiator fan, as soon as one turns on the ignition the fan starts up automatically and never stops unless you switch of the ignition. Wether its hot or cold. So I'm guessing it must be something with the thermostat, see i have owned the car for a while but yesterday a friend of a friend of a friend told me that's not normal. I kinda thought it is normal hahahahaha stuped me. Thanks for all the replies

 

[moranor@axis]

not sure what could cause that it may not be the module then also you dont have to worry about fire then

 

[Nikhil]

Sounds like a coolant temp sensor issue

 

[BladeHunter]

Thanks for all the replies tell me is there a way one can test the module or get it tested somewhere i need to be sure before i just buy a new fan?
Ps: I changed the thermostat and the temp sensor. I'm just waiting for my scan tool to arrive, then i will see what the diagnosis is.