Tips for Diagnosing Causes of Automotive Radiator Fan Failure

A malfunctioning cooling fan will cause your vehicle to overheat and lead to serious engine damage down the road. Have you already learned how to identify the cause of cooling fan failure? If not, read this article from Huynh Chau automotive lubricant distributor to find the most accurate answer!

See also:

• Everything you need to know about automotive engine coolant
• 6 tips to maintain and boost power for older vehicle engines
• What causes oil leaks in vehicles?

A cooling fan that doesn't work can result from many different causes

1. Assess the conditions to check the cooling fan's operating performance

The cooling fan is a critical component of an automotive cooling system. Before investigating the causes of cooling fan failure, we need to assess the actual condition of the radiator.

Typically, if the vehicle's cooling system malfunctions, the following symptoms will appear:

• Coolant leakage: When you notice unusual fluid under your vehicle, observe carefully to determine whether it is automotive motor oil or coolant. If the leaked fluid is cockroach brown in color, it is motor oil. If the fluid is green, pink, or orange in color with a sweet smell, it is coolant.
• Sediment buildup inside the engine: When a vehicle's cooling system malfunctions, the coolant becomes contaminated with sediment accumulation. If not cleaned, this sediment will stick to the engine and gradually cause damage.
• Engine overheating and starting to smoke: There are many causes of engine overheating, such as low oil level, low-quality motor oil changes, damaged internal engine components, etc. However, the most common reason is a malfunction in the cooling system's fan.

Engine overheating may be a sign that the cooling fan is experiencing problems

When you notice the abnormal signs mentioned above, you need to check whether the cooling fan is working by: allowing the engine to idle, then turning on the air conditioning to maximum. If the cooling fan does not run when the engine heats up, it means the fan has failed.

2. Causes of cooling fan failure

When the vehicle runs, the engine burns fuel in the combustion chamber and generates a large amount of heat. At this time, the cooling fan along with coolant and automotive motor oil work to reduce heat and limit the impact of friction on the engine. However, if the cooling fan does not operate, it will cause