QuestionRoland,
I found the relay/s. There are 2 relays for
the fan, a high and a low. They were located
in a seperate box behind the power distribution
center which was blocked from view by the air
intake hose.
Anyway, I replace both relays and the fan still
won't kick off. Any other suggestions? If not,
I'll be forced to have to take in it to the
Chrysler dealership before my trip.
Thanks again...
Jerome Chmelik
Greeley, Colorado
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Followup To
Question -
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Followup To
Question -
I asked Pete Lacey yesterday about the
cooling fan running non stop on my wifes 1996
Chrysler Sebring and Pete said to replace the
fan relay (I already replaced the sensor which
didn't fix it). I purchased the relay but I can't
seem to locate the bad relay on the car itself.
Can you tell me where it's located? My original
question is below for reference...
My wife has a 1996 Chrysler Sebring convertable
JXI and the cooling fan in front of the radiator
continues to run non stop even when the engine
is cold. I already replaced the fan sensor (that
is installed on top of the manifold next to
the radiator filling cap) but it still runs
when cold. Any ideas of what else it could be?
Could the replacement sensor be bad as well? Any
advise would be very helpful. We are planning
on driving the car to Illinois (1000 miles one
way) for a wedding next week and I don't
want the fan to burn out and end up stuck on
the interstate with an over heated engine.
Thanx,
Jerome Chmelik
Greeley, Colorado
Answer -
Hi Jerome,
Sorry for the delay, I was giving platelets over at the blood bank.
The fan relay is no doubt located in the power distribution center, under the hood. That is a long narrow box with a removable lid located near the battery. It should show on the lid what the various relays in the box are for, or be labelled next to each relay. I hope this helps you find it, and that the relay will do the job. If not, let me know and we'll go a little further.
Roland
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Roland,
I know of the box you're referring to. It's a black box with a
removable top. However, the relay is not identified in it. Plus,
the relays in the box are smaller then the replacement relay I
purchased. The 5 relays in the box are identified as follows...
EATX SHUTDOWN RELAY, FUEL PUMP RELAY, WIPER HI/LO RELAY, INTERM
WIPER RELAY and AIR COND. RELAY
There is also a second fuse panel on the drivers side of the
dash board with 3 additional relays labled as follows... HORN
RELAY, HEADLAMP DELAY RELAY and a REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER RELAY
which happens to look/installs like the replacement relay I just
purchased, maybe the auto part store gave me the wrong relay?, but
I don't think so. Anyway, there must be a 3rd panel somewhere
on the car. Any other ideas?
Thanx,
Jerome Chmelik
Greeley, Colorado
Answer -
Hi Jerome,
The only other external places to look under the hood are on the inner fender walls of the engine compartment or the fire wall, or the strut towers. All those locations were used in the LeBaron convertible which preceeded the Sebring. In the cabin you could look on the inner cowl on the driver's side which is above the "kick panel" to the left of your left shin. Look up from a low position to see it up on the side wall where they had a relay block, again in the LeBaron convertible. I am surprised it isn't in the PDC because all the Chrysler cars that I have specs on for that time frame put it there. Also you could trace the wire from the fan backwards to see where it join a harness and then where does the harness go to because that relay is the next chain in the power line to the fan.
Roland
AnswerHi Jerome,
The words "I'll be forced to take it to the Chrysler dealership" always get my attention!
I am thinking that there may be something in the coolant temperature sensor wires that is causing the fan to come on. (By the way, are there two fans or one that operates at two speeds?) The coolant temp circuit on many of the computers is so set that if you unplug the connector for the sensor the fans will come on and to me that means that you may have an open wire in the pair of wires that go to the sensor which is then being seen as an open or disconnect situation by the computer. I assume that you have the 2.5L V-6 engine, otherwise let me know. The sensor is located at the base of the coolant filler neck and cap. So I would check that the connector is clean internally as far as the electricals contacts are concerned and examine the wires from the connector to the harness to observe any damage to the insulation. There is a plastic "ear" on the plug that you gently lift to release the plug from the sensor. Now none of the above will be necessary if your engine temperature gauge (I assume that you have one, if not then forget this sentence) is operating normally, because a disconnect or open line from the sensor would also cause that to read either always cold or always hot.
But going on,the two wires from the computer that go to the sensor are located on pins 26 and 43 (those are on two different plugs at the computer) so it would be good to verify with an ohmmmeter that the each wire is patent to its other end at the sensor disconnect plug.
If all that checks out, then you are left with determining whether the wires that control the fan relays are perhaps grounded (one or the other at least) because that would be another way that a relay would stay on all the time. (Aside: Oh, and by the way, are you aware that the fans run continuously when the A/C is "on". Could that be why you think there is a problem with the fans?)
There are two lines at pins 55 and 69 on one of the plugs on the computer. I would remove the plug (the one with pins# 41-80) and test to see whether either of those pins is grounded (reads 0 ohms when measured from the pin to the - post of the battery) when you have the relays out of their sockets. If so, then that grounded condition explains why the fan relay using that wire would always be on...a wire whose insulation has shorted it to ground (any metal surface of the body or engine or the - post of the battery).
The very last thing to do is to remove the relays and see if either fan continues to run which if it did would say there is a short between the relay socket and the fan and so the wires would have to be checked between the relay box and the fan to find the short (between the 12V battery supply and the wire that goes to the fans which normally is not connected unless the relay is activated by the computer.)
So contemplate on these possibilities, check out what you can, and get back with the answer or another question.
Good hunting! and stay away from the dealer!
Roland
