GalanTTe_2

is there any way to manually enable the radiator fans just so that i can get to the dealer without my car overheating?

RedRoadster

Seriously, you should be fine. As long as your drive isn't too far, or in too hot conditions or lots of stop and go, you probably will not exceed normal cruise temps by much due to the flow of ambient air, and even if you do, it probably won't go as far as overheat.

GalanTTe_2

I barely made it home today after work. I now know that the needle will go way past H. :-) I had to pull over a few times to get the engine cool off. I did get the temperature alarm, so I did as the manual instructed.

I'm thinking the issue may be due to the water pump, because there are a lot of posts indicating that the fans usually do not come on during cold ambient temperatures (its about 19F in Chicago). I'll probably have to call AAA tomorrow for a flatbed. I'm not going to make the 30 mile trip to the dealer.

hAUDIni

try that next time to if you didn't.... hopefully it'll never happen again though!

OldSchool AG

you could have already damaged your engine. By the way, the "thermostat" isn't what turns on your fans. It opens & closes to maintain engine temp by regulating coolant flow to the radiator. If your thermostat is stuck shut, you WILL most definitely overheat within a few minutes. Manually enabling the fan will do NOTHING, because the fans blow air on the radiator, but if the thermostat is closed, no coolant is circulating thru the radiator back to the engine. The radiator in this case can be cold as ice and the engine will still be hot as hell.

And, if it is your water pump, it would have the same effect as above.

Any time something like that happens, running the heat at full blast should help matters a bit... but not for very long at all.

Oh, and to answer your question, turning on the A/C compressor (turn to Auto, no Econ) will manually trigger the fans into high speed (unless the fans or their wiring are kaput). But like I said if the pump or t-stat are out, it won't help.

AxeYrCat

The other option is to splice the wire and run a hot lead.


I'd go with the AC, though.