The radiator in your vehicle holds the coolant that circulates through the engine and keeps it from overheating. If the fan on your radiator is not working properly, air cannot circulate to cool the fluid that in turn cools the engine. If your engine has had overheating problems, you may want to check your radiator fan and water pump. This is a something you can easily do yourself without spending a lot of money for a professional mechanic. However, if you ignore the problem and let your engine get too hot, you may ruin your engine entirely.
Instructions
- 1
Determine whether your radiator fan is manual or electric. A manual fan is bolted to the water pump and runs off the same belt as the pump. An electric fan has wires that connect to your vehicle's electrical system.
2Start the vehicle and allow it to get to the temperature where the fan starts to operate.
3Grab your volt meter and test if there is power to the wires. Connect one end of the volt meter to a ground and the other end to the electrical connection on the fan. This will give you the voltage reading.
4Check your fuses if the volt meter reads no power. The normal voltage for a radiator fan is 12 volts. If your radiator fan reads 12 volts and you still have problems, your fan likely needs to be replaced.
5Conduct a visual inspection for a manual radiator fan. Be certain the four bolts holding the radiator fan are tight.
