Peugeot 406 (1996 - 1998) - 98 1.8 petrol help with cooling fans

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Wed 9 Jan 2008 14:08
98 1.8 petrol help with cooling fans - frustrated_pug_owner
Hi

If anyone is able to help I would greatly appreciate your advice.
My S reg Pug 406 LX 1.8 petrol (with 156000 on the clock) is starting to do my head in.

I know how to drive a car, but when it comes to repairing or diagnosing problems I get really stuck.

Everytime I turn the ignition off, whether I've done 2 miles or 100 miles, the cooling fans at the front of the car start to kick in.
The temp gauge is reading between 70 - 80 so the engine is not running hot. The fans never actually kick in fully, they just turn over in a feeble attempt to start up, but keep doing this for about 20 mins after ignition is switched off. This is resulting in a flat battery more often than I'd like.
I'm guessing that either the sensor/relays are knackered or the fans themselves. Any advice or help would be gratefully received (preferably in Idiots Guide language.)

Thanks

Edited by Pugugly {P} on 09/01/2008 at 14:34

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 9 Jan 2008 16:28
98 1.8 petrol help with cooling fans - Screwloose

Those fans can drive even an auto-sparks scatty. The brown sensor on the engine feeds the Bitron relay in the arch under the N/S headlight and the various plugs; wiring and relays get destroyed by corrosion.

Check inside the housing between the fans; the big multi-sockets below the battery and the wiring loom running across the front panel.

Be warned; this can turn into a disaster area.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 9 Jan 2008 22:38
98 1.8 petrol help with cooling fans - frustrated_pug_owner
Thanks for your info, however I've just solved the problem. It was simple really, all I had to do was go out and buy a new car!

Thanks anyway.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 9 Jan 2008 23:37
98 1.8 petrol help with cooling fans - Screwloose
FPO

Probably a very good move.

That is the outcome of a very significant percentage of my work nowadays. Nobody has the will [or funds] to get involved with repairing these over-complex cars.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide

Cold-snap snow-how: Advice on coping with the freezing weather, including videos, facts and winter driving advice.

Honest John's Guide To Winter Tyres