Radiator Fans & Switches - My '98 2.5 TL is having several problems all at once. The first of which, I have yet to remedy. The passenger side radiator fan conitues to run even after the ignition switch is turned off...I realize it is supposed to run for a cerain duration after turning the car off to cool the temperature of the radiator and coolant, but mine continues to run until the battery is no longer able to maintain a charge. I have had to replace the fan motor due to its continued run on and the motor bearings collapsing, as well as replacing the fan switch A at the radiator and the thermo temperature switch at the Thermostat. Not to mention a new battery!! Thank "God"... for the internet and the Acura dealers with discount parts. This is starting to get very expensive and I've had to pull out all of my mental faculties in order to try and fix this problem.

I'm playing a guessing game as to which switch/sensor is responsible for the continued run on of this fan. Do you think the main adjustable thermostaic fan switch is responsible?? It is one of the several I have yet to replace.

Drive Shaft Axle Assembly - While I had my car on the lift to repair the above mentioned problems, I noticed that both outer boots on the drive axles were split apart. As inexpensive as the entire drive axle assembilies are... should I avoid future problems with these as well and just replace the entire assembilies??

NOW!! Here's the proverbial "STRAW THAT BREAKS THE CAMELS BACK" - It appears that the catolytic converter is failing!! WHERE DOES IT END!! This car only has 110,000 miles on it and has been very well maintained...new timing belt, new alternator, power steering and AC Condensor belts, new pulleys at the crank shaft (Pulleys split at the alternator portion). I realize the car is getting on in age and is need of some major parts replacement...but what else can I expect to happen without totally rebuilding this car?? The family loves this car and its almost like a family member now...I think its starting to costing me more than the (2) teenagers we have!! Is there a good...cheap aftermarket catolytic converter for this car or am I at the mercy of the "DREADED ACURA DEALERS"?

I certainly have great empathy for those of you that don't have the ability to work on these cars for themselves. I would be TOTALLY BROKE if I did not have a certain amount of mechanical aptitude and the shop to work on this vehicle. Look forward to hearing from the flustrated among us!!

 

I had the fan problem and a new relay for the fan fixed the problem. It should cost around 30 bucks for a relay and you can easily change it yourself.

As for the axle boots. If the grease is still fresh then you don't really need to change anything except the boots, otherwise you might need to.

 

A car w/ this age/mileage will need some parts to be replaced. No one can predict if yours will be better or worse than others. Acuras, in general, are good to very high mileage numbers, but not w/o basic maintenance and a few problems such as axles, wheel bearings, cooling fans, blower fan (hard repair), ac compressor, brake rotors, shocks, sway bar bushings, ABS.

Your post is confusing? Have you replaced Thermoswitch A (controls fans running w/ engine On) or Thermoswitch B (controls radiator fan running w/ engine OFF)? A thermoswitch is easy to test. If fan is running too long, pull the connector to the themoswitch. If fan goes off, the thermoswitch is the problem. If fan stay on, the fan relay is the problem.

Why do you think the catalytic converter is failing. Did you get a code P0420 "catalytic converter efficiency low"?

New boots are a good fix for cv axles unless they've been run for a long time. Boot replacement is very messy and will cost more than a replacement CV axle assembly if you pay someone else to perform. Recently I've had good luck w/ axles from Autozone. Used axles can be good, but inspect them very closely as it's easy to miss a damaged boot (guess how I know!).

good luck