etraub

2005 TL. After shutting down the engine, the fan that normally runs for a brief period of time has been running at a much higher speed than normal and keeps on running. What is the problem and how can I resolve it?

Will Y.

Welcome to Acurazine.
Check the car's coolant level while cold. The coolant should be up close to the radiator cap, and up to the "COLD" line on the white coolant overflow reservoir.
If the coolant is not up to those levels, bring the coolant to the proper level[s] and see if that reduces fan operation. Then watch the coolant levels over the next few weeks to make sure you don't have a leak.
If the coolant is at the proper levels now or the level drops noticeably within a week after filling, take the car to the dealer for service under warranty.

Xx06SickspdTlxX

do the procedure above first if that is not the case it could be a bad cooling fan relay!

etraub

Post #3

Check the car's coolant level while cold. The coolant should be up close to the radiator cap, and up to the "COLD" line on the white coolant overflow reservoir.
If the coolant is not up to those levels, bring the coolant to the proper level[s] and see if that reduces fan operation. Then watch the coolant levels over the next few weeks to make sure you don't have a leak.
If the coolant is at the proper levels now or the level drops noticeably within a week after filling, take the car to the dealer for service under warranty.
...............................
do the procedure above first if that is not the case it could be a bad cooling fan relay!

Thanks, Will Y and Xx06SickspdTlxX, for your quick responses. I will do as you both suggest and will first check to see if the engine is not cooling as it should, and, if it is, then take it in for service.

To add to the cogent information here, the fan was running at an extreme speed, not just the normal, after-shutdown speed which is reasonably quiet.

I let it run for about twenty minutes (by which time it would have normally cooled the engine). Incidentally, the temp indicator on the dash was at no time above normal.

In any case, I finally pulled the #11 fuse and it stopped. When I restored the fuse, it didn't start up again. I restarted the engine and let it run for a while. Then stopped it and the problem did not recur.

I will definitely check the coolant to rule out the possibility that it is operating as it should and there is actually a problem with the cooling system. If it is at a normal level when cold, I will be sure to take it in for service. It seems very likely that either the relay or the thermostat is faulty.

Does this sound like an appropriate way to deal with this? And is there any other consequence if this happens again other than prematurely running down the battery?

Again, guys, thanks for your quick help.

ET

Will Y.

Absolutely appropriate.
Xx06SickspdTlxX may be right about a defective fan switch/relay if your fan is running at high speed after the engine is turned off. I believe a couple of other TL owners mentioned issues with the fan switch/relay in other threads here too; they were replaced under warranty. I don't recall anyone having any problems with the thermostat itself.
I am not aware of other consequences of a continuously running fan beyond battery drain, but pulling the fuse is a good move to minimize potential issues. G/L, and let us know how things go!

etraub

Great! It's a curious thing, though, that when I replaced the fuse it didn't restart. If it was a relay, I guess that just killing the power to it would have opened it and it wouldn't close again until the input from the thermostat caused it to do so.

ET