boomer11

Can someone please tell me the location of the cooling fan control module on this car? I've searched the web and got these different locations as to where it is:
1. Under dash on drivers side.
2. Under dash on passengers side.
3. Right side of passengers side on wall just in front of door.
4. Passengers side under carpet.
5. Under dash behind radio/CD changer.

The car is 2002 TL non-type S with navigation system. I don't want to start taking things apart to get to it just to find out that it isn't there.
Thanks for any help.

01acls

01acls

02-03 TL

Here's a much better pic.

boomer11

Thanks for the "much better picture". This is much better. I had seen the first picture, among others showing it in different locations. Do you know if I would need to pull the radio to get to it or would I be able to access it from underneath the dash without removing the radio.

01acls

Don't know never done one but pretty sure you do because it's pretty tight in there. Radio is not a big deal once you're there... just four screw More.

If you want to know how to get the radio out just youtube Acura 2g or tl for Grom radio/bluetooth.

01tl4tl

why don't you tell us the symptoms and what you think is wrong??- before tearing the car apart for no apparent reason~

cabin fan problems are often the power plug, the resistor, or blower motor itself
Sometimes the power plug failure leads to the others failures

01tl4tl

Number of people who have asker about this exact part in my 7 years on this forum = 0

boomer11

Thank you for your reply and for your interest. My problem is that occasionally the engine will overheat. It started out as maybe once every couple of weeks, now 3-4 times a week; temperature gauge goes up 3-4 lines from the red. I might drive 20 miles before it heats up when it does heat up. I suspected the cooling fan wasn't turning on when it should so I replaced the temperature switch at the thermostat housing since it was inexpensive and easily accessible but there was no change. I connected a 12 volt lamp in parallel with the fan motor and ran it up next to the windshield wiper so I could see when the fan came on. It would come on bright when the a/c was turned on and the fans would run so I know the fan and relay are o.k. When the engine would warm up to normal temperature the lamp would not come on bright indicating full voltage to the motor but would glow dim at different brightness levels indicating a varying reduced voltage. I didn't thing the control module would put out an analog signal to the motor. I expected to see either full voltage (light bright) or no voltage (light off) or maybe even a second middle voltage if it was sending a 2-speed signal to the fan but not a varying voltage. If the control module was fairly accessible where I could put a meter on the connections I wanted to monitor the incoming signals and outgoing voltages at the module. However, this morning as a test I disconnected the connector at the temperature switch and jumpered the connections so that the fans would run continuously but the engine started overheating after about 20 miles so now I think there may be an issue with the water pump or thermostat.

boomer11

I forgot to mention that yesterday on the way home, before I jumpered out the temperature switch, the temperature gauge went up to about ¾ of the way but the cooling fan did not turn on. As mentioned before, the temperature switch was replaced with a new one earlier.

01acls

You can just let the car idle for 15 min to check the fans, half hour max.

It's best to change the thermostat first when you suspect a over heating problem for many reasons.

It's readly accessible; inexpensive; not uncommon; may prevent damage to the motor... etc.

Do use OEM it's a critical part.

boomer11

I plan on changing the thermostat this evening but won't be driving the car any distances until Tuesday. I'll post back then.

01acls

You can check the fan relay by switching places with the condenser fan relay, then run the car and the ac on max/recirculation. The ac fan should run fast.

Skirmich

Also there are levels to the Radiator Fans...
If the car is running and at speed the fans will only come on at half speed and if the engine isn't HOT but Warm they will also come only at half speed.

This has to do with the fact the TL uses BOTH FANS instead of 1 main and the A/C as back up to cool the car like most other brands.
So they can be used at a relative low speed and since they are both running they cool off the A/F just as well as 1 full speed fan.


This is noted somewhere in the Maintenance Manual.


And the TL-S has 3 Fan Switches.. You just replaced 1, The other main behind the Timing Belt Cover is also essential..
The 3rd (Type-S Only Fan Switch C) seems to be only for some working conditions.. Switch A/B are the important ones.

01acls

BTW: The fans do have 2 speeds, a hi and a low. Hi speed kicks in at 210 degrees so your temperature control module is working correctly.

01acls

He has a TL P.

Skirmich

Ohh just saw "2002 TL non-type S"..
A model base we call it a "TL-p" for future reference.

boomer11

Thanks for all of your help. Wasn't aware that the fans were 2 speed. Also, wasn't sure about the switch behind the timing belt cover. Saw wires going down that direction but couldn't follow them too far and looked like something difficult to get to and didn't want to get that far into it until I was sure there was a switch at the end and that it might be the problem. I saw the switch on the thermostat housing that I replaced and saw another, that I first thought was a second switch near it but when unplugged saw the temperature gauge go to zero and so figured out that it was an RTD instead of a switch and probably didn't have anything to do with fan control.

boomer11

Thank you.

01acls

01tl4tl

the 2002 fan sensor A, the most common failure is not at the thermostat- you probably replaced the dash temp gauge sender

The 2000-2003 fan sensor A is located at bottom right corner of radiator- it screws in

normally- with ac off, the driver fan operates at stoplights, maybe for only 15-30 seconds and goes off
Ac ON causes BOTH fans to run -specs as noted above
BUT
if the radiator is clogged (observe flow with cap removed cold- start and warm up engine at idle) adding the load of ac will spike the temp
Weak water pump will spike temp at idle too, ck for signs of leak from the weep hole on its bottom

Buy a Fan sensor A and a Honda 2 stage thermostat from the dealer, make sure the indicator dot on thermo goes at the top on installation
as seen in diagram posted above by 01acls
Burp cooling system as per owner book- follow directions exactly!- heater on full temp and full cabin fan speed, open doors to vent hot air

boomer11

There is a temperature sensor near the one I replaced that I am sure that goes to the dash temperature gauge because when I disconnected it the gauge went to the bottom peg like the ignition switch is turned off. I am out of town until Monday so can't say the exact location but was near the switch I replaced. On the switch I did replace if I jumper out the contacts on the connector both fans run even with the engine cold. I understand the this car has 2 temperature switches that close on different temperatures that control the fans and I may have replaced the higher degree switch. When I get back I'll look for the one on the radiator.

boomer11

I replaced the thermostat yesterday afternoon, Monday, and drove into work this morning with no issues. This was an intermittent problem so will watch it closely for a week or so and then pronounce it fixed if everything looks o.k. Thanks for everyone's help.

01tl4tl

make sure the cooling system is fully free of air - burped- per owner book
Any air at all will mess with the sensors and fan operation

Like everything else on the TL, the burp procedure is special!
Heater ON with cabin fan ON and 15 minutes of idle till fans cycle and 2000 rpm till fan cycles etc.etc.

make sure the res bottle cap is on tight and the hose that attaches inside the cap is secure

I write about this res bottle hose thing about once a week on here, So guess who found a mystery small coolant leak on their bike,,, where the transfer hose goes into res tank!! Doh!!

boomer11

Four days without any issues so I would say that I'm good to go on this. I still have my indicator lamp hooked in parallel with the cooling fan so that I can monitor when the fan comes on while I'm driving and all looks normal. Thanks again.

01acls

Thanks for the update, that is much appreciate. It lets us know if we're on the right tract.