Hi Everyone!

I'm having a weird fan noise when I engage the A/C. It comes on shortly after the engagement and turns off after the A/C is turned off. I tried to listen to the power steering fan and I'm uncertain of whether or not it's coming from there. It sounds loudest behind the radiator.

Here is a video I found that shows the same noise (starts the noise at around 11 seconds):
I've seen people say that it is the power steering fan (which I am pretty sure it is coming from up higher in the engine bay) or some A/C compressor fan. Hoping someone here could guide me through some of the diagnostics of this problem.

Thanks!

 

That does sound to me like the power steering fan. Depending on your driving and ambient temps, this may or may not be an issue.

I ran into a problem with my fan coming on frequently last summer after even just moderate driving, but especially after stop-and-go city driving. It ended up that I had a failed thermostat housing -- a common failing apparently. I had the thermostat replaced and so far the situation seems to be resolved.

 

Sounds like the high speed operation of your radiator cooling fan. Its possible the low speed resistor has failed, causing only the high speed portion to operate.

 

I agree, it's definitely your radiator cooling fan on high speed. I had the same issue with my fan not working on low speed, but worked on high.

 

I may have this as well.

 

Why does my youtube video show up twice?

 

It's definitely your high-speed fan circuit kicking in. Here's the link to the low-speed resistor issue, but it's a long, long read: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-solution.html

Bottom line is that the fan is supposed to come on at low speed when you turn on the A/C (and/or when the coolant reaches a certain temperature). When the low-speed fan circuit is working, you'll barely hear it. If it's not functioning (as with the burned out resistor), the coolant temp eventually gets hot enough to kick on the high-speed fan circuit, which then cycles on and off with the changing coolant temps (all of which has nothing to do with your A/C being switched on).

Yes, the power steering fan should come on with the low-speed radiator/coolant fan, but the dealer recently told me that they're not related or connected circuit-wise.