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Yes thats the one i was thinking. the car's fan has three wires, two stripped and one brown. Pretty sure the brown is ground.
Should i just buy this connector, de-pin it and re-pin each side (three wires) into this connector?
Yes, the brown is ground.
The other two are high speed and low speed (the fan itself has a single speed motor that is controlled by amount of current)
Yes the weatherpack style connector will work, but make sure the wire size is correct (I can't remember if they are 14ga or 12ga) those wires are sized for current flow to avoid overheating of the wire itself.
Last edited by BlwnAway; Feb 17, 2025 at 10:37 PM.
The vin you provided comes up as an R50, so you only have a two-wire (single stage) cooling fan. If you're looking at a 3-wire connector, it may be for another circuit.
Go into the fuse box in the engine compartment and see if you have two fan relays or one. Single stage fan = 1 relay; dual stage fan = 2 relays. It may be that some previous owner installed the 3-wire pigtail on a 2-wire system. Body shops are notorious for installing the wrong parts.
I'm able to test the low and medium speeds of the fan in inpa. They both work
I say "medium" but I think that it is the high speed. Sounds like the high speed when i run the test. Strangely, the "high speed" fan test in inpa does nothing (fan does not come on). Not sure what it means. Probably nothing.
Last edited by ssoliman; Feb 18, 2025 at 07:58 PM.
It really depends on your definition of 2 stage.
In the three wire system there are 2 stages (low / high of course) but those two stages are controlled by the amount of current given to a single stage fan motor, through resistors in the wiring. (You know, the ever popular fan resistor problem and mod)
But there are fans on the market that are internally regulated to have these two stages, just not the factory Mini fan motor.
the fan was not working previously (over the weekend), the ground wire (brown) connection had failed (bad soldering job on my part). I think that means its a three wire setup. No?
how would i identify the two fan relays in the fuse box? Im assuming there are a number of relays in that box
Last edited by ssoliman; Feb 18, 2025 at 01:51 PM.
It really depends on your definition of 2 stage.
In the three wire system there are 2 stages (low / high of course) but those two stages are controlled by the amount of current given to a single stage fan motor, through resistors in the wiring. (You know, the ever popular fan resistor problem and mod)
But there are fans on the market that are internally regulated to have these two stages, just not the factory Mini fan motor.
that was a few years ago. the previous owner had already cut the car side of the connector so i put in a three wire after market connector at the time. that was all to fix the common failed resister issue. The resister had went out / failed on prior fan.
Last edited by ssoliman; Feb 18, 2025 at 08:00 PM.
Yes, the brown is ground.
The other two are high speed and low speed (the fan itself has a single speed motor that is controlled by amount of current)
Yes the weatherpack style connector will work, but make sure the wire size is correct (I can't remember if they are 14ga or 12ga) those wires are sized for current flow to avoid overheating of the wire itself.
I believe its 14 ga. The three plug connector that i spliced in was 16 ga. I think thats why, or at least partially why, it failed.
Last edited by ssoliman; Feb 18, 2025 at 01:59 PM.
that was a few years ago. the previous owner had already cut the car side of the connector so i wired in a three wire after market connector at the time. that was all to fix the common failed resister issue. The resister had went out / failed on prior fan.
It would really help that you lead with this information when you create the post. Look on the inside cover of the engine compartment fuse box. Look for 2 relay slots with pictures of a fan. Based on your VIN you should only have one relay. That's why your high speed fan doesn't work when you try to activate it. Sounds like your fan is aftermarket as well.
It would really help that you lead with this information when you create the post. Look on the inside cover of the engine compartment fuse box. Look for 2 relay slots with pictures of a fan. Based on your VIN you should only have one relay. That's why your high speed fan doesn't work when you try to activate it. Sounds like your fan is aftermarket as well.
I will check this and get back. Thank you.
everything i find for part number 17117541092 (the fan for this vin) are also 3 wire. The resisters are also 3 wire.
yes sir. good find. I'm planning to get out and compare it to my r53.
I'll test both cars from inpa (low, medium and high speed tests)
I'll check the plug on the r53 to see if its a 2 or 3 pin
If i cant figure out why the OE connector part number 61116916144 is only two wires I'll prob just install a three wire aftermarket connector with matching gauge wire. This time I'll use the splices with the solider and the weather tight features. You know the ones. Or I'll pin the wires direct into the connector (if there is enough reach)
Last edited by ssoliman; Feb 20, 2025 at 01:44 PM.
ok was able to get out and do some testing, investigate further. I'll post pics.
the R53 also has a 3 wire fan. also only responds to the low and medium actuation test in inpa. The high speed test does nothing. I don't know why but its consistent so im not concerned with it at this point. If anyone knows i'd be interested.
both cars r50 and r53 have two relays and two fuses in the fuse box (engine bay). One for low and one for high (apparently). I'm guessing stage 1 and stage 2. Thats a guess.
so two stripped wires and one solid. the solid being the ground i believe. solid brown in color.
some detail
2006 r50 vin TK70330:
fan part number - 17117541092
fan connector part number - 61116916144
2005 r53 vin TD90639:
fan part nubmer - 17117541092
fan connector part number - 61116916144
same same
so i don't think 61116916144 will help me
Last edited by ssoliman; Feb 22, 2025 at 12:48 PM.
