But I don't know how to fix it.

This is it in a nutshell, when the car is sitting idle and outside temp is above 68 or so degrees, the compressor won't come on.

If I drive it comes on and blows ice cold.

If I spray cold water on the radiator when idle, the compressor kicks on.

With compressor on, and A/C warmed up, pressure is fine for the refrigerant.

If the car is warmed up the low speed fan comes on when I shut off the car.

I do know what the high speed fan mode sounds like.

Fan does NOT come on when the A/C is on, car is warmed up and is running idle.

So my thought is there is a temp switch that is supposed to turn on the low speed fan when the A/C is on and the car is idle, but it is broken.

Is this correct and if so where is it?

Thanks!

 

The fan that comes on with the car off is the high speed fan. My guess is the low speed fan is out.

 

Hmm. I just had greasy's replace the whole thing 3 months ago...

 

After digging a little this morning and afternoon, here is what I have done.

I set the test mode to 7.0 on the cluster, ran the car past 101C to 117C but had to shut it down as the needle started to climb to danger zone. At no time did any fan come on.

The low speed fan noise I thought I heard before is the PS fan I assume as no fan on the front of the car was spinning.

Did I just get a bum fan assembly?

What do I check for on the two plugs above the A/C ports?

One looks like for 12V an another for low voltage signaling. What should I be seeing on these if I put a voltmeter on?

I also swapped known good relays in the fuse box, made no difference.

No bad fuses I could see.

This car is a 2002 S

 

I replaced my fan back at the end of 2010 with an aftermarket fan assembly. I discovered that the small connector (the one with two wires)was defective and would not properly mate with the car side connector. If that two wire connector is not mating properly I believe that the symptoms you describe would be present. Try wiggiling and twisting your small connector while the car is running and see if the fan comes on.

 

Cool, thanks, first thing I am going to check!

 

mini53 -

I recently thought my Fan Speed 1 was dead... but it wasn't. Here's how I tested it...

FAN
1. Remove wiring harness connector at top right of radiator
2. Jump brown wire to Negative (chassis)
3. Jump small red wire to Positive
4. Jump large red wire to Positive

Result: if the fan is not faulty, you should have both speeds working... the slow speed generates less noise. You can tell if one of the speeds is dead and usually Speed 1 is the culprit.

Access test Mode 7.0 and let coolant temp rise to 105*C, which activates Fan Speed 1 and shuts off at 101*C... specs for MY '06 MCS.

 

Thanks Guys, looks like the whole fan assembly is bad.

I checked power on the large plug, using the ground and then checked each of the other points and the all had +12v.

Checked the small plug and it was +12v across with the A/C on.

 

Other note, I noticed the smaller plug was a different harness and it had to be jury rigged to the car. Any chance 2002 has a different assembly than 2003+ gen 1 cars?

I know lots of little things changed in 2003.

 

2002s have 2 connectors on the fan. Sounds to me like you've got a blown fuse. There is a fan fuse in the underhood junction box and I think there is also one in the drivers kickpanel too.

 

I had the fan pulled out, it burned out. Lucky I didn't get a fire.

Looking back, I do remember getting an acrid burning smell that lasted for a few minutes and then my pump had started to die for the power steering and I assumed it was that. I wonder if that was the smell I got... Was still cool outside and didn't need the fan at the time so didn't notice until it got warmer.

 

02 had the power steering fan and radiator on the same fuse (or something like that) there is an upgrade harness you might want to look into while you are there. Sorry I just know enought to be vague, but looking into it should clear up things for you...

 

Thanks, if I fry the motor on this one, then I know something else is up!

 

Fan has been working great so far, knock on wood... That seemed to be the only problem so far.