Cooling Fans

[Vizen2]

I've just taken delivery of a 2000 Boxster S and am not sure the radiator cooling fans are working correctly, when the car is left idling the right hand radiator fan cuts in, but not the left hand fan. The supplying dealer tells me "the second fan does not kick in until the water temperature reaches near to 100 degrees. This means when you think it’s not working it actually is, but the engine hasn’t got up to temperature. Up to 100 degrees the main fan will kick in and under normal driving circumstances the engine will remain at around 80 to 90 degrees, being cooled by the main radiator. If stood still in traffic for long periods allowing the temperature to raise from its normal operating temperature, the second fan then kicks in to support the main radiator in cooling"
Could anyone confirm this correct, the right hand fan cuts in first then if the temperature does not come down enough the left hand fan cuts in, sounds feasible, but just wanted confirmation, thanks in advance.

[Steve Tinker]

I don't believe what the dealer has told you is correct.

Both fans run in parallel which means they both switch on & off together. They also have a low and high speed setting, so if the coolant temp reaches +/- 102 deg (I think) the low speed fans kick in, with the high speed kicking in at +/- 110 deg (I think).

The easiest way to check fan operation is to switch on your air con - both fans should operate in the low speed setting. If they don't, you have a problem with the fan motors, wiring, relays, fuses or ballast resistors which control the low / high fan speed.

Use the search function at the top of the page - type in cooling fans and read on....

[Vizen2]

Thanks Steve, your reply and other posts suggest you're right. I think the dealer may have got a little confused regarding low speed & high speed operation. They have the car back now, also has an air con fault, the 2 may well be connected, will see if all swell after they've repaired it. Thanks again