Left cooling fan - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Bryan topping · 12-29-2012, 03:57 PM

Hey guys,
I found my left cooling fan not working yesterday. Checked both fuses & relays but it seems no power is getting to the fan. Any suggestions on where to go next?

san rensho · 12-29-2012, 06:29 PM

Apply 12 volts directly to the fan. If it doesn't spin, its the fan. If it does spin, it could be the ballast resistor.

thom4782 · 12-30-2012, 05:55 AM

If you have a durametric cable, you can activate each fan in its low and high speed modes without having to run the engine. If a fan works in high speed and doesn't in low speed, then the problem is most likely the ballast resistor. If the left fan doesn't work in high or low, then it's something else.

If you don't have a durametric, then there is an easy way to test if the ballast resistor is working. Start the car engine and turn on the AC by pressing the 'snowflake' button on the center console. Both left and right fans should be running at low speed.

Bryan topping · 12-30-2012, 08:08 AM

I have a Durametric, that is how I'm testing it. Fuses & relays are good, just not getting power to the connector.

thom4782 · 12-30-2012, 09:05 AM

If the fan doesn't operate in high or low speed after using the durametric, then you may have a electrical circuit problem or a broken fan motor.

By jumping the fan itself with a second 12 volt source (san rensho's suggestion) which takes the car's electrical circuit out of the picture, you can tell if the motor is operating. If the motor works, then the problem is in the wires.

Bryan topping · 12-30-2012, 04:26 PM

Turns out it is the fan. thanks for the suggestions & help.