Radiator fans turn on, even 12 hours after driving the car / possible water affected

[frasermick]

Hi guys,

Apologies if this issue has already been raised and resolved, I have searched and could not find this particular issue raised.

From the rain last week (3 heavy days) I noticed the radiator cooling fans have started to run even after the engine has been shut off, even after shut off was more than 30 minutes. Prior to the rain there was no issue with the fans running when the engine was not operational.

Also, last night I arrived home about 11pm, this morning I was woken up the fan running at (what sounded like) full speed at about 9.30am. The fans were running hard, I would say full speed and are very loud.

I have reviewed other threads that discuss a similar issue however they also link the issue of fans running without the engine hot or in use to cars that have had ecu upgrades, and not rain/water affected.

Is there a link for cars that have had ecu updates and fan issues ?? maybe…

My vehicle, a 2011 mk6 golf R, has up to now has ran faultlessly, and this issue has occurred only since the heavy rain, anyone else have/heard of / or experienced anything similar ??

I would appreciate any assistance in helping to resolve.

M

[frasermick]

Ok guys, here’s an update and how to rectify the issue noted above.


There was a small amount of moisture found in the fuse box which required further investigation.

Note the steps below are to be read with the labelled pictures.

1. Remove fuse box cover
2. Disconnect battery, I found it easier to remove the battery and battery tray/enclosure. We found it easier to remove the engine cover, allowed for more space, also allowed to check other areas for water damage
3. Label wiring and take pictures of the setup/configuration
4. Undo main fusebox bolt to remove fusebox from vehicle
5. Once fusebox removed from the vehicle, undo the small screws to allow the fusebox to be split from the housing
6. Undo the bolts as noted and remove the fuses
7. Remove the metal power bar/rail
8. Note the small amount of water at the top of the fusebox, equals a large amount of water within the fusebox
9. Note to check for corrosion in the fusebox connection housing
10. Clean the fusebox and housing with contact cleaner, make sure you test a small area first to ensure no damage to plastic or fusebox, terminals etc. – Check for corrosion
11. The fusebox has layers of circuit board, therefore the cleaning and drying process can take a few days to be done correctly. Also use of compressed air will assist in this process.
12. Basically the aim of this process is to clean and dry the fuse box, and circuit areas.
13. Once clean and dry, assemble the fusebox into the housing and fix with bolts and screws in reverse of the pull apart process.

[Umai Naa!!]

Well done!

The pictures are a great addition, too!

I've seen the E-box on some cars overrun with ants. That was a massive pain in the backside to clean up.

[Hillbilly]

Usual reason for getting water away up there is driving too fast in water and splashing it up unecessarily.

Cant believe how fast people drive here in the wet