2.0l bora radiator cooling fan

[ericcs]

just purchased this car, and have noticed the fans turn on as soon as you turn on the ignition, and stay on for 10/15 mins regardless of whether you start it or not. can't imagine this is normal and don't know where to start looking to see if it's been modified. temp never goes beyond half, but the fans are running all the time. any clues

[JustCruisn]

If the ac is on the fans should be on.
Try with ac off.

[vdubmotorworx]

like above if the ac is on both fans should be running slowly.... if they are both running fast or one is not running and the other is running fast then you have a issue... if they are running slow as they should with the ac on then you shouldnt really be able to hear them with the bonnet closed.. if you turn off the ac both fans should be off until required for cooling of the engine coolant... VDUB.

[ericcs]

both fans run quietly, but you can still hear them, they"re not roaring, regardless of a/c position, and by turning key to ignition(not starting) and back off. in the engine bay fuse box, i can pull out one fuse which will turn off the fans and it cancel's out the timer? reading the manual, i think it says there is a fuse for fans1 and a fans2 fuse. could one maybe be for the a/c fan control, and the other for cooling temp control. also, can anyone point me to where this timer may be, if it's standard?
cheers
eric

[JustCruisn]

There is no "timer" per se. The control module monitors a lot of inputs. The main thing that will make the fans run after the engine is off is the temp sensor in the bottom of the radiator.

[skid plate]

Be carefull with the fuses for the fan that sit above the car battery. Previous owner of my car replaced it with the incorrect fuse, the fuse melted and I'm pretty sure it's why I was able to pick up a great car for a steal. I spent a lot of time tracing down the problem and fixing it.

If I drive for 20+ minute with an average of 2700 - 3000 rpms, when I turn the car off, I can hear the louder fans kick in for a few minutes. My previous two MKIVs did the same thing. I always have the A/C on and am used to having the quieter fans switching on when I tun the power on.

If your temp gauge doesn't go over one half, I wouldn't be too concerned. If it does, turn your A/C OFF, turn your cabin temp up high, fan on max and pull over.

[ericcs]

what is happening is, i'm not starting the engine at all. it can be stone cold(not driven for days), all im doing is turning on the ignition, then straight away off. the moment the ignition is on, the fans start and run for 15 mins, so there must be some sort of timer, and pulling the fuse then replacing it, cancels this timer out

[skid plate]

My fan turns on when I turn the power to the car on (not actually start it), but that's because I have climate control on. Do you have climate control or the three nobs? Either way, turn A/C off and turn the fan off, then try it. If your fan turns on, I'll run downstairs and try it on mine.

Is it causing you any problems?

[ericcs]

thanks for the help guys. it doesn't have climate control, just the 3 rotary dials, and i made sure they were both off. i,ll have to pull the facsia panel off and see whats going on behind, it could very well have been modified. the person it was bought was difficult to understand just reassuring there was no problem when questioned
the car was picked up in sydney and driven to brisbane with no cooling issues, temp gauge stayed in the middle the whole trip. the main issue is the battery running down when playing around with the cars electrics
is the front panel easy to remove, as i need to replace the non genuine head unit anyway,and i don't have the removal keys

[skid plate]

Just got home, turned everything off in my car, so I'll see if the fan kicks in, in the morning.

Don't worry about taking the consul apart just yet, but you'll need this if you don't already have it.
VWVortex.com - MK4Forum Essentials - DIY / FAQ & Resources Guide

Removing consul
VWVortex.com - DIY - Removing interior parts (e-brake & center console, armrest, glovebox, ashtrays)
VWVortex.com - DIY - Removing interior parts II (dash trim, brake light switch, radio, cupholder, radio/ HVAC cage)

Search the site or it's in the link to make your own radio keys. You can make them pretty easy with a wire coat hanger. I'll let you know about the fans when I turn the car on tomorrow. If the only problem is the fan on when oure working on he electrical, yank the fuse. Otherwise it sounds fine, I wouldn't lose sleep over it.