Posting for my brother - Please help!

89 maxima se, auto. Overheating on road trip home for x-mas. Radiator fans not coming on and the vehicle overheats whenever I hit traffic or stop. How do I get them to come on or how can I jerry rig them to stay on?

Please call cell phone 413-218-8836.

 

to make them stay on, there is a red (with some yellow i think) connector behind the distributor. just disconnect that and the fans will stay on.

 

Hmm, stoped at advance auto parts and picked up coolant temp sensor (I think this is the part you are referring to). And fans still never came on. Thinking it must be in wire harness going to sensor or wire short somewhere else. Actually, 2 days ago when I started the car in really cold weather I heard the fans running as it was starting up. But today did not run at all in traffic jam. Any more suggestions? What is the other sensor just opposite of that one and where does it lead to? Did unplug the harness you mentioned but they never came on.

Thanks for Helping my Bro!

 

Thanks for the help guys! I was really in need, and thought about calling my brother with my cell phone and asked him to post this while I was in traffic and overheating. I did manage to get to TN ok, once I got around the traffic jam due to a pile up in PA because of Icey conditions. While moving the car never did get above normal temp, but when I stopped to get gas etc the fans never came on. I did put a new coolant temp sensor in and still they never came on. Could be that it never reached the temp that triggers them. I would like anyones help with this and what to trouble shoot next, as I will be on the road tomorrow to get my wife in Nashville. I dont want to have it overheat again.

Like I said they dont run with the harness disconnected, which was mentioned before, so is there a fuse or another sensor somewhere that I am overlooking? Or is there a short in the actual wire harness, any ideas on how to test this? I would really appreciate your help, I know someone will come through with some miracle for me, this forum always does. Thanks again, and Merry Christmas!

 

It could be that the connections for the radiator fans themselves are disconnected, they're located by the radiator fans..you'll find em..one of mine was slightly disconnected so one of my fans never came on till i found it. It could also be your radiator fan relays.

 

Hey guys,

Canadian maxima was right, you can pull the harness and the fans will come on. I must not have had the key turned far enough in the ignition. Then after I got the new coolant temp sensor, the car never got hot enough to require fans untill I drove around town and let it idle in the driveway for a few minutes, then I heard them come on! Halalluia! Thanks to everyone for their advice, its what this forum is all about!

 

Doesn't turning on the A/C (at any engine temp) kick the fans on also? Might be a good thing to remember if one ever wonders about the fans working or not...

Just a thought.

 

I'll have to try that too!