With my Fabia 1.6 being inactive for a few weeks, I started the engine and gently warmed it up for some 30 or 40mins. waiting for the cooling fan to kick in. Wanting this to happen 2 or 3 times to thoroughly warm it up, not a sound of the fan kicking in was heard from the driver's seat. On checking the engine bay the fan was indeed spinning but was whisper quiet. In 40 years plus of car ownership and over many marques this is the quietest running fan I've ever come across by far. Indeed, could this be the world's quietest fan?

Is it a quiet fan or a noisy engine? I can't ever remember hearing a fan kick in on any car I have ever had.

I'm talking of warming up the motor whilst stationary, sitting in the driver's seat you just cannot hear this cooling fan cut in whether at tickover or revving it once semi warm is reached. This is with the 1.6 petrol which is considerably quieter than any of the oil burners. It normally takes around 25 to 35 mins (usually longer with a diesel) dependent on the ambient air temperature to bring the engine from stone cold up to fan engagement. This method is only rarely used during any prolonged period of non use as a interim measure, which includes running the air con. On all other cars I've had, both diesel & petrol, the fan can be distinctly heard cutting in if warming up while stationary. It's not a moan, far from it in fact, I'm just amazed by how quiet this fan is.

I tend to agree with Fab Estate, the only time I've ever heard a fan kick in, in the last 20 years, is with the bonnet open or at lease standing very near the front of the car. In fact I think I'd complain if I heard it from inside the car.