Hope someone can point me in the right direction. When I got in my car this morning I could here a fan working as soon as I put the ignition on.

When I got to work I looked under the bonnett as I could STILL hear the fan. It would appear the air con fan is on fast all the time.

Stopped the car turned the car off and put the ignition on again. With a couple of second the fan starts up at full speed again.

I have since tried it at dinner time again and the same. Ignition in couple of seconds and the fan starts at full blast. Engine isn't started.

Has anyone had this problem or knows what I should start looking at?

car 2003 1.9 TD

When you say you can hear it under the bonnet, where is it?

Just trying to work out if you're referring to the secondary electric fan on the front rad. There's a viscous coupled fan, but the electric fan (drivers side usually) is triggered by a fan switch. Here's a pic of changing mine on my Passat to show the one I mean:

http://www.ukpassats... is golden#p385

BTW, does it change if you turn the climate off of 'Auto'?

Gaz

It is the electic fan that is running full blast I was talkling about. Today it has not come on. Is that a good thing one ponders???

I tried adjust the climate control yesterday like suggested but it made no difference.

Unfortunatly it has come on stayed on now. SO having looked at the electrical circut digram I'm going to replace the temperature sensor at the bottom of the raditator, and if that doesn;t help the relay. Sensor on order so I've got to wait to see if it helps or not.....

How about unplugging it for the time being? I might be wrong, but it's not like it's midsummer. I had to replace mine coz of excessive noise and vibration. Had it unplugged for a week with no ill effects.

Gaz

I've changed the coolant thermal switch F18 (the one at the bottom of the raditator) and dissapointingly this has not solved the issue.

I have unplugged relay with the number 370 (bottom left) on it and the fan stops working. (looked in it and this relay is fine inside and obvously not the problem).

Now trying to locate the relays J280 (raditaor fan relay - 2nd speed) and J279 (radiator fan relay 1st speed) - (which I guess are numbered on them 213 and 214 in passat talk). Can someone confirm if these are located behind the front panel realys. It all looks very tight. If so any tips on how to get to them?

The THREE relays you are looking at are in positions 1, 2 and 3 on the additional relay holder (behind the main relay holder).

Thanks for that.

Okay I got to these (so nicely positioned). There was only 3 relays there in order from left to right

370 373 370.

Took each one out and checked them internally. None of them were self welded in the on position.

I'm a little lost now as to where to go from here. Any suggestion appreciated.

Thanks for theat.

Okay I got to these (so nicely positioned). There was only 3 relays there in order from left to right

370 373 370.

Took each one out and checked them internally. None of them were self welded in the on position.

I'm a little lost now as to where to go from here. Any suggestion appreciated.

Pulling which relay(s) stops the fan?

Thanks for the reply, I had to finish up for the day and put the car togeather and get on with life. So fan still blowing merrily away strong. Will continue when I get some time. - repull the relays to see whihc ones stop the fan.

as far as I know when you have the aircon set to auto this fan will run full time if you put the switch to econ the fan should switch off.

Well I finaly got this sorted so I thought I would update incase someone else has the same problem. It was the air con pressure switch being stuck on the high pressure mode. A new pressure switch cured it. Not cheap to buy mind.

Small write up here if you want details.

1 click here

2 click here

Nice of you to post that up.