Hi all. I lost access to my old username, Kevlar7R, so had to get a new one.

2010 R56 N14. Cooling fan is not working. I've replaced fan, relays, coolant temperature sensor and fuses, no change. Watching coolant temp through scan tool, aligns with non contact thermometer readings. System is properly bled. Thermostat housing has been replaced several times. I.e. I've checked everything listed in all the other threads out there.

Jumper the relay terminals and fan works normally (high and low speed). Here's the odd part. When the temp is such that I would expect the computer to ask for fan, there is only 11 volts on across the signal terminals to the relays. Not 12. Not the 14 volts the electrical system is actually running at (engine running, alternator cranking out).

My hypothesis is that the computer is not supplying enough signal voltage to actually engage the fan. Has anyone come across this issues? Any ideas to resolve?

Thank you!

 

On some of the good quality OBD diagnostic tools you can do activations, eg activate the cooling fan etc. If you have access to one of those, try that, and see if the fan actually runs. Some of the good ones you can log stuff as well, like run the car at idle, do a log of the coolant temp and fan activation, see if the computer is activating it appropriately.

 

1. What do you consider a high enough temperature for the fan to run? The DME will let the engine get surprisingly hot at idle because it improves efficiency. Like ~110°C or more, HOT!
2. One side of the signal circuits of the relays are always supplied voltage, the DME shorts the other side to ground to activate the relays. So if the DME has the relays switched off and you measure across the two terminals you're measuring a floating voltage - which is meaningless. One side should always be 12-14V when measured to a ground point on the chassis. The other side will either be shorted to ground or have infinite ohms to ground depending on what the DME is trying to do to the fans.
3. Do what robbo says, use a diag tool to activate the fan.

 

On your point 1:
I have been trying to figure out what the true operating temperature is supposed to be. I have found MANY conflicting numbers around the internet. I had thought it was 215°, but my car seems to like to stay at 221°. If 221 is the right operating temp, then maybe it is working normally.
2. I hadn't thought about the voltage that way, but you're right. That is a meaningless measurement. I should instead look for continuity to ground on the one terminal rather than voltage between then to see when the computer is actually asking the fan to run.
3. I don't have a tool that will do that. I've got Carista, and a regular OBDII reader. 😕

If I turn the AC on, it does run, for maybe 15 seconds at a time, about once a minute. Seems to be low speed when it does kick in. It has been around 40°f around here lately so maybe it's just not hot enough for me to see fan running with the testing I've been doing.

I'm going to a trackday this weekend, so maybe that will get it hot enough.

 

LOL - The internet is full of misinformation.
221°F = 105°C, This is normal operating temp.
It's also normal for the fan to run when the AC is on. It works much more efficiently is there's air moving over the condenser.

 

My 09 n14 runs around 218-220 when cruising. Fan kicks on around 231 or so. If you run ac on full cold and fan you should kick the fan on as well, temp should run around 180 or so when moving.

 

215-221 dependent on model , my R58 JCW sets at 219. fan kicks on at 230ish. A/C on, fans on.

Sport mode on= opens up thermostat more and runs cooler. mine goes from 2019 to like 2017 and then sits.

 

I had this exact problem with my R60 2011 all4. Fan worked, could jumper both low and high speed fan at the relays, high speed fan came on at about 106 degrees C (If i remember correctly). Finally, with its ten year anniversary, turbo still to expire on me (the coolant housing, oil leaks, HPFP failure (covered by extended warranty, fortunately), clutch and flywheel, a few sets of tires, a bit of an emissions challenge, etc. already having been replaced with fewer than 90k miles, I solved the problem by buying a pickup... Sad, but it needed to go.

However, continuing to dig on this, I wonder if my issue (hence maybe yours) could be the circuit board contolling the electric auxillary water pump. That has a recall of its own, and the symptoms seem to mirror this issue - no low speed cooling fan at startup with the AC, or the extended fan running after shut off.

Anyway, i found that issue too late to help me. But I do like the truck!

 

Update: I've run a few trackdays in the car, and have definitely gotten it hot. Seems the fan is working, the issue was my expectations of what operating temperatures. Thank you all for your help.

 

Thanks for feedback. Glad to hear your car is ok. After you said the fan was running with the AC on it was clear that both the fan and its electrical connections are in working order.

Right, 221°F (and even a tad more than that) is normal operating temperature. No reason to lose sleep over that. Hot coolant means hot oil and hot oil means fuel and water dillution of the oil will get burnt off easier and quicker. So this is mainly a good thing as long as it doen't get too hot.

 

Resurrecting an old thread I know, but I'm glad I found this thread. I recently replaced my thermostat housing, and so I wanted to monitor my coolant temperatures to make sure it was all working well. Was surprised and concerned to see temperatures hovering around 225F. I thought this was too hot and thought maybe my fan wasn't working right. So I unplugged the temperature sensor and the fan came on, so that was working. Then I thought the ECU must be messed up and not commanding the fan to turn on. But maybe everything is working okay. I'll look at it a little more tomorrow and confirm that the fan comes on at some point, but for now I feel a lot more confident that I won't have to shell out a bunch of cash for a new ECU. I sure wish cars would have a temperature gauge like the old days.

 

I know this is an older post and a bit of a hijack, but…

Which code readers are the “good quality OBD diagnostic tools” that can turn on and off fans and such?

I’m pretty good at fixing things on the mini, but it takes a lot of hunting and pecking to figure things out with my current generic reader (BlueDriver, which does more than I could ever expect for the price and ease of use.)

But I need to upgrade. My wife loves her R60 and is already planning on her “next one”.

As an aside, I have an Audi, BMW and Land Rover addiction (I know, I have issues.) So, pie in the sky, it does it all, but I would settle for just Mini/BMW, or just Mini.

 

I use the schwaben one and it can turn and activate items to test functions.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-schwaben...020sch01a~scf/