A3 radiator fan on continously! Plz Help!

**probertm** · 01-05-2009,04:48 PM

Hi there last nite i got out of my car after a short journey and the radiator fan was on i thought it was unusual as ive never heard it before, a few hours later i returned to the car and the fan was still on! after searching many forums for answers all i could do is disconnect the battery to stop the fan and stop my battery going flat, every time i re-connect the battery it turns back on. I cant lock the passenger side door either!

Ive got a diagnostics man coming round on tue who might be able to solve it.

its a 140bhp 2.0L TDi with climate control and has two fans on the radiator the smaller one is the one thats stuck on i dont know if thats the A/C fan? ive check all the fuses none are blown and the temperature dial in the cluster works correctly.

Anyone got any ideas? Please help me

**sw.77** · 07-08-2009,08:36 AM

Hi
I have the same car with the same problem so just wondered if you got yours sorted. From what I can make out it's either the relay or radiator sender unit. Locking the passenger door is easily done by removing the rubber stopper in the door and manually pushing in the small red lever inside.
Cheers

**dixy1982** · 07-08-2009,07:33 PM

im sure ive seen this before im sure its the rad fan itself that will be at fault cause it has its own control unit in side you check fuse in fuse box under bonnet next to battery

**A3some** · 11-08-2009,05:49 AM

Fuse 8 (Red 10Amp) in the fuse-box to the right of the battery relates to this fan. If you are getting sick

of the fan being on, and/or can't yet afford the repair (up to £300!!) you could remove it.

Removing it will prevent the fan from being on, however Fuse 8 is also the fuse for: EGR and canister purge solenoid,Intake manifold valve control motor, valve camshaft timing, MAP-controlled engine cooling thermostat.

Oh and the Engine light (the orange one) will be lit constantly lit whilst driving, if you choose to drive without fuse 8 fitted.

There is a repair kit available which includes the control unit plus the fans, the whole lot has to be replaced, when this fault occurs.
This car needs ownership money that's for sure...

**probertm** · 11-08-2009,05:54 PM

hi there thanks for the advice yeah had it sorted on the warranty it was the control unit which sits inside the main bigger fan, but as you say its an integral unit so the whole lot has to be replaced came to about £300.

**sw.77** · 30-08-2009,11:07 PM

Hi. Going to be doing the job myself so just wondered if anyone has had a go at removing the fans and if you had any problems, advice, etc. Also, did you have to buy the replacements from Audi or did you use another outlet such as EuroCarParts. Thanks.

**A3some** · 31-08-2009,07:02 AM

Going on from my 'remove the fuse' story - that's if you want to save money - I took out fuse 8 and made a couple of journeys of about 40 miles each journey.

Obviously this meant the fan wasn't coming on - heaven really as I prefer the sound of the engine, also folks don't tend to look strangely at the car with a wind turbine under the bonnet.

I put the fuse back on the Monday morning before starting back to work and, the fan has NEVER been on continuously ever since!!!!!!!! This has been for four weeks now.
Oh and after one day the engine light does go out, as it resets the fault condition.

Don't ask if the fan is busted cos its not. It comes on every now and then, but for a few seconds as it should do.

I think that's a result, and I've saved £300 at least for a while anyway.

**sw.77** · 10-09-2009,11:55 AM

Just to finish up. Doing the job myself - total cost was £615.65.
Parts (conveniently) only available from Audi and VW at:-
Diagnostic £60.38, Throttle Flap £282.80, Diagnostic £60.38 and Radiator fans £212.09.
If I had taken the car to Audi their labour charges were in the region of an unbelievable £450.00 making a total of £1065.65. Total labour time for me to do the job was just under three hours!! Therefore that puts their labour costs at over £150.00 per hour. Jobs were not difficult so it proves it pays to have a go yourself.

**pritz25** · 03-10-2009,12:52 AM

Well i managed to get mine fix fan control unit was replaced cost me £200 for the comlete kit although i only really needed 1 fan they only come in pairs as a kit...oh well put abt 1hr 30 mins of my time into and bob your uncle...##pretty easy to replace once u get going..

**styleshbk** · 10-06-2010,07:46 PM

Hi, I also seem to be having this problem, but I think it only occurs on hot days when i have turned the air con on. I get home from work and over an hour later the fan is still running. I seem to have got it stopped there by going a short drive and turning on the econ button.
Would turning the air con on cause me to have this problem somehow or am i barking up the wrong tree?