Cooling fan stuck on?

[melayout]

bananamilk,

 

Dat sucks.

 

Here is what you could do, find out the contact info of the service managers who did replace the ECU for members in this thread. Then next time you're at your dealer, just tell them to call one of the service managers who did replace it to see that the problem and its solution exists.

 

Mojo

[Thrasher]

What I may end up doing is installing an oem on/off pb button for the fan. There are two slots for pb's available next to the sideview mirror heater pb, and it shouldn't require too much effort to splice into the fan's pwr line. Not sure of how to monitor water temps, or at what temp to turn fans on, but this is a work-around sollution for tuned cars that have modded ecu's...

[Throttlejockey]

Can someone explain the whole symptom here? I read through the whole thread, and this is what I have come up with.

 

1) Start car, after it's been sitting for the night, -- NO A/C on, and the fans should/should not start? I gather they should not, since there's no need for this, as yet?

 

2) Start car, after it's been sitting for the night -- WITH A/C on, and the fans should/should not start? I gather they should start, since the A/C compressor is working to cool the car?

 

3) Drive to work, leave car on, open hood...with NO a/c, and I should/should not see the fans running? -- I take a moderate drive to work, some traffic, some open road, then park it.

 

4) Drive to work, leave car on, open hood, with A/C ON, and the fans should/should not be on? I gather they will be, since the A/C is on.

 

5) Lastly, no matter what, if the A/C is OFF, the fans should turn off after a few seconds/minutes, once the car is parked, but left running?

 

Any info. is all good. TIA!

 

#1 fan should not run

 

#2 I believe the fan will run with the A/C on.

 

#3 The fan may run depending on if the car is hot enough

 

#4 fan will probably run

 

#5 No necessarily until the car cools off enough so the fans shut down

 

Basically if you have the problem your fans will be running after starting the car cold, even if the A/C is off.

[inthedeck]

Thanks TJ...much appreciated. I will have to check if this occurs on my car...although I don't think it does. Rather, I have the studdering problem, on mine...which the dealer 'could not replicate.' Oh well, let's hope I don't have both issues...hehe...cause that would REALLY suck.

[GotAwd]

My cooling fan was constantly running back in december 04. it took a month till they could get a new ecu. there was none in the country. now 8 months later the same thing. they told me a error code came up referencing someone tried using a key that was not coded for my iginition. they reset the computer and it came back. taking back next week for them to take a look AGAIN.

[legandrex]

Chalk up another constant fan. Our GT wagon's fan will not turn off unless the car is turned off. I will call dealer tomorrow and go throught the same crap all of you have gone through. Obviously there is a problem somewhere in the software of the ECU.

[Throttlejockey]

Well, they're replacing the ECU and a few relays. Good thing is it will only take a week for the parts. At this rate it'll be in for an oil change and ECU replacement every 3,500 miles.

[bananamilk]

My dealer tells me there is nothing wrong with my car.(see attached JPG)

I might have to go back again.

[goneskiian]

You can now add me to the list. I haven't been reading the forums here since May and came back looking to see if anyone else has had this issue. Glad (not really) to know I'm not alone.

 

I haven't noticed it running ALL the time but it does seem to run excessively. I noticed it seemed to be running more often about a month or so ago and even took it to the dealer. All I got was the look that I was an idiot and the explanation that it's supposed to do that when the coolant gets to a certain temperature. I tried to explain that it didn't used to run this much but they blamed it on the hot summer weather.

 

Anyway, I drove to the store this evening (about a mile) and it ran the whole time. Temperature outside maybe 70 degrees, more like 65 and I hadn't driven the car for at least 24 hours. I bought mine in early June of last year and have a bit over 20K on it. Bone stock.

 

I'll be calling for another appointment tomorrow. Gotta love the power of the internet! Thanks everybody!

 

Cheers!

-Ian

[Throttlejockey]

Just got mine fixed Wednesday for the 2nd time. Another new ECU and a few relays also. Last time I don't think they replaced any relays, so time will tell.

So far so good now, no more fan noise.

[bananamilk]

Finally... My ECU will be replaced tomorrow. It was my second trip to dealer they found out something was wrong. They told me that they are looking at some wires. I told them about replacing ECU. They ordered one today.

[legandrex]

Our wagon is fixed...new ecu. They forgot to put the green plugged wires back under the passenger carpet and I wasn't sure if they were supposed to be plugged together. I plugged them together and started and check engine light came on so I unplugged them and tucked them under carpet. All is good and call to dealer confirms they should not be plugged together.

[Throttlejockey]

Here's what they replaced on mine.

 

Unit AY-EGI #22611AJ17C (1)

Relay AY 1M #82501AG05A (1)

Relay AY #82501FE010 (1)

[smoss]

Well, guess what?????

 

 

I read this thread a while ago and I thought to myself, how do these guys know the fan is on. Are they that crazy that they can actually hear the cooling fan staying on?? I thought that you guys must be very anal......

 

The other day at Idle I thought I had an exhaust leak. I then realized, yes, it is the fan. It has been on non-stop for days and it NEVER shuts off. Even when it is in the 60's at night, it is on. That is all I can hear now and it is driving me NUTS.... Makes the car seem like it is running rough. I am calling first thing to make an appointment. It so happens it is time for the next oil change as well. Also, my side bumper is loose like reported in another thread. I hope this car doesnt' end being like my old A4. I wouldnt' be able to handle that. I'll keep you guys posted.

[legacy2005]

lol. i wouldnt even know if i had this problem or not, i constanly drive with my windows down and the radio on about 20-25. personally i wouldnt care if the fan ran constant or not, at least i would know the engine isnt going to over heat. its not like i would hear it anyway with my radio turned up, so i say let it run if its going to i cant hear it.

[Throttlejockey]

lol. i wouldnt even know if i had this problem or not, i constanly drive with my windows down and the radio on about 20-25. personally i wouldnt care if the fan ran constant or not, at least i would know the engine isnt going to over heat. its not like i would hear it anyway with my radio turned up, so i say let it run if its going to i cant hear it.

 

Believe me, you'll hear it. Be patient, it will come.

[smoss]

lol. i wouldnt even know if i had this problem or not, i constanly drive with my windows down and the radio on about 20-25. personally i wouldnt care if the fan ran constant or not, at least i would know the engine isnt going to over heat. its not like i would hear it anyway with my radio turned up, so i say let it run if its going to i cant hear it.

 

 

You will hear it for sure. Even with the Radio at low volume and at a stop light, you will know it. It is so damn annoying....... trust me. This car is fairly quiet and solid and the fan distroys that........

[Throttlejockey]

When the fan is stuck on and you use the a/c both fans run, then you really hear it.

[legandrex]

Our wagon was fixed a few days ago. New ECU and it only took 2 days to get it. We got to drive the Tribeca around while it was in for service. My wife now wants the Tribeca....good thing we have two more years on her lease.

[jaycee]

I reported my cooling fan was stuck on a week or so ago when I had my last service. It's been stuck on since May but I was waiting for the next service interval to report it. They looked at it and ordered a coolant temperature sensor and said they'd call me when it comes in. They have not called back yet and did no work on the car to fix the fan problem.

 

Well, wouldn't you know - the cooling fan now turns off occasionally. It's easy for me to tell because I park in the garage and usually have the windows down when I start it first thing in the morning. Even after an overnight in the 60s the cooling fan would run full blast right from a cold start. Now, however, with no actual work being done on the car to fix it, it has gotten better all by itself. We've had a few really cool nights (in the 50s) so maybe that's what it took to get the fan off of its "permanent on" state.

 

Just a couple of other notes - I rarely run the AC (maybe 5 times all summer) and the engine and electronics are completely stock. So, maybe this means once the temperature goes above 80 the cooling fan's going to stay stuck on until the temp drops back to 50. I know it sounds weird but that's what seems to be happening. It looks like I'm in for another noisy summer next year.

[smoss]

My car goes in on Monday. I have pulled the fuse in the mean time, but before I did, the fan stayed on even when outside temps were in the 40's. It never shut off even at that temp. So maybe mine is a little different. I plan on telling them that the ECU seems to fix it.

 

I'll let you know what I find.

[smoss]

Well, the car went in on Monday for the cooling fan being stuck on. I told the guy when I dropped it off that I had heard that it was an ECU problem and that Subaru knows about it. He said ok, that was it. So he called me back yesterday and guess what????????? They are changing the ECU and relay. The relay isn't in the country so they are going to steal one from another car. The ECU was supposed to be in today but he just called and said tomorrow.

 

So, I am now driving an 05 outback non turbo. I was laughing the entire way home. It feels like my car, but not really. It is very very very slow, almost inadequate with the AC on. There are a few things I do like. It is heavier feeling. The auto is very smooth in operation (I own a manual trans). I have to constantly force it to downshift to go anywhere so I get to experience the shifts a lot. The steering is not sensitive at all. I can turn the wheel an inch in each direction back and forth and not even feel anything while going down the road. If I do that with my car I will get jolted from side to side ( I think it's the tires mostly... ). Not much else, I think I would really like the car with the Auto and V6. I love extra clearance, especially when I accidentally drove right over a curb at Hertz and didnt' really know it.... can't do that with my car. Although it is rare that I need the ground clearance.

 

Oh yeah, everytime I get out of the thing I stumble because I am not used to being so high....... I might actually consider one of these in a V6 if I had kids etc. They beat the hell out of an SUV and they have a lot of room. The mileage is actually a little worse than my car too.

[smoss]

Good to hear they are fixing your fan issue.

 

Loaner car:

 

Mileage: Sucks because the auto has yet to learn you driving style and adapt the shifts accordingly, car is also a bit heavier.

 

Steering: The Legacy GT gets it's own steering ratio which is quicker than the Outback's, probably not the tires if you still have the stockers on the Legacy. (I wish that the OB XT got the quicker steering, but Stupid Of America decided against it.)

 

No V6 planned for the Outback, but they are currently available with an H6. You might want to check out the Ford Freestyle for a V6 powered flintstone-mobile

 

The clearance is nice, but I am starting to wish that I got the Legacy for the better handling of the lower car.

 

 

Thanks, I had forgotten about the quicker steering. It makes a very big difference. Also, I did realize the 6 was an H6, just so used to saying V6....

 

I will NEVER buy a Ford unless they get there act together and build a decent car. I can't even stand something as small as the power window controls on every Ford I have driven. Are they cheap or what???

 

P.S. I got out of the outback this morning, and yeah, I stumbled...... Maybe one day I'll get used to this car, but I hope to have back my car today with any luck.

[Magruder]

Thought I had "fixed" my fan problem temporarily by pulling the 25a fuse above the green 30a. After about a month, the fan stayed on all the time again. Found there are two fuses for the fan - the one described plus the 25a just to the drivers side of the other. Pulled that one too, and now the fan is off again; although the a/c fan to come on as needed. (Noted that the main fan would run with either of these two fuses installed.)

[eamiller]

Well, the car went in on Monday for the cooling fan being stuck on. I told the guy when I dropped it off that I had heard that it was an ECU problem and that Subaru knows about it. He said ok, that was it. So he called me back yesterday and guess what????????? They are changing the ECU and relay. The relay isn't in the country so they are going to steal one from another car. The ECU was supposed to be in today but he just called and said tomorrow.

 

Wow, your dealer must be nicer than mine. They just ordered the parts and sent me on my way, stuck fan and all. Of course, I would have a hard time justifying a loaner for a cooling fan that runs all the time. That was last thursday (9/8), and they just received the parts today (ECU and relay), so I'm not sure why your dealer couldn't get the relay for you.