The other day I was driving in 100 degree heat in Long Beach when I smelled burning plastic. I opened the hood and the radiator cooling fan had completely come off and the blades were melting onto the engine (apparently the fan motor got so hot that it melted the plastic which was holding it in place).

I installed a new fan but it doesn't turn on. I checked and re-checked that it was installed & connected properly. The engine overheats when I'm stopped in traffic, but is fine as long as the car is moving. But the other day when I was in slow-moving traffic, it started t overheat so I pulled over and turned the car off, popped the hood and coolant in the reservoir overflow tank was gurgling, boiling out and spewing steam.

Also, suddenly the a/c blows hot air when the car is stopped, but provides ice-cold air s long as the car is moving.

Using some wire, I tested the new fan by running current directly from the battery to the fan, and it came on just fine. Then I tested the a/c fan just for good measure, and lo and behold, it would not come on (not sure if the same tests apply for both fans?).

Can anyone please advise what the issue may be? A blown fuse? Relay switch? A bad sensor somewhere? And if the same issue could be causing both fans to not work (despite the fact that there appears to be nothing wrong with the radiator fan)? Is there one switch or fuse which controls both fans? I've never worked on anything electrical in a car before, but I feel like I'm so close to solving this.

 

anyone got anything. anyone...Bueller...Bueller...