Radiator Cooling Fan Replacment. MUST READ!

[bdcanetti]

2007 4.8L X5

I broke the radiator fan and of course the A-holes at BMW designed these so you have to replace the entire fan unit not just the blades. The radiator fan is between $550- $700 from BMW. So like an idiot I decided to save some money and bought aftermarket from Advan-Emotion for $350 via Amazon.

So after 7 days to ship I finally received it tonight and installed it. The fan only comes on when you first start the car for about 15 seconds then turns off and won't come back on. It does the same thing every time you stop and restart the car. Runs as soon as it starts for 15 seconds, turns off and won't come back on letting the coolant temps reach near overheat.

To verify I reinstalled the original fan and it turns on when it's supposed to. I'm no electrician but how the hell can this be?!?!? I did notice it's not just some simple DC motor running that fan, there's a circuit board on the back of the fan motor. Either way I'm going to try and attempt to get this bs company to let me return it and go buy the fan from the dealer.

Any insights would be much appreciated and here's the link to the one I bought.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...002-20&ie=UTF8

UPDATE:
After much stress and tons of research the part actually works.

1. The fan would only run for 10 seconds after the engine was started and then turn off (this is normal as the car is started the fan Is given a "test cycle"), if coolant temps reached the level the fan should come on it would not causing an overheat. I began to suspect a bad fan temp sensor.

2. After much reading, after you install the new fan there is one final step. You have to turn the A/C on to trigger the radiator fan to come on (the radiator fan is on anytime the AC is on). This completes the the circuit or tells the car there's a new fan. After the AC was turned back off the fan cycles on and off as it should depending on coolant temps.

Unbelievable that it is so hard to find simple instructions on such a simple part to replace.

[Pierce330]

You get what you pay for unfortunately...Is there any way you can return it? Also, do you have any indie shops around you?

[munchkin29483]

I'm confused?
It sounds like the fan you replaced is for the A/C system.
After the 15 sec. start-up the fan won't come on again until the A/C system gets over a certain pressure. I take it you have the A/C on?

[bdcanetti]

Originally Posted by Pierce330

You get what you pay for unfortunately...Is there any way you can return it? Also, do you have any indie shops around you?

Apparently so. Buying the new fan from BMW today. Return of the other one is TBD. Yes I have an Indy near me.

[bdcanetti]

Originally Posted by munchkin29483

I'm confused?
It sounds like the fan you replaced is for the A/C system.
After the 15 sec. start-up the fan won't come on again until the A/C system gets over a certain pressure. I take it you have the A/C on?

Not sure where the confusion is but no it is not the A/C system. It is the radiator cooling fan. When the engine coolant reached a certain temp the fan is supposed to kick on to cool the radiator. In older cars they were on a clutch and belt driven. These days they're electric and triggered by temp sensors.

[bestvaluestore]

May be that part is not original or something.

[munchkin29483]

I'm allowed one senior moment a day.
My 2006 3.0 engine cooling fan was belt driven and the A/C fan was electric.
Notice I said was because the money pit is gone.(hi-hi)
Still have a GT1 test set sitting in my closet, loved driving it but at a 100K it started to fall apart.

[bdcanetti]

Originally Posted by munchkin29483

I'm allowed one senior moment a day.
My 2006 3.0 engine cooling fan was belt driven and the A/C fan was electric.
Notice I said was because the money pit is gone.(hi-hi)
Still have a GT1 test set sitting in my closet, loved driving it but at a 100K it started to fall apart.

No worries but PLEASE read the update! Problem solved!!!!

[ZetaTre]

Originally Posted by bdcanetti

UPDATE:
After much stress and tons of research the part actually works.

1. The fan would only run for 10 seconds after the engine was started and then turn off (this is normal as the car is started the fan Is given a "test cycle"), if coolant temps reached the level the fan should come on it would not causing an overheat. I began to suspect a bad fan temp sensor.

2. After much reading, after you install the new fan there is one final step. You have to turn the A/C on to trigger the radiator fan to come on (the radiator fan is on anytime the AC is on). This completes the the circuit or tells the car there's a new fan. After the AC was turned back off the fan cycles on and off as it should depending on coolant temps.

Unbelievable that it is so hard to find simple instructions on such a simple part to replace.

Great job and thanks very very much for coming back with this update.

At the end of it all then, the fan you bought that saved a ton actually works and it's a direct swap (other than the "coding", sort of speak...), right?

[bdcanetti]

Originally Posted by ZetaTre

Great job and thanks very very much for coming back with this update.

At the end of it all then, the fan you bought that saved a ton actually works and it's a direct swap (other than the "coding", sort of speak...), right?

Exactly! That pretty much sums it up.