Cooling fan not working properly?

2011 BMW 335
117,000 MILES • 6 CYL • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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BHAMDOC1973
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I have been having an issue with this car since i bought it. Drives strong. Fan always stay on high then shuts off then comes on high randomly. Usually with these cars it's a sign the pump is about to fail. Left it alone. Changed the coolant temperature sensor in the head. Nothing changed. Does not overheat. One day it gave the yellow light for temperature. So, i towed it in. No codes. Changed the pump and thermostat. Now it does not heat, stays around 220-230f if left idle for a long time. Fan still comes on while idling, at high, sometimes at low around 212 or so. Is there a relay for the fan that could be stuck? I left it running for 7 minutes and now the scanner shows 419f. Measured the radiator hoses and it's at 112 and 90f.
Feb 10, 2023 at 6:56 AM
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STRAILER
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Is the HVAC system on when this happens? The reason I ask is because the fan will react to high pressure in the high side A/C compressor hose which can be the normal operation of the radiator fan. Please let me know if the HVAC system changes anything.
Feb 10, 2023 at 11:38 AM
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REY-GTS
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It sounds like there may still be some issues with the cooling system of your car.

The temperature change from 230F to 419F in 7 minutes is a significant increase and could indicate that there is still a problem with the cooling system.

The fact that the fan is still turning on at high speed, even after changing the pump and thermostat, could be due to a stuck relay, or it could be due to another issue. It could be worth checking the relay to see if it's stuck or has failed. If you have access to a wiring diagram for your car, you can use that to locate the relay and test it.

It's also possible that there is an issue with the head gasket, which could be causing the coolant to leak into the combustion chamber and causing the engine to overheat. You may want to have the head gasket checked to see if that's the issue.

Additionally, it's important to make sure that the radiator is properly filled with coolant, and that there are no leaks in the hoses or other parts of the system. If everything checks out and the issue persists, you may want to consider taking your car to a professional mechanic for further diagnosis and repair.
Feb 10, 2023 at 11:40 AM
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BHAMDOC1973
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HVAC not on. Scanner reading 419 even when cold, hoses read 120, so reading is not correct. Wiring does not show anything about the location of the relay. compression is perfect. No leaks. These cars only have a coolant reservoir and no radiator to too off. Bled the system 3 times with the ignition on procedure which is common.
Feb 10, 2023 at 11:44 AM
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BHAMDOC1973
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Car is well taken care of, most BMWs have leaks and issues, this one is super clean, no oil on the bottom, compression great, I put new pump thermostat and coolant sensor, and its staying at 109c..The fan only comes on around 108 but not on high speed. Which is what I want, deleted all codes, idled for 45 minutes so far so good, when I rev it at high rpm for a bit speed of electric pump increases and coolant temperature decreases, so that is good, hoping it will stay that way. It has an aftermarket air cooler, and cold intake.
Feb 10, 2023 at 2:06 PM
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STRAILER
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That is good to hear so the problem is fixed or? So, there is one coolant sensor and if the connections are good and the scanner gives you a coolant reading of 419 that means the DME is bad, but I would check all of the fuses in the wiring diagrams below.

Here is a guide and the fan wiring diagrams so you can see how the system works:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-wiring

Please let us know what you find.
Feb 11, 2023 at 1:19 PM
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BHAMDOC1973
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Fuses are good, tried another scanner and got the right reading between 220-230 idling.
Feb 11, 2023 at 1:22 PM
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BHAMDOC1973
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I also found out that the car has a dang jb4, so you can actually choose for the fan to run more and more as an option so i turned that off.
Feb 11, 2023 at 2:35 PM
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Okay, good job. Use 2CarPros anytime, we are here to help. Please tell a friend.
Feb 12, 2023 at 1:00 PM