How often does your radiator fan run?

[UltraCow]

As the thread title says, what do most of you guys see for how often your radiator fan runs? Around town, just off the freeway, stop-and-go, etc.

From my observations so far, it seems that the cooling system on the Stinger is fairly aggressive in trying to keep *something* in a certain temp range most of the time, whether that's for oil cooling, intercooler airflow (not sure if the fan shroud is even connected to it), or simply coolant or engine bay temps. This is during a fairly cold California winter, with plenty of "normal" driving as well.

For reference, I've had a few different stock FI cars along with NA (my Stinger is the 3.3), so I do some data points here for something with a turbo or two vs not.

 

[NS_Stinger]

In the summer months I noticed that it ran often which doesn't surprise me being that it's a twin turbo car and produces a lot of heat.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I just assumed that the radiator fan runs more or less constantly. And I don't even think about it.

 

[oddball]

We only have one fan, so it'll run any time the A/C system is running too. The A/C compressor might be pumping while you have the heat on in order to de-humidify the air. That helps prevent fogging on cold days.
Plugging in a high quality scan tool should give you the data you want.

 

[Michael Polito]

ALL THE TIME, and its loud... when i go for my first oil change im going to ask about it


also im from toronto so its cold here and still runs like crazy

 

[Whytiptoe]

As oddball said this is also used for the AC system. Next time you hear it running turn your AC/Heat off and see it stop. I thought the same thing like WTH and happened to turn the heat/air off and the fan followed to the off position, turned the heat/air back on and the fan followed again.

 

[Michael Polito]

As oddball said this is also used for the AC system. Next time you hear it running turn your AC/Heat off and see it stop. I thought the same thing like WTH and happened to turn the heat/air off and the fan followed to the off position, turned the heat/air back on and the fan followed again.

ac lol its freezing here in toronto. -10c// 14 f
even with heat off it runs after driving for a bit

 

[Whytiptoe]

ac lol its freezing here in toronto. -10c// 14 f
even with heat off it runs after driving for a bit

Now I know the car has an auto defrost system even with the air/heat in the off position. Might check and see if you have that setting on and see if the possibly is the culprit.

 

[5tinger]

All Kia Hyundai's use a single fan that I have never noticed kick in as they're so quiet.

If you want to hear fan noise - Toyota/Lexus use twin-fans that you can hear from a mile away - they're so loud & powerful that they make the entire vehicle vibrate for a second when they run.

 

[BertBert2019GT]

wait, yours turns off?!

 

[Kimberly Lazarski]

ac lol its freezing here in toronto. -10c// 14 f
even with heat off it runs after driving for a bit

Previous posts already mentioned the A/C runs in the winter to dehumidify the air to defog the windows. Many makes have done this in higher end models for decades. It's actually mentioned in the manual. The Stinger is pretty advanced in that it goes a step further than most and monitors humidity levels so the system is actually a lot more intelligent than systems that just cycle the compressor regardless in defrost or auto settings.

 

[CKeeler]

I rarely hear mine since I mostly drive freeway speeds.

 

[Suzanne]

Thank goodness I'm not the only one that has noticed this. I drive a lot in the City and it's on ALOT of the time. I was wondering if I needed to take it to the dealer as well. If anyone does, please post what their response is to this. And I did notice, as mentioned before if you turn the interior fan speed off it goes off as well.

 

[CKeeler]

Every manufacturer equipped electric fan is set up to turn on anytime the A/C is running no matter what. Even aftermarket electric fans for cars that didn’t come with them initially are setup to run like that

 

[5tinger]

How are you guys "noticing" your fans running? Even with the hood open I can barely hear the fans running when they do.

 

[MerlintheMad]

How are you guys "noticing" your fans running? Even with the hood open I can barely hear the fans running when they do.

Hmm! That's a good question. I assume that there must be a change in engine noise when the fan shuts off; so, I'm basing my observation on a subliminal input over time: my fan runs almost constantly; and it has done so in all my vehicles, so I expect nothing different from the Stinger.

 

[Suzanne]

How are you guys "noticing" your fans running? Even with the hood open I can barely hear the fans running when they do.

It is definitely loud enough that I can hear it come on and run unless I have the radio turned up really loud. It runs more now with the temps a lot colder than it did in the summer - not sure what's up with that. It is on more than other cars I've had.

 

[5tinger]

It is definitely loud enough that I can hear it come on and run unless I have the radio turned up really loud. It runs more now with the temps a lot colder than it did in the summer - not sure what's up with that. It is on more than other cars I've had.

That doesn't sound right. I guess if auto climate is on, then it does ita thing.

 

[Fstein]

I just assumed that the radiator fan runs more or less constantly. And I don't even think about it.

Mine is at the dealer because fan will drain battery because it wont shut off after driving.

 

[CKeeler]

Mine is at the dealer because fan will drain battery because it wont shut off after driving.

Mine has only run after I turn off the car if I drive it hard just before turning it off