My car smells like coolant I changed the coolant sensor, thermostat,and relays don't no if they were the rite ones. only one fan is running with the a-c on I wired the other the fan that's not working directly to the battery and it turns on. What can cause this?
If the smell is inside the car it is probably the heater core. The non-working fan may be due to a relay or fuse.
Your car smells coolant probably because you spilled some. Now, when radiator, engine, hoses, et. al. - still wet warm up, … it slowly evaporates and smells. I say slowly because coolant evaporates much, much slower than, for example, water! (Hint: every time you work on cooling system, rinse the area you work on with water, after!) Of course, there could be a leak somewhere post your work, … check it over.
Anyway, … don’t know what car you have, but with two fans, some cars turn them on in stages - temperature 1 reached (or A/C clicks on) fan 1 goes on, … temperature 2 reached (higher than temperature 1), second fan goes on. Could be just that, …
F.S.
@figmund-sreud
I have a 2012 Honda civic, and only one of my fans is working. The condenser fan is working, is it normal for the radiator fan to be off? I know the fan is good because i wired it directly to the battery and it turns on. Are both fans suppose to be on at the same time with the a/c on or off?
I’m not sure about your ‘12 Civic. One would have to either have a wiring diagram, or trace the wiring itself to verify how the system actually is set up. For example, my ‘10 CRV: … A/C condenser fan motor is operated through condenser fan relay, … radiator fan relay is operated through radiator fan relay. There is also third relay, fan control relay that ties the other two relays together. All three relays are located in under-hood fuse/ relay box!
Anyway, … for a starters, the way I see this type of wiring, … I would check wiring. I would measure the voltage between the fan control relay (terminal 5) and body ground. Voltage should be battery voltage.
Fan control relay terminal configuration:
1.
2.
5. 4. 3.
… terminals as looking at the end of 5-terminal socket
If no, trouble is at under-hood fuse/relay box itself.
If yes, check continuity between terminal 2 of 5-terminal socket and ground. If continuity exists, … again, trouble is at under-hood fuse/relay box.
Conclusion: … you will need to replace under-hood fuse/relay box.
However, if there is no continuity, wiring is damaged somewhere between 5-terminal socket terminal #2 and a body ground, … or there is poor body ground that needs fixing.
Anyway, … that’s what It looks like in my CRV, … but I can’t assure that your Civic is set up the same way.
F.S.