Fan at Condensor doesn't kick in when A/C is ON.

Hi Guys.

I have another problem with my Marea A/C...
I have replaced the dehydration filter because of leakage and got the system re-filled.
When turning the A/C ON the compressor kicks in and starts cooling and that's fine.
BUT the fan (at the coolant matrix and condensor) doesn't kick in.
As result after 30-45 sec the compressor stats switching OFF - ON - OFF - ON and so on, because the gas can't be cooled down.
I don't have a wiring diagram on the A/C system, can anybody help me with a hint where to look?
Does the 3-stage pressure switch have anything to do with the fan?
I assume the switch works when the compressor can be turned ON.

Any help appreciated.
Michael

check to see if the fan motor has a good earth, and then also try giving it a live from the battery just to check it works.


actually now i think about it, maybe the fan is negatively switched so you'd need ot cehck for a live and then test it by earthing it. i'd need to check a wiring diagram to decide if it is negatively switched.

My cars fan is switched earth. You can either have a 2 fan arrangement or one fan and 2 speeds, low via a dropper resistor and full speed direct 12v. When my car did this I replaced the dropper which had corroded through and fallen off and fine since. Curiously when the ECU commanded the fan on on low speed and temp went up it did not then command it on on high speed??
Watch your fingers when probing around those big blades!
edit, I remember pulling the relays which were both in the box in front of the battery and shorting across the contacts when it kicked in one one but not 't other which was a bit of a clue

Hi Jug.
Thanks for the speepy reply
The fan works, it switches on when the engine temp is to high.

Michael

hi guys,

i am having a similar problem but i already pin-point it to the motor fan. both of my marea weekend 1.9JTD105 carbon brushes are totally worn out and i am in the midst to find a parts replacement. the dealer does has the whole assembly (2 fans, blades, housing) which cost me a bomb over here.

i am wondering anyone know where to get just the motors or any substitude can be slotted in. from the eper, JTD & TD share the same part numbers.

hope someone can help. not many JTD running over here but 1.8/1.6 bravo/a and marea.

Ok so it's a single fan arrangement right? On my car the a/c only ever activates the low speed fan. this meant the a/c would kick in and even cool slightly when on the move but it could never dump enough heat to work properly. Once I fixed the resistor (it's in my gallery) the fan would kick in a few seconds after the compressor started and then cold air comes out of the vents. I got a complete fan assy from Thames Fiat, I just rang up to check the price and they had one in stock and as Mareas were going off their radar they made me an offer I couldnt refuse.
Oh and if you cant get a Fiat fan there are loads of cheap Chinese ones on E-bay, but of course you may have to make up some special brackets. There is a company called Kenlowe here in the Uk that does kits but although its easy to go that way, they are not cheap

Hi guys.

I've found some wiring diagrams and yes, it's a one fan - 2 speed system.
As far i can see the 3-stage pressure switch pulls the high fan speed relay when the A/C is ON.
And now when i have had the switch disconnected during the filter replacement, it's most likely the place to start trouble shooting.
Otherwise it must be this high fan speed relay.
I'll have a look at it tomorrow if the rain will give me a break...
Typical danish summer weather

Cheers!

Yes, it's switched earth and the pressure switch does drive the high speed relay. The relays are in front of the battery so you should be able to biridge across the contacts with a wire to check it out. I have heard of water getting into this exposed relay box and corroding away the sockets this would give you the working fan, but not switching on when needed you are seeing.

Hi Renegade_8.

I have checked the relay sockets and they are fine.
When connecting a wire between 30 & 87 on the low speed relay nothing happens (must check the dropping resistor).
(I guess it's OK driving with this failure as long as the high speed relay kicks in)
When doing the same on the high speed relay the fan starts.
So i have to wait until i come home from holiday with further trouble shooting. I haven't got a voltmeter in my caravan.
So next step is to check if A127 on the pressure switch goes low when pressure is OK.
If this is OK it must be the fan high speed timer relay that fails, or the connections between the components.

Michael

Hi Renegade_8.

By the wayOn 1.6 Mareas:
The first relay from left is the low speed relay, the second relay is the high speed timer relay.
The high speed relay is placed on the fan assy and not in the box.

Cheers
Michael

When I find the partial circuit I used (donated by the a/c fitter who failed to find the problem) I will check, but I still recall there were a large and small relay in that box I pulled, the big one for the higher crrent on high speed. Also the ECU got in on the act as well, hence the reason I had to strap across the contacts to find out what was happening. If you need any more inputs just ask. PS, we really loved Denmark apart from the price of beer.

Hi Renegade_8.

If you look at the image i attached earlier in the thread you will see the location of the relays on the 1.6 Marea.
122 is the low speed relay, 123 is the high speed timer relay, 123A is the high speed relay.
The high speed relay is not that easy to gain access to.
I had to unscrew the fan assy...
Well i have located the failure.
I tried to connect the active low output from the 3-stage pressure switch to ground, the high speed relay pulled and the fan started on high speed.
I measured the voltage on the switch output, 12V no matter if the compressor was on or not.
I guess i must have damaged the switch during the filter replacement...
But only partly, because the output pulling the compressor relay (via the ECU) is OK
I found the dropper resistor on the fan assy, one of the connections was
corroded away and the cable shoe was burned, i short circuited it until i get hands on a new one.
Yes the beer in DK is expensive as well as everything else here
Especially cars are expensive, i gave around £6000 for my 1.6 ELX Marea Estiva, when it was 8 years old and had 177.000 Km. on the clock.
If you import a car you have to pay 180% of the value to the state in tax.

Before re-assembly I put a lot of copper grease on the connections to the dropper to repel water. you can see what was left of the corroded one in my gallery. With that much tax you want the car to last. It was very good beer of course

Hi Renegade_8.

Yes, yes, yes
After replacing the 3 stage pressure switch the A/C works
I've been driving 250 km with 30C outside temp today, it could easily take the cabin temp down to 20C, COOL
Thanks for your help!

Michael