Technical P0480 "Fan Relay 1" fault code.

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Technical P0480 "Fan Relay 1" fault code.

realstokebloke

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OK, so I got my KKL leads talking to the MultiESCUscan software at last.

And have read the now long-standing engine control light error code, as per the title.

"P0480 Fan Relay 1" no less.

(Flabbergasted it wasn't the EGR TBH., but still.)

So this is where I struggle; is that a definitive, diagnosis? I.e. A simple swap of a relay component in the fuse / relay box (by the battery)? Something tells me it is, but I get more wrong than right overall I guess.

Or, is it a less prescriptive & more general warning that is saying one of many electrical components somewhere in the whole fan set up has gone AWOL?

If it's the first one, any clues anyone as to which is the specific relay part (which plug in) & where it is in the box layout? And also, are they a generally stocked item for mr local factor or is it the dreaded main dealer price hike time?

Common sense says if I had the part no., I could probably get one that's not a fortune via the main dealer but equally, I don't know which one it is to pull out to check the number.

If it's the latter, any further clues or is it off to the auto electrician (who would have an actual clue)?

Thanks in advance. :)

Oh, & while I sort this, i assume the old trick of blasting the hot air out through the vents will go someway to offsetting the lack of a fan?
 
Actually, that's what set off the spin I think...

Before googling, I thought it was just a "pull, that one there, out & shove a new one from the local factors for 99p, in & off we go..."

But after I read a post saying, it could be more or less anything electric in the system and you needed to have a multimeter love in, I felt a lot less confident tbh.

Another blamed an ECU I think - and as I don't know half of these things exist, let alone where or what they are, I just thought I'd ask...

You never know, someone probably did it just last week.

On the upside I seem to have got my KKL lead working & talking to MultiESCUscan, so not all bad but would love a steer if anyone has their wisdom to impart...

Thanks.
 
Oh yes, and can I ask Mr WMF, where did you find it (& also the rad bracket. / support you mention on the other thread) in ePER please?

I'm obviously useless at using that too.
 
Evening rsb. If you go digging on MultiECUscan you'll probably find a test setting that will fire the relay in question. My laptop's not to hand atm, but I'll have a snoop over the weekend as I want to check that my new turbo is behaving itself. I think I read something to that effect on an Alfa forum thread discussing P0480. If you fire it a few times, you should be able to track down the relay in question. If you don't hear a clicking, you won't be able to find the relay, but you will know at least know it's not working.....

As for ePER, have you got as far as the bit where you enter your VIN number?

For P0480, have you read this thread?:

http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-145-and-146/275809-p0480-cooling-fan-1-error.html

The 145 & 146 have quite a bit in common with the Multipla, so it's just possible that some of what's in that thread will apply to you.
 
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Evening rsb. If you go digging on MultiECUscan you'll probably find a test setting that will fire the relay in question. My laptop's not to hand atm, but I'll have a snoop over the weekend as I want to check that my new turbo is behaving itself. I think I read something to that effect on an Alfa forum thread discussing P0480. If you fire it a few times, you should be able to track down the relay in question. If you don't hear a clicking, you won't be able to find the relay, but you will know at least know it's not working.....

As for ePER, have you got as far as the bit where you enter your VIN number?

For P0480, have you read this thread?:

http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-145-and-146/275809-p0480-cooling-fan-1-error.html

The 145 & 146 have quite a bit in common with the Multipla, so it's just possible that some of what's in that thread will apply to you.

Thanks WMF as ever.

Did you experiment with the MultiESCUscan software at the weekend? Just wondering if anything came up ref the relay issue.

Mine is the freebie one - so not sure it has the diagnostic capability you seem to credit it with ? It might but I haven't had a chance to explore it all yet here sorry.

By "fire it" do you mean turn it over on the ignition? & by "hear it click" does that mean the relays themselves click audibly when they do something (like work) I.e. No click = not working? Little confused as not sure just turning it over (on ignition then tick over) will make them tick as such? I.e. Doesn't the fan only kick in after a certain temp (higher than tick over)?

Thanks for the Alfa link but scanning that, they seem to be saying their relays are basically all red except for one "big black one" that is actually the fan relay = fairly straightforward. However most of mine are black I think (without checking right now) so not as obvious.

And as for the wiring diagram that the link, links to...well, confused.com here I'm afraid.

Noted the VIN bit ref ePER, so will do that now, thanks.

But in summary, still in a bit of a blind alley.
 
As for the ePER, I just bashed in the VIN which generated the engine number & a load of potentially useful serial type numbers but I just got the same Multipla diagram as if you just hit Multipla from the side menu w/out the VIN - and, as I couldn't find it last time, I still can find anything on it (the relays etc) this time : (
 
OK, so, the guys at the local Fiat Stealership, say that the "Fan 1" relay could be one of two in the box.

Either a 20A or a 30A but they didn't know which, so helpfully suggested i buy both - but wouldn't accept the return of the one i didn't use (helpful as ever).

So, i was wondering if anyone actually knew which is one the fan relay out of these possible 4 on the pic:

image.jpg

In other words, which one of these is a straight swap?

(The pic is sideways, so the front of the car is to the right hand side.)

The red one is the only 30A. the three smaller black ones are 20As (ignore the big, square black one it is 50A).

Secondly, anyone ever sourced them anywhere else other than a main stealer?

Many thanks. :)
 
Ha ha (not).

To cap it off, i rang a couple of other Fiat dealers as i can't seem to get them ex-dealer and having been told it was definitely the 20A or the 30A by the first one, but we don't know which...when i rang ano dealer to check stock, they said, no definitely the 50A one as it has a pic of the fan on it...

Also said, might not be the relay anyway - could be any part of the fan wiring (or it might have a sep. relay not in the box?), so back to square one...

:confused:
 
Ha ha (not).

To cap it off, i rang a couple of other Fiat dealers as i can't seem to get them ex-dealer and having been told it was definitely the 20A or the 30A by the first one, but we don't know which...when i rang ano dealer to check stock, they said, no definitely the 50A one as it has a pic of the fan on it...

Also said, might not be the relay anyway - could be any part of the fan wiring (or it might have a sep. relay not in the box?), so back to square one...

:confused:



Hi,
with MES running and connected to the Multipla,
you should be able to find a page ( actuators) whereby you can put on LOTS of different dashboard features.. ( 1 or 2 at a time)


Over temp warning light,
run fuel pump,
run rad cooling fan #1 speed
run rad cooling fan #2 speed,


etc

shown in page 43 of MES user guide ; - )
on my panda, the freebie version lets me do all of this..,
Charlie
 
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Hi,
with MES running and connected to the Multipla,
you should be able to find a page ( actuators) whereby you can put on LOTS of different dashboard features.. ( 1 or 2 at a time)


Over temp warning light,
run fuel pump,
run rad cooling fan #1 speed
run rad cooling fan #2 speed,


etc

shown in page 43 of MES user guide ; - )
on my panda, the freebie version lets me do all of this..,
Charlie

Thanks Charlie, I'll have a look (been away).

That said, when I looked for the MultiESCUscan software guide, my google chrome went bonkers as it said something isn't right with the source site - did you get it from there & was it OK?

I think it's a PDF download.

Cheers.
 
Thanks Charlie.

Do you mean the "how to use" link off that page?

That's the one that I git the warning off.

Sorry to be so dumb.
 
Right, so with a bit of help from Widemouthfrog (thanks), and Charlie, I looked over the MultiESCUscan manual and as you say Charile, pp43 does highlight ano test on the fan (fan speed 1 & fan speed 2) on the 'actuators' tab.

It seems it should run (test) these individually.

So I tried these but got a "no response" / system not responsive (or a pop up with words to that effect). So i was thinking, yes, that confirmed something, somewhere in the whole fan wiring set up was kaput - albeit it took no nearer to finding out what or where.

But then I tried some of the other tests on the same page (various warning lights etc) and got the same response from all of them...which seemed odd and more likely that I was doing something wrong or there is something wrong with the software / leads maybe?

Anyone ventured down or near the same avenue / blind alley?

As ever, all contributions gratefully...
 
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