Hello, I need to know at what temperature does the cooling fans on a 02' Jaguar X-type come on with the A/C off, and if there is a steady supply of incoming cool air (winter driving) and very limited idling would the cooling fans normally need to engage? The temp gauge always runs a needle width below half. Wish there was quantitative values on the gauge.

Yesterday, I ran the A/C for the 1st time for any period longer than a minute or two and it reached 80F up here and the cooling fans did not run, and the car overheated and split the plastic radiator tank.

I had some minor collision work done late in 2009 and the radiator and condenser were replaced with only 5k miles since then. I had the 02' X-type towed to local jag dealer and they said the cooling fans were unplugged (must have been from the body shop...they were last to touch it).

The body shop manager is saying it should have overheated as soon as it left their place since the cooling fans were not operational. I stated I work nights (virtually no in-traffic idling) and it has been winter time plus I have not run the A/C till now except for an occasional defrost.

Bottom line is I feel they are responsible and should at minimum assist with the $1400 estimate to get my car repaired.

Thank you all!

 

Hi everyone,

I found my answer to the cooling fan run temp in JTIS. It is as follows:

The cooling fans are operated at slow speed when the engine coolant temperature is at 95°C (203°F) and are operated at full speed when the engine coolant temperature is at 105°C (221°F). A coolant temperature between these temperatures will cause the cooling fans to be operated at a speed which is proportional to the engine coolant temperature.When the engine is running with the ECT above 100°C (212°F), if the ignition switch is turned to the OFF position the cooling fans will continue to operate for a time which is determined by the ECM.

Does anyone feel confident that this overheat situation has not occurred yet due to the lack of idling, highway driving, and cool/cold weather up until now plus due to not running the A/C?
Or should have it occurred long ago despite the added variables of A/C running, 80F day, and low speed (<30mph) driving (in neighborhoods looking at houses for sale)?

Many thanks.

 

Since you live in what I call Canada Lite, there is more than enough cold air volume to prevent the engine from overheating during the winter. Since the connector was unplugged, I believe it is totally the fault of the body shop. The manager is just trying to cover his rear. What is his theory on how it got unplugged?

 

Nice thing about being in "Canada Lite" is you can always threaten legal action against the body shop if they don't immediately help you out. That may change their mind about any other explanation on why the fans would be disconnected.

Being in full blown Canada, we can threaten the same but no one actually does it, ever. That's why we love watching Judge Joe Brown.

 

Hello,

The body shops theory on the unplugged fans was that it was a loose connection and that it vibrated loose over time and driving. The manager stated that the car would not have passed their A/C tester without the fans running and being operational. He said there was enough grey area with what happened that he could not definitively say that it was not their fault, and since I was a good customer (had some additional work done besides the insurance claim part -- repairing stone chips) that he wanted to make things right with me and honor their work.

This manager was reluctant to pay for labor at the Jaguar dealer so he proposed that the car come back to his shop and he will install a new radiator, T-stat, and T-stat housing, with no expense to me. I was going to suggest the same proposal if he did not because I knew he could control his costs at least labor wise in his shop vs the $100/hr Jag dealer rate.

So the X-type is getting towed to the body shop and the parts are on their way. I suggest everyone double check their cooling fan functionality before it happens to anyone else.

Thanks!!

 

Good to hear that he owned up to it. However, I have never heard of an a/c machine that checks for condenser fan operation, even though the fans weren't coming on, the high side pressures still might have been quite low considering the repair was done in the winter. Just make sure that he checks that the t-stat opens BEFORE you take the car off the lot. I've heard plenty of horror stories that they never check the entire system properly before it leaves.

 

Yes absolutely, I will be ensuring that the T-stat opens and that the fans function as designed.

Thank you guys for the responses! I will post back when I pick up the car.

 

Ooops!!!