Not sure if the fan module has symptoms before failure? First I'll say the car has never overheated, or came close. I've owned the car for 130k of its 149k miles and five years.This past fall the Jag caught my attention with what seemed like ill timed and/or prolonged fan cycles, but just as quickly would function normally again. Yesterday (about 32degrees) I drove around town with no issues, I stopped in line at a drive-thru, and noticed the temp climbing. By the time I pulled away with my food the red light/engine high temp message appeared. I reached about 40mph, temp dropped light went out. No fan cycle. Got home and sat idle for 5+ minutes watched temp climb, as i drove slowly down my street the temp climbed enough to give the warnings again, speed up to about 30, warnings went out, but this time the fans cycled????

 

Kay, it is your fan module that is failing. Just because you are hearing the fans, it doesn't mean that the fans are spinning as fast as they should. If your fans are spinning too slow, they don't pull as much air as they should. A quick check that you can do is right after you get home, put the A/C system into manual mode and put the fan on max speed and set the temp to the lowest temp possible. This will force the fans to run at max speed. Now, open the hood and lean in over the front bumper to look at the fans. The fans should be pushing your hair around pretty good (feel like you are standing in a 40 mph wind). If you are getting just a gentle breeze, then your fan module more than likely is on its way out.

If you need more info, let me know.

 

Agreed. Fan module is starting to go. Don't know what causes it but Jaguar has updated that part numerous times to where a whole new fan cowl with updated fan module has to be replaced (with new wiring connectors). I don't know if the aftermarket has any support for the old setup.

 

Forced the fans on with the a/c. The fans cycled fast once, then very-very slowly for the next ten minutes the car was running. The temp gauge never went past halfway, so the engine never got hot. Does the a/c cycle force the fans at full speed regardless of temp? Are the fans controlled with variable speeds?

 

the fan speed depends on outside temps conditions, evaporator temp (A/C), engine temp, road speed, etc..

The very very slowly part is a sign to me that the module is going. On the older X's the lower hose would blow off the thermostat and send coolant everywhere when the gauge got into the red. Fan speed was usually at fault during that event. I wouldn't go too much longer without repairing it. Those engines will go a long time but once they are overheated two or three times, they are toast.

 

I read that somewhere else also that fan speed depended on various criteria. Like ambient temp(yesterday was 54), engine speed,etc. Thanks for all the advice, I'm gonna go the new route, and at $540 for the assembly I want to be sure. I can't afford to go throwing entire loan payments away!

 

I read that somewhere else also that fan speed depended on various criteria. Like ambient temp(yesterday was 54), engine speed,etc. Thanks for all the advice, I'm gonna go the new route, and at $540 for the assembly I want to be sure. I can't afford to go throwing entire loan payments away!

 

Kay, yes, you are correct in that the fan looks at engine temp, speed settings of the heat-A/C, and other things. That is why I told you to set the A/C to on (even though it is only 30ish where you are), set the fan speed to high, and dial the temp to the lowest setting. This forces the fans to run at their max speed. All I was doing was setting up a known set of conditions to get a known output.

 

I'm not a tech, just an old, old gearhead shade tree mech but never afraid to tear into a problem.
My understanding is the fan control problem came up early in 2003 and a replacement was ordered installed on all 2003 X's fter that before leaving the plant. My 2003 was supposed to have a replacement but the control failed about a year after we bought it in 2007. I replaced it with a used one out of a 2004 model and it's been working fine since. I found no support for the old system available and the new complete assembly does require the adapter cable for the wiring harness and that costs around $75. I guess I was lucky finding a complete used assembly when I needed it for $100. Now I have a spare shroud and 2 fans in case I ever need to replace them.

 

I'll be picking up my OE fan assembly with updated harness later this week. Anyone have experience R&R these assembly's?