while sitting in a parking lot (twice) for around 15 minutes with the engine running, the temperature needle went way up and the red warning light came on.
i quickly checked coolant level, which was fine then drove off hoping to bring the temperature down, which it did, both times.
im guessing my fan control module, fuse or relay is bad.
i read turning ac onto max should engage the fans, tried that and fans not moving.
i read relay r7 might be the issue, tried the r7 from the parts car and made no difference.
can anyone suggest how to start to diagnose this?
thanks

 

I would never find out, if my X-YType had the same issue, as I would never let the engine run 15 Minutes in park.
I think every car manufacture should include such a feature.
I am always annoyed about people, who park with the engine running.

 

iownme, I would say you have done a lot of it already doing the simple check using the A/C controls. Next, you want to get 2 pieces of wire that are say 5 feet long each. One end of each wire you are going to strip back about a 1/2 inch of wire and then attach a female blade connector (see ) or whatever size is going ot fit the plug that goes into the side of the fan controller that feeds the fans. Now, what you are going to do is unplug the connector going to the fans. You should see a red wire and a green wire in this connector. Using the 2 crimped ends, attach them to the posts that the red and green wires go to. Now, take the 2 wires and with a little bit of the wire exposed on each of these wires, touch one wire to each battery terminal (ie, the red wire extension to the + lead, the green wire extension to - lead). This should cause the fan to kick on in fast speed (this may throw a little bit of sparks, so, do not be surprised). Repeat for the other fan (the orange/green wire and the orange/yellow wire). If both fans run, then you have pretty much proven that your problem is the fan controller.

The only other thing that I would check is the fuses (F16 (5A) and F40 (80A), both in the power distribution box under the hood). But, I am assuming you would already have checked those if you moved on to the A/C panel check. The 80A fuse would be your more likely culprit of blowing.

 

im sitting in my car in park with the engine running right now.... are you more annoyed yet?, let me know if not so i can go back out later and do it again

 

thanks so much for the awesome informative and HELPFUL response Chris.
i just spent about 2 hours removing the fcm out of the parts car as the 8mm bolt was rust destroyed, ended up having to remove the entire battery tray to be able to get access to hammer a 9/16 socket onto it only to find after a few turns the wrench locked up and i had to finally snap the fcm off of its mount
i read about an 80amp fuse in #40 slot, but figured google was informing me of a different jaaag as i could not see one rated that high and mine only went as high as fuse 38, i did check the smaller one you suggested previously and it was ok.
by the time i got finished removing the fcm it had gotten so cold i could not continue and called it a day for today.
once it warms up tomorrow i'll go and run your tests, but before i do, where is the 80 amp fuse located?
*edit* just read its on the underside of the engine compartment fuse box necessitating removal of the fuse box to get to it.
i'll do that first tomorrow while having a bonfire to use up some of that spare c02 thats hanging around the planet according to "a study"

 

 

 

i just watched a vid of the fuse box being removed from an x type.
it did not look like there is enough maneuverability once the fuse box bolt is removed to be able to remove the underside plastic fuse cover and get to the fuse to do a continuity test.
it looked like everything has to be unplugged to be able to test the 80a fuse.
am i wrong?

*update edit*
removed fusebox 10mm bolt.
was able to turn the box upside down ok, the plastic fuse cover did not want to cooperate in allowing me to remove it, but i was able to move it back enough to insert a multimeter test probe and find the fuse is okay and not blown.
onto the fcm now.

 

disconnecting the 3 electrical plugs on the parts car was a pita... on current car i used penetrating spray on the plug housings and they came off easily, i recommend using it .
just curious, what is 80a fuse #41 for ?
heres a pic of the underside fuses for those curious

 

WE HAVE A PROBLEM.
i installed the fcm from my parts car and still no fans under any conditions while parked in my driveway idling
the coolant got up to 240f and then the temperature needle started moving up to almost 3/4 in the temp gauge.
chris....i did do your fan test and when i connected the fans directly to power they came on.
im not sure whether now i should attempt to get this fcm back onto the parts car and try and get that started, which may be an even bigger headache.
what do you suggest now, im putting off a long trip now due to this

 

there are 2 small wires going into the FCM, white/green and white/blue.

we should have continuity from pin 5 at the power distribution box to the white/green wire entering the FCM, i had no continuity there.

i bared a little piece of wire at the FCM input plug white/green wire and at pin 5 under the PDB white/green wire then soldered a 30" piece of wire between those 2 places and now my fans work as they should.

somewhere between the PDB and the FCM the white/green wire is broken.

i bypassed it and all is good.
i may have killed a few more trees as i did have to idle the car to get it up to temp so dont be too annoyed peterofaustralia as the ends justified the means.
driving 200 miles each way to a jag dealer would have killed many more trees....win win i say!👍

 

iownme, this is where getting a toner is going to be your next step. You will then want to remove the temporary wire that you have installed. You can then attach the transmitter end to the white/green wire and use the antenna to follow the wire. Where the tone stops, that is where your break is and where you will need to make your repair. The toners are like $30/$40, but, in this case will be a life saver.

 

while i should have acted on that advice when you first gave it a while back. i will this time, amazon here i come!👍