How Long Does a Thermo Coolant Fan Switch Last?

There are many hard-working parts in your vehicle but perhaps the hardest working part of all is your engine. With that said it's easy to understand why your engine heats up. Allowing it to overheat means you risk damaging it, which leads to costly repairs. That's exactly why the thermo cooling fan switch is such an important part.

This switch is found right on your actual engine and it is able to read the engine's temperature so it knows when it gets hot enough that it needs to be cooled down. The switch not only works to turn on the fan, but then once the ideal engine temperature is reached it knows to turn the fan off. From time to time this part fails since it is an electrical component. When this happens it's important to have it replaced right away as you don't want to allow your engine to get too cold or too hot.

The thermo coolant fan switch is not included in regular maintenance of your vehicle since ideally it is meant to last the lifetime of your vehicle. Instead it’s important to know what signs to watch for in case it needs replacing:

  • Should your “Engine Hot” warning light come on, it is something that you don’t want to ignore. It could be that your thermo coolant fan switch is faulty so the fan isn't coming on.

  • If the fan doesn't turn on at all, this can point to the thermo coolant fan switch. Keep in mind it may be something else, so it's best to have a mechanic do a full diagnostic.

  • Should your Check Engine Light come on, you'll need to get your vehicle looked at immediately. The thermo coolant fan switch failing is just one of many reasons this light may come on. The professionals will need to take a look at the computer codes to determine the full issue.

The thermo coolant fan switch is able to monitor and read the temperature of your engine. With that said it knows when to turn the fan on to cool off the engine, as well as when to turn the engine off once the engine reaches the desired temperature. Once this part fails you risk overheating your engine. Have a certified mechanic replace the failing thermo coolant fan switch to eliminate any further problems with your vehicle.


The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

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