Q: Is my broken radiator fan causing damage to my engine from overheating?

asked by on October 30, 2016

I believe my radiator fan is not working and my car is beginning to overheat while I drive throughout the city. My engine is now making a whining sound when I accelerate. Is that because of the overheating? Is the overheating causing damage to my engine?

My car has 32000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Hi there. Overheating to an engine will begin to cause damage as the cylinder cannot cool off enough and will begin to burn the head gasket or even burn a valve. Check the fuse to the fan and see if it was blown. If the fan works and your A/C works, turn on the A/C on max and see if the fan comes on. If the fan comes on, then your coolant temperature sensor has failed. If the fan does not come on, then check the power to the fan. If there is power to the fan, then you will need to replace the fan motor. If you need further assistance troubleshooting the overheating issue, then seek out a technician, such as one from YourMechanic, to have this diagnosed and repaired.

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