Car overheated for the first time last week. Realized the fan wasn't coming on and bought a new relay—back to normal.

Got home after sitting in heavy traffic last night and noticed temp gauge pegged again and fan not coming on anymore.

What could be causing the relay to go bad?

 

Age. Your relay is 20 years old.

 

Maybe I wasn't clear enough in my post or thread title. This is the second new relay.

I actually just put the second new one in and now nothing. How could the switch or fan have gone bad in one week right after I changed out the relay?

Any ideas anyone?

 

Are you sure it's the relay and not an issue with the fan itself? Either a shorted wire or something along those lines thanks to rodents or age?

If you wire 12V straight to the fan does it come on?

 

The first time I changed the relay the fan started to work again. Wasn't until last night that it stopped.

I am not positive it's not the fan or switch, but I'd find it weird if it were either one after just working.

Suppose I'll try the paper clip trick again.

 

I had a similar issue, it ended up being my radiator fan switch. It's 30 bux and is easy to replace. If it was a fan issue, like a short or and open circuit your fan fuse would pop first.

 

The one close to the upper rad. hose or the one near the thermostat?

I am actually starting to suspect a stuck-shut t-stat, so I plan on replacing that tomorrow and see if my fans work again.

Nothing would account for why a replaced fan relay solved the problem before but won't —except a big coincidence.

 

When the car starts to overheat and the fan's not coming on, turn the car off but keep the ignition on, and unplug the connector to the switch on the thermostat housing at the back of the engine at the end of the lower radiator hose. Stick a paperclip into the connector and see if the fan comes on. If it does, the problem is the fan switch. Get another from Honda, the aftermarket ones don't last long or always work out of the box.

 

Will do this to both before I attack t-stat.

 

went out to try the paper clip test and while the car was heating up i noticed the fan was rattling, so i put my flash light onto it to hold it. when i released, it slipped and hit the actual fan and it came on.

turned off the car, turned it back on and no fan. hit it again and it came on. looks like i have a bad fan. looks like you were right, muffin man.

 

Might be splitting hairs here, but:

Fan or fans? Both fans should have come on when you jumped thermo A?

 

he may not have ac