You might want to check your fan relay

hotrod2448 · 08-16-2011, 01:11 PM

I was washing the car last night and while I was drying under the hood the bottom edge of the towel was hanging down into the engine bay. As I was moving around I heard a solid metal clunk which got my attention for obvious reasons.

I looked down by the power steering reservoir and I could see a bracket with a relay and two large power cables just laying there flopping around. It's obvious from the location and shape this thing is supposed to be attached to the power steering reservoir mount. It is also apparent that if I had my radio on so I didn't hear the noise and were to close my hood it would have made a giant freaking dent in the hood the way it was laying. If it were left to flop around it could have worked the terminals loose or fatigued the wire and shorted out or caused the fan to no longer function. No good.

It took less then 5 minutes to attach properly and isn't anything major but, it's not exactly confidence inspiring. Properly Attached:

bredi · 08-17-2011, 12:34 AM

glad you washed behind your ears... guess mom was right!

good catch! and glad you didn't slam the hood shut on it!

hotrod2448 · 08-17-2011, 07:23 AM

Yeah, that would have sucked. I'm assuming it's the relay for the engine fan but, I'm not 100% on that. It looks to be the right size and cabling gauge for something that would draw a large amount of amps like an engine fan but, I can't find it on realoem.

DieselDiner · 08-17-2011, 10:32 AM

How did this thing get loose? Or do you think it came that way from the factory?

hotrod2448 · 08-17-2011, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselDiner

How did this thing get loose? Or do you think it came that way from the factory?

Came that way. The car had 3 miles on it when we picked it up and this is the first time I've opened the hood other than to check the oil quickly. It must have been a friday build date.

PS, I'm so happy to have a dipstick again.

Park2670 · 08-17-2011, 11:35 AM

Yes, it is the fan relay. I had to take mine off to make room to install the LUX angel eyes.

Fun fact, its the same relay and fan they install on the 335is, or the Performance Power Kit for the gas motor.

Torqu3 · 09-27-2016, 04:29 PM

Literally just got a call from my mechanic saying I had a faulty fan module. Looks like this may be a repair I can do myself.

UPDATE: Shop called again. Wanted $1300 to replace the engine cooling fan and the module. Lol no. Got the Fan with 2 day shipping and the module with 1 day shipping for $800 total. Will be replacing them both either tonight or this weekend. Will update on it.

08-16-2011, 01:11 PM	#1
hotrod2448 grand poobah 257 Rep 2,253 Posts Drives: F80 M3, F10 535i Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 335d [0.00]	You might want to check your fan relay I was washing the car last night and while I was drying under the hood the bottom edge of the towel was hanging down into the engine bay. As I was moving around I heard a solid metal clunk which got my attention for obvious reasons. I looked down by the power steering reservoir and I could see a bracket with a relay and two large power cables just laying there flopping around. It's obvious from the location and shape this thing is supposed to be attached to the power steering reservoir mount. It is also apparent that if I had my radio on so I didn't hear the noise and were to close my hood it would have made a giant freaking dent in the hood the way it was laying. If it were left to flop around it could have worked the terminals loose or fatigued the wire and shorted out or caused the fan to no longer function. No good. It took less then 5 minutes to attach properly and isn't anything major but, it's not exactly confidence inspiring. Properly Attached: Last edited by hotrod2448; 08-16-2011 at 05:36 PM..
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08-17-2011, 12:34 AM	#2
bredi Private First Class 15 Rep 112 Posts Drives: 335d Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Francisco iTrader: (0)	glad you washed behind your ears... guess mom was right! good catch! and glad you didn't slam the hood shut on it! __________________ 2011' 335d M Sport Space Gray/Chestnut/Glacier Everything but Washers 2008' 335i MT Monaco Blue/Black/Dark Burl Sport/Prem/Cold 2004' x3 3.0 MT Gray/Blk/Alum 2000' 328ci MT TIAG/Blk/Alum \| 1986' 325es MT \| 1981' 528i MT
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08-17-2011, 07:23 AM	#3
hotrod2448 grand poobah 257 Rep 2,253 Posts Drives: F80 M3, F10 535i Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 335d [0.00]	Yeah, that would have sucked. I'm assuming it's the relay for the engine fan but, I'm not 100% on that. It looks to be the right size and cabling gauge for something that would draw a large amount of amps like an engine fan but, I can't find it on realoem.
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08-17-2011, 10:32 AM	#4
DieselDiner Lieutenant Colonel 505 Rep 1,614 Posts Drives: 335d Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Home iTrader: (2)	How did this thing get loose? Or do you think it came that way from the factory?
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08-17-2011, 11:35 AM	#6
Park2670 General 362 Rep 18,218 Posts Drives: Tesla Model 3 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: UTAH iTrader: (8)	Yes, it is the fan relay. I had to take mine off to make room to install the LUX angel eyes. Fun fact, its the same relay and fan they install on the 335is, or the Performance Power Kit for the gas motor. __________________
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09-27-2016, 04:29 PM	#7
Torqu3 Major 331 Rep 1,157 Posts Drives: 2011 335d Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Centralish Texas iTrader: (0)	Literally just got a call from my mechanic saying I had a faulty fan module. Looks like this may be a repair I can do myself. UPDATE: Shop called again. Wanted $1300 to replace the engine cooling fan and the module. Lol no. Got the Fan with 2 day shipping and the module with 1 day shipping for $800 total. Will be replacing them both either tonight or this weekend. Will update on it. Last edited by Torqu3; 09-30-2016 at 11:26 AM..
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