Hello all. great forum you have here. I really appreciate the knowledge that it contains and shares.

I bought a 1995 Vovo glt from an imound yard for $150. it runs but it has some problems I am trying to work through. I got it to pass smog in Ca. and I had the brakes redone (3 rotors).

The transmission does not have reverse and the radiator light stays on constantly and the fan never comes on. I read here that the problem was probably the relay cooling fan switch. I replaced the switch with a used one. either the new one is bad or the problem is something else.

The fan does work when I jump it with 12 volts.

I am thinking of hard wiring a switch that I could turn on manually but the problem lies in getting the fan to turn off when the engine is cool.

Any toughts...

Thank You John. Whittier California.

 

Will the fan turn on if you switch on the AC? That will narrow it down to being a problem between the ECU and the fan relay, or a problem with the coolant temp sensor (which the ECU uses not only for engine management but to control cooling fan on/off)

 

No with the old switch the fan would not come on when the AC was activated. The AC pump never actually engaged though. It just made a series of clicks but never turned. I assumed it was low on freon and wouldn't pump as I've owned Cars that displayed the same symptoms when the AC doesn't work.

 

What is the radiator light that stays on constantly ??

 

It's a red light in the shape of a radiator icon with a fan in the middle.

I was going to change the temperature sending unit but it looked like I would have first had to remove the upper radiator hose inlet and it needed a special torx type of a tool.

The weird thing is that after I disconnected the wires the fan comes on!

 

Sounds like that is your issue. And by unplugging it the fan kicked on by default. That torx is either a 40 IIRC. (if not a 45) swap that out and it should correct your problem. As to the light. That is a low coolant light. Check the coolant level, and if o.k. That sensor is possibly bad. With enough ingenuity though, you don't necessarily have to pull the thermostat cover, to get the sensor out. I'd explain more, but since you own the car, you'll want that torx in your tool box anyway.

 

Thank you for the great info. I was thinking I could clip the wires and use a socket with a swivel head the reconnect the wires to the plug after I put the sending unit in.
Is that what you were thinking? Or something simpler than that?

 

Technically you could do that. But do you really want to? Down the road if the wiring loosens up, it could just end up being a PITA. In lieu of using a torx, you could also use a sensor socket like the one in the link. (Make sure you get the right size I only linked it as an example) If you can't find one in the size you need, you can always make your own, by cutting a channel out of deep well socket. (Thats what I was meaning by using ingenuity. Just get the torx they are only $3-$5

KD Tools KDS3922 7/8 (22mm) Oxygen Sensor Socket

 

I just looked. It is indeed a T-40. Any auto parts store will sell it. If not Sears, Lowes, Home depot etc.

 

I think I have a bad relay in my '95 949 (part #89 9967 000). I picked up a used relay from a '94 960 (#89 9998 000) but I'm hesitant to use it without verifying that they're interchangeable.

Is there any difference between these relays? They look the same, but have different markings.