2001 e430 4m: 1 of my auxiliary fans don't work - Benzworld.org

forevaaballin · 07-23-2008, 02:33 PM

Hi,
I just recently change my radiator and water pump because my car was leaking coolant and overheating. After changing these parts, my car is still overheating a little bit, especially when the AC is turned on. One of my fans (the 2 that you see in front when you open the hood/left one) is not working and the one on the right works fine. I cannot figure out what is wrong. A Benz shop told me that the belt that connects the 2 fans was broken and needed to be replaced, but I also read online that there is no belt. A little confused, any suggestions on how I can fix this problem? Thank You.

**Matt L** · 07-23-2008, 02:54 PM

I think you mean that the left one works fine, since that side has the motor.

You've lost the belt between the two fans. Remove the fan assembly and install a new belt, whether or not yours is broken. It probably just jumped off.

forevaaballin · 07-23-2008, 05:00 PM

Great I'll open it up and see what's going on. Thank You for your help.

**Matt L** · 07-23-2008, 05:58 PM

You're welcome. By the way, welcome to the forum. Please take a moment to complete your user profile, available via the "User CP" link. Your vehicle model and year and your location are especially useful.

I bought a new belt from the dealer for $23 because I wanted one right then, but they're available online for under $10.

I'd put a new one on there because yours is almost certainly original. If a belt jumps off but is not very old, you are almost certainly fine reusing it.

**Musikmann** · 07-23-2008, 06:20 PM

That happened to my 1998 E430 also. As Matt stated the left fan has a motor but the right fan is belt-driven off the left. The thing looks like a rubber band, real thin, and I think they must break or become lost often.

**Matt L** · 07-23-2008, 06:26 PM

It seems that they mostly just come off the pulleys in one piece. Probably due to small rocks getting between the pulley and belt.

I have read of a single occurrence of a belt getting caught in the left-side pulley and putting a hole in the condenser.

**Musikmann** · 07-23-2008, 06:28 PM

Ouch!

forevaaballin · 07-23-2008, 06:38 PM

Thanks you guys for you help. I opened it up and found the belt between the fans. It just jumped off and was not broken, so I just put it back on and both fans work great. Although, my car is still a little warmer than usual, what is the normal temperature?

**Musikmann** · 07-23-2008, 06:39 PM

Mine rarely gets above 90 to 100C.

**Matt L** · 07-23-2008, 06:41 PM

We have a good number of E430's here, so someone else will have to answer the question about the engine temperature.

However, if it's warm where you are, the engine may run up to 100C and that is completely normal. 125 is bad news; that's the red-line.

Hopefully your old belt will stay on, but the job to R&R the auxiliary fan is so easy that doing it again isn't a real bother. Just keep your eye on it.

Every time that my hood is open, I turn the exposed piece of the left blade by hand to ensure that the right blade turns with it.