2003 Town Car Signature - Cooling Fan Logic

[Todd Ector]

The factory 2003+ panthers use a PWM system, disconnecting the small wire means the fan controller isn't getting a speed command signal.

The 2003-04 has a hardwired PWM controller (fan module), the 2005+ car's module is separate. Also the 03-04 fans turn the opposite direction of the 05+ cars. Theoretically you could swap them but it would require some custom wiring as they use different electrical plugs on controller.

I thought I might need to do that once so I got a newer fan-controller and the associated plugs from a wrecker back when I had the 2004. The fan quit one hot summer day, for some reason it refused to work for about 20 minutes and then magically returned to life for the next 3 years that I had it.

 

[joe1234]

I had the problem with my 2008 Town Car engine cooling fan not coming on. On a hot day with A/C running the windows steamed up while sitting at a drive thru. A really weird thing to happen. It turning out the power contacts on the cooling fan module just behind the radiator were not making good contact. I bent the female contacts using a dental tooth scraper to make a tighter connection with the male plug. That was almost 3 years ago and haven't had any issues since. Replacing the control module would be good fix also.

 

[04LTCL]

04 Town Car L You guys have any input on corralation between AC system and the cooling fan. Hot desert day at a stop in traffic rad cooling fan operates on low, temp gauge okay at half, AC not blowing cold until vehicle moves again in traffic. Freon added to specs, but problem persists. I have never heard the radiator cooling fan run on high yet. Is this a common problem, normal operation?
I'd imagine the cooling fan would operate on high to get the best air draw for the condenser to cool the freon at a stop. But then again the cooling fan speed may be predicated on the engine temp. Your thoughts?

 

[wolf_walker]

03-04 have some issues with AC performance, usually either at idle or at high speeds, or both. The fan speed is likely a function of high side pressure (it has a sensor rather than just an on/off switch) and maybe some logic involving evap temp and ambient temp and such. There's a TSB on the high speed performance issue, they clearly knew they screwed up as they redesigned most of it in 05 or 06. I've got mine cooling pretty decent finally, but it's not set up to spec.

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[04LTCL]

03-04 have some issues with AC performance, usually either at idle or at high speeds, or both. The fan speed is likely a function of high side pressure (it has a sensor rather than just an on/off switch) and maybe some logic involving evap temp and ambient temp and such. There's a TSB on the high speed performance issue, they clearly knew they screwed up as they redesigned most of it in 05 or 06. I've got mine cooling pretty decent finally, but it's not set up to spec.

Thank you!

 

[04LTCL]

Thank you!

My previous question about not ever hearing the cooling fan running on high, at what coolant temperature does the computer prompt the fan to turn on high? My temp needle never moves from the middle of the gauge? Thanks

 

[wolf_walker]

I don't know off hand but it's likely higher than anything one would normally get to. Mine is a bit audible when the AC is first on in a hot car, but otherwise I rarely hear it. I think part of the whole PWM fan setup is to be able to fine tune the sound profile. You can check running temp with an OBD2 adaptor and forscan or any scanner, if it's around 200 or hair under or not much over, it's doing fine. Cooling system seems to be robust on these cars.

 

[Idamannotchu]

I know this may be a bit of a bump. But I recently had this problem. Pull of the relay would kill power to the fan ( connector that plugs into module. ) Changed the temp sensor because it was easily accessible and cheap. Still didn't work properly.. so I thought for a bit and said why buy a whole fan assembly for the module when my fan and housing is in perfect condition? Went to the junk yard and found a 04 ( I have an 03 ) town at and cut the module wires to save as much as possible wire, and a few screws and prying. Had a working module. Spliced the two wires going to the fan and module together. Plug and play after that - solved my issue. Hope anyone else who has this issue, this could help. Good day to all.

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[N1ASS]

That is a nice and simple control system!

I personally think this PWM control setup is overkill on my '03.

Check out this video, guy goes pretty deep into this system. Not the same problem as I have, but diagnosis of the same system.

Very good information.