I was recently told by the garage I have my oil changes done that I need a new fan for the air-conditioning on my car. I was told it is about a $600 repair. I have looked in/under and around the engine compartment and only see the fan
between the radiator and engine. Went to an auto junk yard and asked about it. They could only find the main fan on line or in a parts book. Is my mechanic of 20 years trying to make a fast buck off of me?
Get a second opinion and you will know. $600 for a new fan does seem quite expensive.
You have two fans for the A/C. One at the radiator and the other in the dash. Radiator fan pulls air through condenser. Dash fan blows air on you. So did you take your car for an oil change and the mechanic “stumbled” onto this, or did you take it in complaining the A/C wasn’t working? Or is it overheating? Or is there a noisy fan? If it’s not overheating, A/C works, And fan not noisy, drive on.
He stumbled on it. he said the one that cools the condenser for a/c unit. Said the blades were broken. my main question is why is everyone saying there is ONLY one fan and no one knows of a 2nd one for the a/c condenser. there is not any noise a/c works fine. was he just trying to make a quick $600?
Have the person show you what and where this broken fan is and you can post the information and receive better advice.
“why is everyone saying there is ONLY one fan and no one knows of a 2nd one for the a/c condenser?”
Who is “everyone”?
If a mechanic told you that there is no fan to circulate the air from your HVAC system, then you should run away from his shop as fast as you can, and never allow him to do any repairs on your car. On the other hand, if “everyone” refers to the staff at a quick lube shop, they simply have no more technical knowledge about HVAC systems than they do about everything else on your car.
(Translation=Mechanics are expected to know this type of information. Quick Oil Change personnel are not mechanics, and are not required to have any technical knowledge.)
“there is not any noise a/c works fine”
If there is no abnormal noise or vibration when the A/C is running, and if it performs as well as it used to, then–more than likely–whoever tried to sell you on a $600 fan replacement was simply trying to line his pockets with your cash.
Edited to add:
Many cars have two electrically-driven fans located on the backside of the radiator, and the second fan usually only activates when the A/C is running. Is it possible that this is the fan to which the mechanic referred? Take another look to see for sure whether there is only one fan, or if there are actually two. If there are two fans, then it is possible that he is correct. Look again, and report back to us.
the obvious thing is to have the mechanic show OP the broken fan blade
And then we can discuss it further, after that has happened
Clearly, these electric fans have a shroud. But when that fan blade breaks off, it may damage the radiator.
There’s only one radiator cooling fan.
They’re trying to make a quick buck off ya.
Tester
“They’re trying to make a quick buck off ya.”
The easiest way to prove or disprove that theory is to have the mechanic show OP the damaged fan blade(s)
oil was changed at my regular repair shop. Fan between engine and radiator is fine. the everyone that says there is no second fan is the two other garages I took it to. The parts person at the auto junkyard, and the Cummins parts book, Which shows only the one fan
I believe that the oil change tech…because of a lack of knowledge…called the cooling fan the condenser fan…as it does both jobs passing air over the radiator to cool it and the condenser.
I blade may well be broken and could lead to the fan burning up because with a blade or two missing would not be balanced.
I’d give the tech a little room on his use of the wrong terms…a DIYer may do the same.
But I’d have another shop take a look because the price seems way too high.
The most expensive fan from Advanced Auto for the 2.0 is $152 and NAPA is $127, this is for the entire fan. An hour to put it in…I think $450 for that hour is a bit pricey.
Yosemite