# Radiator relay switch **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** civic, fans, honda, radiators\ **Created:** [July 31, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radiator-relay-switch/52756 "2010-07-31T16:45:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jgjordan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d9b06d/32.png) [@jgjordan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jgjordan2)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radiator-relay-switch/52756/1 "2010-07-31T16:45:31Z")
how do you bypass the radiator fan relay switch. Both fans quit working and car is running hot. Car is 1997 Honda Civic DX ---
**Author:** ![ignoramus9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d07c76/32.png) [@ignoramus9](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ignoramus9)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radiator-relay-switch/52756/2 "2010-07-31T17:06:04Z")
Can you not find a replacement sw? ---
**Author:** ![jgjordan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d9b06d/32.png) [@jgjordan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jgjordan2)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 5:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radiator-relay-switch/52756/3 "2010-07-31T17:22:06Z")
I don’t know if that is the problem yet. Going to try to jummp the relay switch to see if it’s bad, if I can find out how to do that. We are trying to do whatever we can before taking it somewhere because money is tight…real tight. ---
**Author:** ![ignoramus9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d07c76/32.png) [@ignoramus9](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ignoramus9)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 5:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radiator-relay-switch/52756/4 "2010-07-31T17:46:53Z")
I understand. If you have one. a pair of dikes, two, some electrical tape, three a soldering gun, four some splices, just cut the lead, twist them together, and see what happnes. be sure to leave enough lead so you can re-splice them back to the sw. and mark the leads before you cut them to make sure you put them back right. The Haynes manual should have the wiring diagram so you will know the color code of the leads to cut. ---
**Author:** ![JayWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@JayWB](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JayWB)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radiator-relay-switch/52756/5 "2010-07-31T17:51:48Z")
There’s no reason to cut any wires. Locate the relay and look at the sides. Relays commonly show which connections are the contacts and which are the coil. Leave the relay out of the socket and use an inch of wire to connect the two CONTACT connections together in the socket. This will take the place of the relay contacts, effectively jumping it. ---
**Author:** ![ignoramus9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d07c76/32.png) [@ignoramus9](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ignoramus9)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 5:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radiator-relay-switch/52756/6 "2010-07-31T17:57:23Z")
yes this is true, I was thinking under the hood, and jaywb is thinking further upstream, and this will be cheeper too. thanks jay… ---
**Author:** ![jgjordan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d9b06d/32.png) [@jgjordan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jgjordan2)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radiator-relay-switch/52756/7 "2010-07-31T18:05:45Z")
You guys are wonderful. Thanks for responding so quickly. I’m so thankful to have found this site. My husband is on his way to try what you suggested and hopefully we can get the car home without having to tow it. I’m relaying your info to him because the car is sitting in a parking lot. Thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![ZombieWoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/91b2a8/32.png) [@ZombieWoof](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ZombieWoof)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radiator-relay-switch/52756/8 "2010-07-31T18:15:48Z")
This is a $10 do it yourself job. If money’s that tight you have bigger problems. Hope things turn around for you. ---
**Author:** ![jgjordan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d9b06d/32.png) [@jgjordan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jgjordan2)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radiator-relay-switch/52756/9 "2010-08-01T17:11:13Z")
Thanks for your help yesterday on the relay switch…problem is and this may sound crazy, but my husband couldn’t find the relay. We have a friend who is going to meet him there today and see what he can do. Can you help me out once more and tell me where its located under the hood on our 97 honda civic? ---
**Author:** ![JayWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@JayWB](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JayWB)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2010, 5:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radiator-relay-switch/52756/10 "2010-08-01T17:22:19Z")
It’s almost certainly in the fuse box. If he still cant find it, get a Haynes manual. They’re about 20 bucks and it sounds like he’s going to need it. ---
**Author:** ![knfenimore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9fc348/32.png) [@knfenimore](https://community.cartalk.com/u/knfenimore)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radiator-relay-switch/52756/11 "2010-08-01T17:24:28Z")
Here are radiator switch and relay locations ---
**Author:** ![jgjordan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d9b06d/32.png) [@jgjordan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jgjordan2)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radiator-relay-switch/52756/12 "2010-08-01T17:36:35Z")
Appreciate all…thanks again for your time.