Alfa GTV Fan Failure Causing Engine Overheating Issues

I had a similar issue with my Alfa GT back in 2007 (pretty much the same cooling system as your GTV). I have some experience working on these cars, mostly basic maintenance and troubleshooting. The symptoms you describe match exactly what I experienced. My fan clutch and electric motor stopped engaging properly due to a faulty wiring connection. The engine cooling system would work fine at highway speeds but vehicle overheating became a real problem in city traffic. Took it to a specialist who diagnosed a damaged wire harness connector at the fan motor. The connection had corroded over time, preventing proper electrical contact. Total repair was 95 Euro including diagnostic and fixing the connection. Before heading to a workshop, it would help to know: What year is your GTV? Have you noticed any electrical issues elsewhere? Does the fan ever turn on, even briefly? Are there any warning lights on the dash? What temperatures are you seeing on the gauge? Getting this info would help narrow down if its the same electrical issue I had or possibly something else in the cooling system. These Alfas can be sensitive to electrical gremlins, but once fixed they usually run fine.

Thanks for sharing your experience. My GTV has 119576 KM and just had its annual service last month. The electric fan never kicks in, even when fully warmed up. No warning lights on dash but temperature gauge hits nearly 3/4 when idle. No other electrical issues noticed. Current gauge readings go up to around 100-105C in city traffic. This wiring connection issue you mentioned sounds very similar to my symptoms. Since the cooling system worked perfectly until recently, a degraded electrical connection makes sense. Good to know the repair costs were reasonable in your case. Will have the workshop check the fan motor wiring and connections first before replacing any major components. Thanks for the tip about that specific connector, will make sure they inspect it carefully.

Thanks for the follow-up info. Those temperature readings match what I saw on my GTV before the repair. 100-105C is definitely higher than ideal, and the fact that your radiator fan never activates even at those temps strongly points to an electrical issue. The fan motor connector on these models is particularly prone to corrosion where the wiring enters the plug housing. In my case, cleaning and reseating the connector temporarily fixed it, but the permanent solution required replacing the entire connector assembly. A quick test you can try: with the engine cold, locate the fan motor connector and gently wiggle it while someone else turns the ignition to ON position (engine off). If the fan briefly activates during this test, its almost certainly the same connection problem. The repair typically involves: Testing the fan motor operation, Inspecting the wiring harness, Replacing corroded connectors, Verifying temperature control signals Workshop labor time is usually around 1-2 hours. Parts cost depends on whether just the connector needs replacement or if the entire fan motor assembly is affected. My repair was just the connector, hence the low cost of 95 Euro. Given your mileage and symptoms, Id bet on finding similar wiring issues. The temperature control system is otherwise quite reliable on these models when the electrical connections are solid.

Thanks for the detailed suggestions. The symptoms do match what you described, and I just tried that wiggle test on the fan motor connector. The fan actually made a slight humming noise when moving the connection, which seems to confirm your diagnosis about the wiring issue. The temperature readings are still climbing to 100-105C in city traffic, but at least now I have a clear starting point for repairs. Will book it in with a workshop this week and have them focus on checking the fan motor connector and wiring harness first. Good to know the engine cooling system should work fine once the electrical connection is fixed. The repair costs you mentioned are much more reasonable than I feared. Was worried Id need to replace the entire temperature control unit or fan assembly. Really appreciate you sharing your experience with the same issue. Will update once the workshop checks it out, but feeling more confident now about getting this vehicle overheating problem resolved without major expense.