Jimny Fan Motor Failure Causing Dangerous Overheating

Had a similar issue with my 2016 Jimny diesel. The engine cooling system was acting up in exactly the same way, inconsistent fan operation leading to overheating. After checking with my workshop, they found the electric fan motor was receiving intermittent power due to a damaged wiring connection. The fan clutch itself was fine, but the electrical plug had corroded, causing poor contact. Total repair cost was 95€ including diagnostics and fixing the connection. The mechanic first verified the coolant level and flow, then tested the fan motor directly with a power supply to confirm it worked properly. This helped isolate the issue to the wiring rather than the motor itself. Since the repair, the overheating problems completely stopped. The engine temperature now stays consistently normal, even during longer drives. Could you share: Current mileage on your Jimny? Have you noticed any coolant loss? Does the temperature increase more during city driving or highway speeds? When was the last cooling system maintenance done? This information would help determine if you're dealing with the same electrical issue or possibly something different in the cooling system.

Just had my service last week at 117489 KM. The temperature definitely rises more during city driving. The radiator fan seems to struggle most in stop-and-go traffic. No visible coolant loss and the reservoir level stays constant. The electric fan motor sounds like it runs at different speeds, sometimes full blast, other times barely spinning. After testing the fan clutch directly like you mentioned, it works perfectly when given direct power. This matches your diagnosis about the wiring being the likely culprit. Will have the mechanic check those electrical connections to the fan motor during my next visit. Hope its just corroded wiring like in your case rather than needing a full replacement of the fan assembly. Thanks for detailing your repair experience. The similar symptoms make me confident were looking at the same overheating issue.

Thanks for the additional details about your Jimny. Your symptoms match my experience exactly, especially the inconsistent fan motor behavior in city traffic. The varying fan speeds you described were exactly what I noticed before getting the wiring fixed. The fact that your cooling fan works properly with direct power really confirms the electrical connection problem. In my case, the corrosion was mainly at the connector near the fan motor housing, made worse by engine bay heat and moisture over time. A quick check you can do, listen for any buzzing or clicking from the fan motor relay when the engine gets hot. Mine made unusual noises before failing completely. Since your coolant level is stable and the engine cooling issues mainly occur in stop-start driving, this further points to an electrical fault rather than a mechanical cooling system problem. The fan motor itself is likely fine, just like in my case. One tip from my repair, have them check both the main power and ground connections. My mechanic found corrosion on both sides, and cleaning just one didnt fully resolve the overheating. The repair should be straightforward once they locate the bad connection. Just make sure they test the fan operation through its full speed range after fixing the wiring.

My fan is definitely worse in slow traffic like you said. The direct power test results are really helpful, makes me feel better knowing it points to just wiring problems rather than a complete fan motor failure. Since my mileage is close to yours when you had the issue (117489 KM), it seems the connectors are failing at about the same time. The overheating pattern matches too, works fine when cold then gradually gets worse as things heat up. You made a good point about checking both the power and ground wires. Will make sure the mechanic looks at all the connections when fixing the vehicle overheating issue. The clicking noise from the relay is something I'll listen for as well. Really appreciate the detailed troubleshooting steps from your experience. Having a clear starting point for the radiator fan diagnosis will save time at the workshop. I'll update once I get the wiring checked and hopefully fixed. Thanks for confirming this is likely just an electrical connection problem. Much better than needing to replace the entire cooling system or fan assembly.