Faulty relay

Maybe. First, on some vehicles, I don't know about yours specifically, the fan may remain on after you turn the car off and walk away. If running the AC warmed the car up beyond a certain point, your fan may have been doing what it is designed to do.

Also the fan/fans come on automatically when you turn the AC on, ON SOME MODELS.

Don't panic, yet. You can unplug the assembly if it won't turn off by itself. That plug should be obvious.

There are DIY sites that should show step by step how to remove and replace the fan and maybe the control/relay/thermostat.

Do this. With car cold, set emergency brake. open hood. start car. Note if fans come on.

If fans don't come on, turn on AC. Note if fans come on. If fans still not on, close hood and drive car. Then reset brake, open hood and note if fans on.

If on, do nothing. Observe. They should turn off by themselves within about 10 minutes.

If not, unplug or turn off manually to save battery.

Report back here.

THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH. I just went out and bought the service manual and will read up and do as you have wisely instructed. I really appreciate you help and instruction.

I will keep you posted. Again, thank you very much.

Hi,

There are actual mechanics here, who will help you. just be patient and hang around.

Check out some of the car repair or owners forums too. Just Google your problem and see what comes up.

_{Sorry about that algae thing.}

Good Luck.

Thank you again, you all are too kind and so helpful. I will be patient and do lots of research as well.

No problem about the algae, I am sure that lots of people join these forums and post stupid things, that was never my intent, I love how much knowledge there is here and wanted to say something smart without clarifying the context. I will be more responsible about what or how I contribute to this huge data base of knowledge and professionals who share with amateurs like me who simply love learning.

I am here to learn from the masters of the trade.

Please give more details about the model. I've had several Escorts over the years, and I have a Haynes manual covering 1990-2000.

The ground signal for the fan relay comes from the engine control unit. The input for the ecu comes from a coolant temperature sensor. In ordinary operation the control unit monitors the coolant temperature for two critical values. A higher temp to turn the fan on and a lower temp to turn the fan off. If the coolant sensor is a discrete component for fan control then the sensor may be bad, If the sensor is the same component used by the control unit for fuel mapping and the engine seems to be running normally the relay contacts would be suspect for sticking. If the coolant level is low due to a leaking water pump or faulty hose/hose clamp, you may get similar results.

From post #1, "Note, I am female and have a broken knee and little or no tools."

Nothing you said makes any sense to her. She just bought her first repair manual.

Thank you for the information. It is a lot to process but I think I understand most of it. The fan has decided to work properly for the moment. That gives me time to deal with my knee.

Thank you again for sharing your knowledge with me.

when the fan thermostat in my truck quit working, i just ran new wires to the fan, and an off/on switch up front with me. By watching the temp gauge, i found i rarely need to run the fan. Fully loaded, 50-70 mph down the road, no need for the fan being on, temp stays fine. Sitting in a drivethrough line or traffic for over one minuite, turn on the fan. Of course, your vehicle may not have an actual gauge to look at, and if you forget to look, you can ruin your engine.

I like that a genuis for hire!

Don't get too carried away by someone who claims he's a genius. I'm the Master of the Universe, & the jury's still out ...

Ha Ha you guys are just too funny. Master of the Universe.