So this happened again today… The engine malfunction warning pops up and goes away as soon as I turn the car off and on again. The dealership says the issue is with the cooling fan unit that isn’t working. I ended up paying $900 for the fix, but I’m still having the same issue. The mechanic replaced the fan with a Motorcraft brand unit. Could this be another issue or could the fan be malfunctioning again? I really don’t want to spend more money on this… any advice?
MotorCraft is Ford’s official brand, so I don’t think the issue is with that. You could try taking it to another mechanic, you don’t need to go back to the dealership for something like this. Dealerships are expensive for basic problems.
@Kirin
Should I just explain everything to them and let them figure it out?
Dallas said:
@Kirin
Should I just explain everything to them and let them figure it out?
Yeah, just tell them the issue and the details you have so far. They should be able to figure it out without throwing more parts at the problem. Otherwise, you’ll just keep spending money without solving the issue.
Motorcraft is the OEM for Ford, so the issue isn’t likely related to that. Maybe you should get a FORScan and see what it shows now? It’s worth checking out.
Teo said:
Motorcraft is the OEM for Ford, so the issue isn’t likely related to that. Maybe you should get a FORScan and see what it shows now? It’s worth checking out.
What’s FORScan? Is that something that can help diagnose this problem?
@Dallas
FORScan is software that can read Ford-specific error codes. It’s pretty cheap, but you need a special cable to use it. It could help you find out exactly what’s going on.
Teo said:
@Dallas
FORScan is software that can read Ford-specific error codes. It’s pretty cheap, but you need a special cable to use it. It could help you find out exactly what’s going on.
So if the error message disappears when I restart the car, will it still show up in the software?
@Dallas
Yes, the ECU stores all the error codes even if the message disappears from the screen. As long as the codes haven’t been cleared, they’ll still be there.
Cameron said:
@Dallas
Yes, the ECU stores all the error codes even if the message disappears from the screen. As long as the codes haven’t been cleared, they’ll still be there.
Great, thanks for explaining. What exactly is ECU, though?
@Dallas
ECU stands for Engine Control Unit. It’s the brain of your car that controls engine management.
Cameron said:
@Dallas
ECU stands for Engine Control Unit. It’s the brain of your car that controls engine management.
Thanks, that helps!
Teo said:
@Dallas
FORScan is software that can read Ford-specific error codes. It’s pretty cheap, but you need a special cable to use it. It could help you find out exactly what’s going on.
Okay, I think I found the cable online (at least according to Amazon). Does it come with the software, or do I need to get that separately?
@Dallas
The software itself costs $12 a year. It’s much cheaper than going to the dealership or guessing what’s wrong. You can try a free trial to see how it works first. Check out the FORScan website for more info.
@Teo
Thanks, I was a little unsure about the site, but now it makes sense. I’ll check it out.
@Dallas
You need to go to the FORScan website to download the software. Follow the instructions there and make sure you use the recommended cable.
So it sounds like your fan isn’t running. The issue is most likely with the fan module that connects to the fan itself. There are two plugs that connect it. It’s a simple setup, so check those connections first. If the module isn’t working, you can buy an aftermarket control module instead of replacing the whole fan unit. The Motorcraft part is made by Bosch and isn’t sold separately. Another option is to get a used one from an auto wrecking yard, and it’s easy to replace yourself. The issue could also be with a faulty new module. I recently dealt with something similar on a 2012 Focus.