P0691 to P0696, P0526 to P0529 and P0493 to P0495: fan control circuits and fan speed
The control circuit of a cooling fan (1, 2 or 3) reads low or high, the fan speed sensor has a fault, or the fan is running too fast, too slow or faster than it should (P0493 to P0495).
SeverityHighCarrying on can cause expensive damage, so deal with it now.
Can you keep driving?Only as far as the workshopWhat does P0691 mean?
Where P0480 to P0485 cover the fan control in general, these codes narrow it to a short in one fan's control line or to the fan's measured speed. On many cars the fan runs at variable speed through a control module, and some read its speed back, or on engine-driven viscous fans, read the clutch's slip. A fan stuck off means overheating in traffic; a fan stuck at full speed is noisy and drains the battery, but is safe.
What causes P0691?
- A short in the fan control wire, often where it passes near the radiator
- A failed fan control module, which runs hot behind the radiator
- A fan motor wearing out and turning too slowly
- A viscous fan clutch that slips or locks, on engines with a belt-driven fan
- A failed fan speed sensor or a damaged wire to it
What to check first for P0691
- Let the engine idle until warm and check whether the fan starts and at what speed
- Listen for a fan that roars all the time, even with a cold engine
- Inspect the fan control module and its connector for corrosion and heat damage
- On a viscous fan, check with the engine off and cold whether it spins too freely or not at all
Can you drive with P0691?
If the fan is stuck at full speed, you can drive safely. If it does not start, drive only to a workshop, on roads where air flows through the radiator, stay out of queues, and pull over and switch off if the temperature needle goes past its usual position.
Since May 2018 an engine warning light that stays on is a major defect at the MOT, so the car fails until the fault is fixed.
Codes on this page
13
- P0493Fan Overspeed
- P0494Fan Speed Low
- P0495Fan Speed High
- P0526Fan Speed Sensor Circuit
- P0527Fan Speed Sensor Circuit Range/Performance
- P0528Fan Speed Sensor Circuit No Signal
- P0529Fan Speed Sensor Circuit Intermittent
- P0691Fan 1 Control Circuit Low
- P0692Fan 1 Control Circuit High
- P0693Fan 2 Control Circuit Low
- P0694Fan 2 Control Circuit High
- P0695Fan 3 Control Circuit Low
- P0696Fan 3 Control Circuit High
Related codes
Checked on · Rafael Soares
These are the generic meanings every manufacturer shares. Each brand adds its own detail, so your car's handbook, its service information and a qualified mechanic have the last word. OdoKeep has no connection with any manufacturer, and the app does not read codes from the car.
