Does anyone else's cooling fans stay on all the time after the car gets up to Temp or is it normal?

 

Well, it depends. Nissan programmed the fans to power on low at around 208*F and high at around 212*F. If you do a lot of city driving, or live in a hotter region, they will kick on more frequently to keep the coolant within the optimum temperature range. If you have your AC on then they will remain on the whole time due to the excess heat generated by the drag of the compressor.

If you are highly concerned, you can pick up an OBD2 scanner that reads and displays your vehicles data live. My standard operating range for coolant temps is between 198 and 204-206, although yours may vary. If yours is running around those temps and your fans are still running constantly with the AC off then you may want to investigate further. Additionally, if you aren't doing much driving, your AC isn't on, and your temps are around the ranges initially listed where the fans will power on then you may want to look in to that also. Could be early indicators of a failing thermostat, water pump, or even low coolant.

 

I live in Utah and doesn't matter night or day with outside temps being low of 28 and day 55 ish and they stay on constantly after the car reaches operating temp. I haven't run the AC or even had it on defrost which I know would run the compressor and it still keeps the fans on the entire time I'm driving after reaching operating temp. I have an OBD2 scan tool and will check it tomorrow after it reaches temp and see what live data shows and go from there.

 

Are you overheating at all?

If you can data log / check your coolant temp based off the OBD2 scanner that'd be some solid insight on whats going on.

If the temps are constantly climbing it may be a sign of a thermostat that is stuck closed or possibly a coolant system that needs bleeding.

If your temps climb into the 200 range and stop it may the the coolant temp sensor.

what part of utah do you live in?

 

How long have you been having this problem?

 

As far as the gauge on the dash shows, it's never moved higher than normal, but I'll check data through the OBD2 today.
I'm in American Fork Utah, about 20 miles south of salt lake City.

I barely just got the car 2 weeks ago and have been trying to sort out any and all issues, picked it up from an impound auction for $800 with only 63,000 miles.

 

Nice! I lived in SLC for about 3 years for work (moved back to Colorado) but really liked Salt Lake.

Congrats - on the car, that's a steal!!! Post-up your issues and I'm sure you'll get some good response.

 

This is the highest it got, ranged from 208-219.

 

when it hit 219 would it cool down at all? Like drop to 210? and then climb? or would it be 219 for a while?

219 seems a little high but not crazy alarming high...

 

It will sit there for a minute then drop back down to 210.

 

But these are driving in cooler temps outside, so it does worry me a little come when temps start getting warmer next spring.

 

Any mods that would cause the engine to run lean? Lean creates alot of heat and will make the engine run hotter. My fans tend to stay running as well once operating temps are hit. I know i need a tune desperately.

 

Only thing is an intake, no name brand that previous owner put on.

 

Its a good question to ask Rusty, but I can't imagine this is the culprit as many many people have intakes (without tunes) and don't have this issue.

I should have ask this too … but does it ever drop below 200degrees while driving?

Also? if you were to let the car get into operating temp and then let the car idle at a stand-still do the temps drop or do they stay at 219?

 

Temps stay between 208-219 while driving. At idle it's sitting at 216.

 

Does your heater blow hot air or is it blowing cold?

 

It blows hot.

 

You mention the temp gauge reads "normal", what do you consider that to be? I ask because "normal" for most is under the halfway mark. Around 8 o'clock - 8:30. When my Z hit 220 it was definitely over halfway up the gauge.

The Zs gauge is dang near useless with no hash marks to give a solid temperature indication.

Maybe it's been asked and/or answered already, but your coolant isn't low, is it?

 

The z temp gauge stays right around 8 to 8:30 and yes I've checked the coolant and it is full.

Next Monday I will go ahead and just replace the thermostat and see if that makes any difference

 

Don't forget to bleed the heck out of the system when you finish. Otherwise you will run in to the same probably if not worse.