Cooling Fan Control, Function Description
Cooling Fan Control, Function Description
00 21/04/2025
Chassis ID Path
A 830716 26/Description, Design and function//Cooling fan control, function description
Model Identity
FM (4) 149525831
Related information
Related systems:
Copyright to this documentation belongs to the Volvo Group. No reproduction, copying, change, amendment or other similar disposal is entitled without prior written consent by
the Volvo Group
The information contained herein is current at the time of its original distribution, but is subject to change. The reader is advised that printed copies are uncontrolled.
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Copyright to this documentation belongs to the Volvo Group. No reproduction, copying, change, amendment or other similar disposal is entitled without prior written consent by
the Volvo Group
The information contained herein is current at the time of its original distribution, but is subject to change. The reader is advised that printed copies are uncontrolled.
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IMPACT 4.04.00 21/04/2025
Copyright to this documentation belongs to the Volvo Group. No reproduction, copying, change, amendment or other similar disposal is entitled without prior written consent by
the Volvo Group
The information contained herein is current at the time of its original distribution, but is subject to change. The reader is advised that printed copies are uncontrolled.
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Function behaviour
The Cooling fan control function controls the cooling fan, which can be activated in order to cool down
several different systems, components and areas in the vehicle.
The cooling fan is powered by the driveline through a viscous clutch, using silicon oil as the power
transfer fluid: The function is engaged and disengaged electrically via a solenoid, which receives
signals from the ECM . This system has the advantage of better adaptation of the fan speed to the
actual cooling requirement.
The electrical fan control signal is a PWM (Pulse Width Modulated) type, the fan speed being
controlled by the width of the pulses. The longer the PWM pulses, the slower the fan rotates. The fan
is equipped with a tachometer sensor that sends information to the control unit on the speed of the
fan at any given time.
The ECM -controlled fan has a fail-safe mechanism. If there is an electrical fault in the fan or its
connections, the fan will run fully connected at the highest possible speed. The aim of this is to
ensure that the engine does not overheat even though an electrical fault has occurred.
The function also prevents the fan clutch housing from overheating, which means that the fan
demand will be overridden in some cases.
The electrical fan control always adapts to the most recent, highest requested speed. The ECM
Copyright to this documentation belongs to the Volvo Group. No reproduction, copying, change, amendment or other similar disposal is entitled without prior written consent by
the Volvo Group
The information contained herein is current at the time of its original distribution, but is subject to change. The reader is advised that printed copies are uncontrolled.
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determines which system will be prioritised. Adapting fan speed leads to lower fuel consumption and
noise reduction.
Fan overheat protection
The type of fan overheat protection depends on the variant:
1 Slip heat protection: To prevent the fan clutch from overheating due to excessive friction at
high engine speeds, the fan is then only engaged fully (the fan and the engine run at the same
speed, meaning low friction in the slip clutch) or at low speed (the low speed of the fan results
in low friction in the slip clutch).
2 Thermal protection: for fans with thermal switch, indicating when fan is overheated. The switch
indicates risk for overheating, and the fan goes into thermal protection. A variant of this is when
the internal calculations made, points out risk for overheating.
Preconditions
● Vehicle mode: accessory, pre-running, crank or running.
Activation
The following systems can, when needed, request additional fan speed via the ECM :
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature is the primary fan speed control parameter. Before the fan engages, the
coolant pump speed is increased in an attempt to obtain the correct coolant temperature. When the
coolant pump cannot cool down the components enough, the ECM engages the fan. There is a
lowest fan speed for any given temperature, this is so that the fan is prepared for higher speed
actuation.
Air pressure system
The function is used to ensure the cooling of compressed air before it enters the air drier. In order to
control the air temperature into the air dryer, the system may request additional airflow from the
cooling fan. The main trigger for cooling fan request is air compressor activation, but ambient
temperature, engine speed and vehicle speed are also taken into account.
Air conditioning system
For the AC system to request activation of the fan, the vehicle speed the outdoor temperature and
Copyright to this documentation belongs to the Volvo Group. No reproduction, copying, change, amendment or other similar disposal is entitled without prior written consent by
the Volvo Group
The information contained herein is current at the time of its original distribution, but is subject to change. The reader is advised that printed copies are uncontrolled.
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Note
If the pressure in the AC (Air Conditioning) system is too high, the system can request
activation of the fan regardless of vehicle speed, engine speed and outdoor temperature.
Note
As charge air temperature can be affected when the engine brake is activated, there is a
delay in the request for fan activation after engine braking.
ECM temperature
The ECM can request activation of the fan when the ECM exceeds a predefined temperature.
Retarder
The retarder can, when necessary, request the activation of the fan to increase cooling.
● Compact retarder The request for fan activation requires all the following conditions to be met:
■ The retarder is activated.
■ Coolant temperature or the temperature of the retarder oil exceeds the pre-defined levels.
● Powertronic retarder
The request for fan activation requires one of the following conditions to be met:
■ The retarder is activated.
Notable behaviours
With cold start, when the engine and viscous clutch are cold, the oil in the clutch is so viscous that the
clutch is fully engaged regardless of which signal is sent to it. This behaviour passes after one or two
minutes (depending on the engine variant) as the oil gets warmer.
Related information
For more information on the electrical architecture, refer to:
Wiring diagram
➠ Vehicle electronics overview, system description
Copyright to this documentation belongs to the Volvo Group. No reproduction, copying, change, amendment or other similar disposal is entitled without prior written consent by
the Volvo Group
The information contained herein is current at the time of its original distribution, but is subject to change. The reader is advised that printed copies are uncontrolled.
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Related systems:
Kylsystem, systembeskrivning ➠ Cooling system, system description
Copyright to this documentation belongs to the Volvo Group. No reproduction, copying, change, amendment or other similar disposal is entitled without prior written consent by
the Volvo Group
The information contained herein is current at the time of its original distribution, but is subject to change. The reader is advised that printed copies are uncontrolled.
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