2000 Dodge Grand Caravan -Engine Light on and Radiator fans spinining

My wife went to work today and the engine light came on our Dodge 2000 Grand
Caravan. When I arrived to check it out, it would not start and the 2
radiator fans were spinning. It appears that the battery was drained, none
of the electrical components work windows, locks etc.

Has anyone had a similar experience, any ideas what might be going on with
the van?

I took it to a shop that indicated that they needed to charge the battery up
before they could troubleshoot the van.

--

JohnB

Sounds like the infamous fan relay, a small, $75 solid state device
located on the frame, just underneath the air filter. You can install
it in 15-20 minutes with an 8mm nut driver, or pay the dealer $60 labor.

In article >,
"JohnB" > wrote:

> My wife went to work today and the engine light came on our Dodge 2000 Grand
> Caravan. When I arrived to check it out, it would not start and the 2
> radiator fans were spinning. It appears that the battery was drained, none
> of the electrical components work windows, locks etc.
>
> Has anyone had a similar experience, any ideas what might be going on with
> the van?
>
> I took it to a shop that indicated that they needed to charge the battery up
> before they could troubleshoot the van.

Sounds like the infamous fan relay, a small, $75 solid state device
located on the frame, just underneath the air filter. You can install
it in 15-20 minutes with an 8mm nut driver, or pay the dealer $60 labor.

In article >,
"JohnB" > wrote:

> My wife went to work today and the engine light came on our Dodge 2000 Grand
> Caravan. When I arrived to check it out, it would not start and the 2
> radiator fans were spinning. It appears that the battery was drained, none
> of the electrical components work windows, locks etc.
>
> Has anyone had a similar experience, any ideas what might be going on with
> the van?
>
> I took it to a shop that indicated that they needed to charge the battery up
> before they could troubleshoot the van.

I took it to the shop and they could find nothing wrong with it. They
indicated that the relays can stick due to low voltage, and 3 of them were
stuck. They charged the battery and reseated the relays. We will see...

"Geary Morton" > wrote in message
...
> Sounds like the infamous fan relay, a small, $75 solid state device
> located on the frame, just underneath the air filter. You can install
> it in 15-20 minutes with an 8mm nut driver, or pay the dealer $60 labor.
>
> In article >,
> "JohnB" > wrote:
>
> > My wife went to work today and the engine light came on our Dodge 2000
Grand
> > Caravan. When I arrived to check it out, it would not start and the 2
> > radiator fans were spinning. It appears that the battery was drained,
none
> > of the electrical components work windows, locks etc.
> >
> > Has anyone had a similar experience, any ideas what might be going on
with
> > the van?
> >
> > I took it to a shop that indicated that they needed to charge the
battery up
> > before they could troubleshoot the van.

I took it to the shop and they could find nothing wrong with it. They
indicated that the relays can stick due to low voltage, and 3 of them were
stuck. They charged the battery and reseated the relays. We will see...

"Geary Morton" > wrote in message
...
> Sounds like the infamous fan relay, a small, $75 solid state device
> located on the frame, just underneath the air filter. You can install
> it in 15-20 minutes with an 8mm nut driver, or pay the dealer $60 labor.
>
> In article >,
> "JohnB" > wrote:
>
> > My wife went to work today and the engine light came on our Dodge 2000
Grand
> > Caravan. When I arrived to check it out, it would not start and the 2
> > radiator fans were spinning. It appears that the battery was drained,
none
> > of the electrical components work windows, locks etc.
> >
> > Has anyone had a similar experience, any ideas what might be going on
with
> > the van?
> >
> > I took it to a shop that indicated that they needed to charge the
battery up
> > before they could troubleshoot the van.

The fan relay can be deceptive when it begins to fail. Keep your eye on
the temp guage at long idles. If it runs hot, either quickly get moving
or turn it off - easy to blow a head gasket on this engine.

In article > ,
"JohnB" > wrote:

> I took it to the shop and they could find nothing wrong with it. They
> indicated that the relays can stick due to low voltage, and 3 of them were
> stuck. They charged the battery and reseated the relays. We will see...
>
> "Geary Morton" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Sounds like the infamous fan relay, a small, $75 solid state device
> > located on the frame, just underneath the air filter. You can install
> > it in 15-20 minutes with an 8mm nut driver, or pay the dealer $60 labor.
> >
> > In article >,
> > "JohnB" > wrote:
> >
> > > My wife went to work today and the engine light came on our Dodge 2000
> Grand
> > > Caravan. When I arrived to check it out, it would not start and the 2
> > > radiator fans were spinning. It appears that the battery was drained,
> none
> > > of the electrical components work windows, locks etc.
> > >
> > > Has anyone had a similar experience, any ideas what might be going on
> with
> > > the van?
> > >
> > > I took it to a shop that indicated that they needed to charge the
> battery up
> > > before they could troubleshoot the van.
>
>

The fan relay can be deceptive when it begins to fail. Keep your eye on
the temp guage at long idles. If it runs hot, either quickly get moving
or turn it off - easy to blow a head gasket on this engine.

In article > ,
"JohnB" > wrote:

> I took it to the shop and they could find nothing wrong with it. They
> indicated that the relays can stick due to low voltage, and 3 of them were
> stuck. They charged the battery and reseated the relays. We will see...
>
> "Geary Morton" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Sounds like the infamous fan relay, a small, $75 solid state device
> > located on the frame, just underneath the air filter. You can install
> > it in 15-20 minutes with an 8mm nut driver, or pay the dealer $60 labor.
> >
> > In article >,
> > "JohnB" > wrote:
> >
> > > My wife went to work today and the engine light came on our Dodge 2000
> Grand
> > > Caravan. When I arrived to check it out, it would not start and the 2
> > > radiator fans were spinning. It appears that the battery was drained,
> none
> > > of the electrical components work windows, locks etc.
> > >
> > > Has anyone had a similar experience, any ideas what might be going on
> with
> > > the van?
> > >
> > > I took it to a shop that indicated that they needed to charge the
> battery up
> > > before they could troubleshoot the van.
>
>