Fitments:
2010-2013 Mazda 3
2010 2012-2013 Mazda 3 Sport
Notes:
The radiator cooling fan is an integral part of your car that is responsible for cooling the radiator of your car. The radiator cooling fan does this by either pulling or pushing air into the radiator keeping the radiator temperatures within the safe levels. A damaged radiator cooling fan is a determining factor in preventing your car from overheating. Below are the materials that you need along with the instructions on how to replace a radiator cooling fan.
Step 1: Locate the Radiator Cooling Fan
Locating the radiator cooling fan is the first step in replacing it. Turn off your car and allow it to cool off. Open the hood of your car and you will be able to see the radiator that is located at the back of the grill at the front portion of your engine compartment. The radiator cooling fan is attached at the back of the radiator through a mounting frame. Under the engine and the radiator is a sticking cylinder that is encased in a small casing. That is the radiator cooling fan motor that you may need to change or repair other than the radiator cooling fan itself.
Step 2: Disconnect the Power Supply
On the fan motor is an electric cable running towards the engine. Find the connector of the wires from your engine and from your radiator fan motor and disconnect it. Using two masking tapes with different colors, note the connection of the wires so that you will not have a hard time reconnecting the wires later.
Step 3: Remove the Fan Housing
Using a crescent wrench, remove the four screws located at each corner of the fan housing. Remove the fasteners at the sides of the fan housing as well. A radiator cooling fan housing is relatively large and you may need to remove all the obstructions like hoses and wirings so that you can extract the fan housing off your car hood. Hold the housing firmly and lift it off your engine compartment. Be careful in removing the fan housing to avoid damaging it. Place the fan housing on a clutter-free working table.
Step 4: Remove the Radiator Cooling Fan and the Fan Motor
The fan blade is either pinned or screwed to a shaft. With a screwdriver, loosen the fan blade and slide if off its shaft. You may need to remove a keeper that prevents the fan blades from moving up in the shaft up and down. As to the fan motor itself, remove it from the fan housing using a screwdriver.
Step 5: Attach the Replacement Radiator Cooling Fan and Fan Motor
Install the new fan motor into the fan housing. Slide your replacement radiator cooling fan into the shaft, insert the keeper and secure the new cooling fan and keeper into place. Return the fan housing back into its proper place and secure the screws and the fasteners. Reattach the hoses and wires you removed in step 3. Connect the fan motor into the car electrical system using the electrical tape guide you made in step 2. You just learned how to replace your radiator cooling fan as well as your radiator cooling fan motor.
