Fan

[SteveP]

I can hear mine when I'm outside the car but never heard it whilst inside.

x2

x3

x4

x5

[08micsta]

I can hear mine when I'm outside the car but never heard it whilst inside.

x2

x3

x4

x5

x6 (only cos my mom does not drive it hard enough to actually make the fan come on)

[fantazia92]

I can hear mine when I'm outside the car but never heard it whilst inside.

x2

x3

x4

x5

I can see a pattern forming here!

Think I will take it back to VW to be looked at then!!

[Teutonic_Tamer]

An appropriate question for an appropriate username! 

Is the radiator cooling fan supposed to be sooo loud that people say 'is it supposed to do that?'

From outside, under certain conditions, the fans are very audible.  If it's a hot day, stuck in traffic, the engine is firkin' hot, and the air con is on - the fans will definately be noisey.  This is normal. 

When im stuck in traffic or sitting still for long periods the fan is really really loud - is that normal? Im not bothered if it is I just want to know if it's broken!!

Turn the radio up! 

No, seriously, if you can hear them inside the car, with the radio off, all windows closed, and the back-seat mother-in-law zipped, then I'd say it's normal.  However, if they are really quite loud inside the car, and you can "feel" them running, then get it checked out, because as Joe stated, there is a known problem with Golf5 fans.

Do the fans quieten down if you turn off the air con, or if you set the climate control to "HI" with the blowers on? 

[Teutonic_Tamer]

apparently ALL gti's do this as it is a fault with the fans that VW never botherd correcting

Yes, it is a known fault, but I thought VW were able to sort it!?    I'm sure I've heard of peeps having this rectified.

i think its because there a 2 fans, a small one and a large one, the large one is only ment to run when its very hot and the small one for traffic jams and such, and they are ment to run seperate, but both run together,

Not quite correct.   

The fans can either run separately, and/or run together - dependent on requirements.  The Golf5, like all modern cars, relies on ECU control for coolant fan operation, rather than soley the old-skool temperature sensor on the lower part of the rad.  This may be from a completely separate "Coolant Control Module" ECU, or can be integrated into the engine management ECU.  I can't remember which the Golf uses (I think it's integrated in the engine ECU, whereas my RS4 has a separate one - the self-study guide in the free workshop manuals thread should advise correctly).

Basically, the fans have an integrated "self-test" facility, the ECU will spin both fans at low speed (you wont hear them or notice them) very shortly after engine start - to check that the fans themselves actually work.  Then, under normal operation, they can spin at very low speed, steplessly upto maximum speed, dependent on both engine cooling requirements, and air con requirements. 

[Dogbucket]

Just wondering if you had anything replaced in the end Fantazia92?

Noticed that my fan went into concorde mode this morning for 20 seconds or so after sitting in traffic for a while, never been aware of it doing that before and have been in much hotter/longer jams. Aircon was off.

So with the aircon on BOTH fans run slowly, which I am sure they have always done that. Is that what everyone else's does or should they be separate?

[No Golf Clubs at all]

Yep I get this too, sounds like a 747 taking off at times.....I would be most interested if anyone has managed to get a fix from VW, if so can they please let us all know.

[candyman]

Just a question - Is it the fan making a noise or the infamous fuel line rattle which makes a noise when the fan is switched on. I did the tweak and it's now like driving a new car, you would be surprised. Infact I would advise everyone to get out the bubble wrap and spend 20 minutes under the car.

[No Golf Clubs at all]

I wasn't aware of a problem with the fuel line ..... Is it an intermittant rattle then? The noise I was describing was definately the fan (not sure what fan though, large or small or both).

[Teutonic_Tamer]

apparently ALL gti's do this as it is a fault with the fans that VW never botherd correcting

No they don't.  Mine dont anyway!

i think its because there a 2 fans, a small one and a large one, the large one is only ment to run when its very hot and the small one for traffic jams and such, and they are ment to run seperate, but both run together,

Wrong.  Yes, it does have two fans, but they should both be controlled together.  However, unlike old skool, modern cars now use a "Coolant Control Module" - which may be either a separate ECU, or integrated into the engine management ECU.  Basically, the fans are infinately and variably controlled - which means they can run really slow - all the way upto f.ing fast.  And some peeps may hear them inside too.

dont quote me on this but its something like that and it IS a known fault 

I don't think it is particularly common though.