Fan not turning on.

[Drewet88]

I have a 97 Pontiac Grand Am. It is a 6cly 3.1L. It has been sitting in the driveway for about 4 months and I've been starting it about every other day and letting it idle just to make sure everything is okay and for about the last week or two I noticed that the fan isn't coming on.

Everyone keeps telling me to hook up so jumper cables to the fan and just look and see if it turns on but they don't tell me how to do it.

Do I just hook the cables up to it anywhere?

Do I take it out of the car first and unhook everything and then hook up the cables?

Is there something else I can do to check and see what is wrong?

I don't have a diagnostic scanner and I can't take the car to be looked at so I need some help. Please.

[phaderus]

On mine I believe that the fans dont turn on until about 212 degrees. My car only gets above 200 If it is really hot or I am just sitting in traffic. ON mine the fans kick on automatically when I turn on the AC. You could just turn on the AC to see if they are working.

[xeroinfinity]

hey guys! i think 230+ is when it should come on.
As phaderus said the AC on Max will kick on the fan, if the relays and fuses are OK.

But, To test the fan, jumper cables are a little big. Try to get two wires long enough to reach from the fan to the battery. Unplug the wire connection on the fan(you may need another hand or two) touch and hold one end of the wires to the 2 terminals on the fan plug/socket, and the other ends on the battery terminals +/-. Keep in mind DONT touch the two wires together you might short the battery out or burn up wiring for the fan.
Good Luck

[Hoags]

If you have just been running it at an idle TRY THIS FIRST. To see if the fan is comming on turn on either the A/C or the front window defroster. If the fan is operational it will come on with the A/C and Defroster. if it does not come on then you can try to jump the fan motor.