2016 Ford Explorer Cooling Fan Relay Location

Where the cooling fan relay is located

Open the hood and find the black power distribution box, often called the battery junction box, beside the battery. Release the latches and lift the cover. The underside of the lid usually carries a legend, and the fuse section of the owner's manual lists each relay and high-current fuse by position number. Look for entries labelled cooling fan, engine cooling fan or simply fan. Depending on the configuration, the legend may show one fan-related relay, more than one, or only a high-current cooling fan fuse.

That last case is important. On many 2016 Explorers, fan speed is controlled by an electronic fan control module attached to the shroud behind the radiator, which takes its commands from the powertrain control module. In that layout, the junction box supplies fused battery power, and any relay that is fitted switches the feed rather than setting the speed. If you cannot find a fan relay in the legend, nothing is missing. Your circuit is simply built around the module.

How the cooling fan circuit works

A relay is an electrically operated switch. A small coil inside it is energized by a low-current control signal, typically when the powertrain control module completes the coil circuit. The coil pulls a set of heavy contacts closed, and those contacts carry high current from the battery through a fuse to the fan or fan module. The fuse rating is matched to the wiring, so it protects the harness rather than the motor. The control module decides when to run the fan using inputs such as coolant temperature, air conditioning pressure and vehicle speed.

With a variable-speed fan module, the module receives a command signal and drives the motor anywhere from slow to full speed. At full speed it draws substantial current, so resistance in the feed or ground wiring causes a voltage drop that slows the fan or makes the module shut down. System voltage also matters. With the engine running, a healthy charging output usually holds the system at roughly 13.5 to 14.5 volts. A fully charged battery with the engine off reads about 12.6 volts. Low voltage can make a good fan look faulty.

What changes the answer

The 2016 Explorer was offered with a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder, a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 and, on Sport and Platinum trims, a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. Fleet and Police Interceptor Utility versions have their own equipment. Fuse and relay assignments can differ between these configurations, so always read the legend for your vehicle rather than a generic chart. The 2016 model year was also the Explorer's mid-cycle refresh, which means a diagram for a 2011 to 2015 model may not match your junction box.

Every 2016 Explorer runs its cooling fan from the conventional 12-volt starter battery system. There is no high-voltage traction battery to isolate on this model year; the Explorer Hybrid arrived later, for the 2020 model year. The 12-volt fan circuit still deserves respect. It carries enough current to burn wiring if shorted, and an electric fan can start without warning whenever the ignition is on, and on some vehicles briefly after shutdown.

Checks an owner can do

Start with the vehicle parked, the ignition off and the engine cool. Keep hands, tools and loose clothing away from the fan blades the whole time. You can pull and swap a plug-in relay with the ignition off. Before you unplug the fan module connector, remove a high-current cartridge fuse or probe harness terminals, disconnect the negative cable from the battery terminals and position it so it cannot touch the post. Disconnecting the battery may reset some convenience settings and learned idle values.

Next, confirm whether the fan is actually being commanded. With the engine warm, select maximum air conditioning. On most vehicles this requests fan operation within a short time. Then inspect the cooling fan fuse. A test light on both test points of the fuse in its socket is more reliable than looking at the fuse element. If your box has a fan relay, swap it with an identical relay from a non-essential circuit, matching the part number and pin layout, and see whether the symptom moves. A relay that clicks but does not power the fan can still have burned contacts.

For deeper testing, use a wiring diagram for your configuration. Confirm battery voltage at the fused feed terminal of the relay socket, check that the control side switches when the fan is commanded, and then check feed and ground at the fan module connector. While the fan runs, measure the voltage drop across the feed and ground paths. More than a few tenths of a volt on either side points to a corroded terminal, a loose connection or a damaged wire. If the fan keeps running long after shutdown and the battery goes flat, perform a parasitic draw test. A stuck relay or a failed fan module are the usual suspects.

Limitations and when to get help

This guide cannot confirm the exact relay or fuse number for a particular vehicle. Positions vary by engine and build. The legend on your junction box lid and the owner's manual for your model year are the first references. A dealer or a factory service source can supply the correct wiring diagram by VIN, and that diagram shows whether your Explorer uses a separate fan relay at all.

Stop driving if the temperature gauge climbs and the fan does not run. Continued driving risks overheating damage that costs far more than any relay. A professional with a scan tool can read stored powertrain codes, command the fan directly and watch module feedback, which helps with intermittent faults and fan module failures. Do not power the fan motor straight from the battery around the module. Bypassing the module this way can damage it and overload the wiring.