Kia Sedona Cooling Fan Relay: Identification and Location

Where the Sedona fan relay is located

On the Sedona, the cooling fan relays are mounted in the engine compartment fuse and relay box, the under-hood junction box near the battery. They are not in the interior fuse panel under the dashboard. Open the box cover and look at the diagram molded or printed on its underside, which labels each position. Fan relays are usually marked with terms such as FAN, RAD FAN or COND FAN, sometimes with separate high and low designations. Match the cover label to the position in the box rather than relying on a generic photo, because layouts differ between generations and trim levels.

Many Sedonas use more than one relay for the cooling fans, so what owners call the fan relay may actually be two or three components. One failed relay can explain a fan that works on one speed but not the other. The relays are plug-in units, and the part number printed on the relay housing is the most reliable way to identify an exact replacement.

How the relay controls the radiator fans

A relay lets a small control signal switch the large current a fan motor draws. Battery power reaches one side of the relay contacts through a fuse in the same under-hood box. The relay coil is energized when the engine control module completes its circuit, typically by providing a ground. The module decides when to do this mainly from coolant temperature and, when the air conditioning is on, from refrigerant pressure or the A/C request. Once the coil is energized, the contacts close and current flows to the fan motor.

On a common four-pin mini relay, terminals 85 and 86 are the coil, 30 is the power feed and 87 is the output to the load. Two-speed systems often get low speed by running the two fans in series or through a resistor, and high speed by switching them to full voltage with additional relays. That is why the wiring diagram for your exact year matters: the same relay position can do different jobs on different versions.

What changes by model year and conditions

The Sedona was sold in the US across several generations, from the early 2000s through the 2021 model year, and the under-hood layout changed with each one. Engine choice, rear air conditioning and production changes within a generation can affect how many fan relays are present and where they sit. Some designs use an electronic fan control module for part of the fan logic, which changes how the system is diagnosed.

Operating conditions also change what you should expect. With the engine cold and the A/C off, the fans may not run at all, which is normal. Turning on the A/C usually commands at least low-speed operation, which makes it a convenient test. A fan that keeps running briefly after shutdown can be normal on some vehicles, but a fan that never stops points to a relay stuck closed or a control fault, and it can create a parasitic draw that flattens the battery overnight.

The Carnival, which replaced the Sedona name, has been offered with a hybrid powertrain in some years. On any hybrid, the orange high-voltage cables and components form a separate system with its own isolation procedure. Everything in this guide applies only to the 12-volt starter battery circuit of the gasoline Sedona.

How to identify and test the relay

Start with simple checks. Confirm the fan fuse is intact and matches the fuse rating shown on the box cover; never install a higher-rated fuse. With the engine running and the A/C on, listen and feel for the relay clicking. If a relay with the same part number serves a non-critical circuit in the same box, swapping the two is a quick test: if the fault moves with the relay, the relay is bad.

For a measured check, remove the relay and test the socket. With the ignition on, the terminal 30 position should show system voltage close to the reading at the battery terminals. When the fans are commanded on, one coil terminal should have voltage and the other should be pulled to ground by the control module. On the bench, a good coil shows continuity, and applying 12 volts across it should close the contacts with an audible click. Measuring voltage drop across the closed contacts under load is more conclusive than a continuity test; more than a few tenths of a volt suggests burned contacts.

Inspect the socket for melted plastic, discolored terminals or corrosion. Heat damage usually means high resistance or excessive current, which can come from a failing fan motor rather than the relay itself. Also confirm the battery and charging output are healthy: a weak battery or low charging voltage can make fans run slowly and confuse the diagnosis.

Isolating the circuit safely

Before unplugging relays or probing the box, switch the ignition off, remove the key and keep fingers, tools and loose clothing away from the fan blades, because an electric fan can start without warning while its circuit is live. Disconnect the negative battery cable before unplugging harness connectors at the fan or removing the fan assembly. Pulling a relay with the key off is generally safe, but do not jumper relay sockets at random: bridging the wrong terminals can blow fuses or damage the control module. Disconnecting the battery may also reset radio presets and learned idle settings.

Limitations and when to get help

Without the wiring diagram for your exact model year, engine and options, any description of relay positions is a guide, not a specification. The label on the fuse box cover and the factory service information are the authority. If the relay tests good but the fans still do not run, the cause may be the fan motor, a wiring fault, the coolant temperature sensor, the A/C pressure sensor or the control module, and each needs its own diagnosis.

If the temperature gauge climbs toward the red zone, stop driving and let the engine cool, since overheating can cause expensive engine damage. A technician with a scan tool can command the fans directly and read sensor data, which quickly separates a relay problem from a control or sensor fault when basic tests are inconclusive.