Fan trouble codes P0480 and P0482 on Vectra B 2.2 LS

[bigpresh]

My Vectra B 2.2 LS is showing the malfunction light on the dash (car with spanner, not the engine emissions one); a fault code reader revealed the trouble codes P0480 and P0482 present:

P0480 Cooling Fan I Control Circuit Malfunction
P0482 Cooling Fan 3 Control Circuit Malfunction

This would lead me to believe that it's down to the cooling fan, but the cooling fan does operate correctly when the engine gets hot. The aircon fan also runs.

Any recommended steps to help diagnose the issue?

Is it likely to be a sensor which isn't detecting the fan rotation or something like that?

(Keywords for anyone who is searching for this problem and mistypes the codes with an "o" instead of a zero, PO480 and PO482)

I'll have a crack later at removing the plugs from the fan motors, cleaning the contacts and reconnecting, in case there's a loose connection anywhere. I'll also check for any blown fuses, as I read somewhere that the fuse for the cooling module can blow, which could cause problems (although I would expect that to cause the cooling fan to not run, or perhaps run all the time in an "emergency" mode).

 

[bigpresh]

Ah - upon checking fuses etc, I found that one of the big-arse 40amp fuses in the box in front of the battery is blown. Going to replace that, then erase the trouble codes, and hopefully that'll be it sorted (unless of course the fuse blows again, in which case I have a short or something somewhere... fingers crossed not )

 

[bigpresh]

It was indeed just a blown fuse!

For the benefit of anyone else trying to solve this problem, it's the maxi blade fuse shown removed from the relay & fuse box in front of the battery in the photo below:

In investigating further, I found that the air con fan's movement is obstructed - seems like it's rubbing against something. Assuming that the fuse in question is the one responsible for the aircon fan, I imagine that obstruction is likely the reason for the fuse blowing, so I'll be sorting that out before attempting to use the aircon much