Hi,
I have a 2002 Camry and I think the fans next to the radiator are not working. I have been smelling burnt plastic for a few days so I decided to look under the hood and I noticed the fans were not moving and there was some burnt hood insulation. Am I correct in assuming the fans are not working and the engine is burning the hood insulation?
Thanks for your reply.
There is a thermostat gauge on the dash... is it reading hot? If not it is probably not the radiator fan. Maybe an distributor leak spraying oil on the engine?
Do the fans spin when you turn the A/C on?
==== Seems extremely unlikely the "engine is burning the hood insulation." Have never seen underhood insulation burned. If yours is deteriorated, I'd be suspecting another cause like abrasion or loose fastener. Top of the engine doesn't get hot enough to burn it. Burning plastic could be from another source. Plastic bag stuck to hot exhaust pipe is not uncommon. Engine fans turn on as needed. If the engine is fully up to operating temperature, and you leave it idling for a period of time you should see the fans come on. Other models may differ, but A/C alone does not cause the fans to turn, there's a temperature sensor in the lower radiator tank.
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