The condenser fan relay can easily be bench-tested to find out if its good or bad.
In this tutorial, I'll explain the test procedure step-by-step. With your test results, you'll quickly determine if it's working correctly or is faulty and needs to be replaced.
Contents of this tutorial:
APPLIES TO: This tutorial applies to the following vehicles:
- 1.6L Honda Civic CX: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000.
- 1.6L Honda Civic DX: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000.
- 1.6L Honda Civic EX: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000.
- 1.6L Honda Civic LX: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000.
What Tools Do I Need To Test The Relay?
The cool thing about testing the relay is that you don't need any expensive tools. Here's what you'll need:
- Multimeter:
- The multimeter can be digital or analog multimeter.
- If you need to buy one or are looking to upgrade, check out my recommendations here: Buying A Digital Multimeter For Automotive Diagnostic Testing.
- Jumper Wires:
- You'll need two of them with alligator clips on both ends (you can make these yourself).
Condenser Fan Relay Basics
The condenser fan relay on the 1996–2000 1.6L Honda Civic has 4 male spade terminals, and it's made up of two circuits:
- The Coil Circuit (Control Circuit): This is the low-current side of the relay, and terminals 3 and 4 make up this circuit. When powered, it energizes the relay and activates the load circuit.
- The Load Circuit (Power Circuit): Terminals 1 and 2 are connected to the high-current side of the relay. When the coil circuit energizes, it 'closes' the load circuit, allowing current to flow to the condenser fan motor.
In the illustration above, I've labeled the condenser relay male spade terminals 1 through 4. Here are the terminal descriptions:
- Terminal 1 connects to the condenser fan motor.
- Terminal 2 gets power from Fuse 56 (1996–2000 Civic) in the under-hood fuse/relay box.
- Terminal 3 connects to the coolant temperature switch (also called the condenser fan switch).
- Terminal 4 gets power from Fuse 17 (1996–2000 Civic) in the under-dash fuse/relay box.
Condenser Fan Relay Bench Test
Alright, let's get this show on the road! We're going to use your Honda Civic's battery to bench-test the relay and confirm if it's functioning properly.
For your connections, refer to the illustration above. It shows exactly how to connect the jumper wires and multimeter to the correct male spade terminals on the relay.
Let's get testing:
- 1
Set your multimeter to Ohms mode.
- 2
Connect terminal 4 to the battery positive (+) terminal with a jumper wire.
- 3
Connect terminal 3 to the battery negative (-) terminal with a jumper wire.
You should hear a click when connecting the relay to battery negative (-) terminal. - 4
Connect the red multimeter test lead to terminal 2.
- 5
Connect the black multimeter test lead to terminal 1.
- 6
Your multimeter should read continuity (less than 1 Ohm).
- 7
Remove the jumper wire from terminal 4.
This will deactivate the relay. - 8
Your multimeter should read NO continuity (OL - over limit).
Let's interpret your test result:
CASE 1: Terminals 1 and 2 have continuity when powering terminals 3 and 4. This is the correct and expected test result.
This result tells you that the relay is good and functioning correctly.
CASE 2: Terminals 1 and 2 HAVE NO continuity when powering terminals 3 and 4. This tells you that the relay is bad and needs to be replaced.
More 1.6L Civic Tutorials
You can find a complete list of 1.6L Honda Civic tutorials in this index:
Here's a small sample of the 1.6L Honda Civic tutorials you'll find in the index:
- Testing Shift Control Solenoid Valves A and B (1996-2000 1.6L Honda Civic).
- How To Test The Alternator (1996-2000 1.6L Honda Civic).
- How To Test: Lock-up Control Solenoid Valves (1996-2000 1.6L Honda Civic).
- How To Test Trouble Code P0135 (1995-2000 Honda 1.6L).
- How To Test The Igniter, Ignition Coil Accord, Civic, CRV, and Odyssey (at:easyautodiagnostics.com).
If this info saved the day, buy me a beer!
