P0696 Radiator fan: signal or voltage too high (no. 3)

By: Diagno editorial team · Updated: 2026-10-15

P0696 means: Radiator fan: signal or voltage too high (no. 3). The radiator fan cools the engine when airflow from driving isn't enough. Drive gently and have the car checked soon. The repair usually costs about €40–300 in Estonia. The most common cause: connector loose, damp or corroded.

What it means

The radiator fan cools the engine when airflow from driving isn't enough. The computer found a fault in the fan control. The signal voltage is too high. Usually a wire is shorted to power, the ground is broken or the part itself has failed.

What you may notice

• The engine overheats in traffic or at idle
• The fan doesn't run or runs all the time
• The air conditioning cools poorly

What could be wrong

1. 1Connector loose, damp or corroded
2. 2Wire shorted to power or ground broken
3. 3Faulty fan or its module
4. 4Engine computer fault (rare)

Repair difficulty: Easy

What you can check yourself

First look at the connector and wiring: anything loose, melted or green with corrosion? Watch the temperature gauge. If it goes above normal in traffic, stop and let the engine cool. You can check the simple things yourself, but the repair is best done in a workshop.

How we fix it

1. We read the fault data on the diagnostic tool and check whether the fault is constant
2. We measure the circuit's supply, ground and signal
3. We repair the wire or replace the connector
4. If the wiring is fine, we replace the fan or its module

Standard SAE description: Fan 3 Control Circuit High