My engine fan turns on when I turn the ignition on but not the engine. Why does it do that?

somebody could have wired you fan straight to the battery so when the car is turned on the fan could come on. they could have done this because maybe the other fan is broken (my corolla has two fans). also you do know that the plug that connects up to there thermostat housing if not connected will turn your fan on all the time this is a safety measure just incase the thermostat locks closed.

See attached photo. The Engine Main Relay (7) energizes when the ignition is in ON position. The Radiator Cooling Fan Relay (8) energizes when both the Engine Main Relay (7) is energized and the Engine Cooling Fan switch (10) is closed. The Radiator Cooling Fan Relay Contact (8) is normally closed, so when the Radiator Cooling Fan Relay (8) is energized, its contact is open. When the engine is cold, the Engine Cooling Fan switch (10) is closed. Therefore when the ignition is turned on and the engine is cold, both relays are energized, and the Cooling Fan Motor (9) does not receive any current as the contacts in Radiator Cooling Fan Relay (8) are held open. When the engine coolant comes up to temperature (90C), the Cooling Fan switch (10) opens and this breaks the coil current in the Radiator Cooling Fan Relay (8) which causes it to de-energize and "drop out". The contact in the Radiator Cooling Fan Relay (8) is normally closed, so it closes when the relay drops out. This provides a current path to the Cooling Fan Motor (9) and the cooling fan operates. Diagnosing: If you discover that the Cooling Fan Motor (9) is operating whenever the ignition is in the on position, then either the relay contact is permanently shorted (Closed), or the Cooling Fan switch (10) is stuck in the open position. In either case, the failure was a "safe" failure in that the fan operated in the event of the failure. In the cases where the Cooling Fan switch (10) becomes stuck in the closed position, this is an example of an "unsafe" failure as explained in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KVwivQaerE Fixing: Try the click test with the relay like in the video above. Then remove the relay and measure for voltage across the relay coil contacts. If there is no voltage, and you hear no click, the Cooling Fan switch (10) is stuck in the off position. If there IS voltage but you do not feel a strong click (but there is a weak click) then the relay contacts are welded together by arc-current. If so, sometimes, giving the relay a sharp rap on a flat surface, once on each side, will temporarily cure the problem by breaking the contacts free. If on the other hand you pull the Radiator Cooling Fan Relay (8) out when the engine is cold and the ignition key is in the on position and the cooling fan is still running, then there is a short between Engine Main Relay (7) power contact and the Cooling Fan Motor (9) The video above is for an older Corolla. This Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8BGMjDzL10 shows the layout of the 99 Corolla Relays. The green Relay (the one the guy is calling a "Condensator" ROFL) is the Radiator Cooling Fan Relay (8) and the Grey relay on the top right is the Engine Main Relay (7). Please post your experiences here after trying this diagnostic procedure as well as any additional findings, so others can learn.

The cooling Fan switch in 98-2000 Corolla is located in the thermostat housing behind, and below the alternator on the passenger side. You will need to remove the alternator to get at it. It has a single wire. A sender in the engine water jacket with TWO wires is the temperature sender NOT the cooling fan switch. Signed: Father with daughter attending school in another state...Yay!

If the cooling fan switch appears to be stuck in the off position, but then you measure a short circuit (0-10 ohms) between the cooling fan switch terminal and the engine block (indicating the cooling fan switch is closed), then there could be a fault (open) in the wiring harness. With the ignition OFF, measure the resistance between the cooling fan switch receptacle on the harness (you will have to unplug it to do so) and the cooling fan relay coil socket. One of the coil socket receptacle contacts should be connected directly to the cooling fan switch receptacle on the harness. Remove the cooling fan relay, then measure between contact 2 on Item 8 in the drawing and wire L or wire L/B on item 10. (should be zero-ten ohms). If not, the wiring harness has an open between those two points. Since you have already swapped relays and switches, this is likely the case. The most likely failure point is the end of the harness that connects to the cooling fan switch (item 10) at or above the cooling fan switch receptacle, since this receptacle is on the switch (item 10) which is on the motor and vibrates with the motor, which could fatigue the wire or the crimp connection at the receptacle. You could try cutting the receptacle off of another vehicle as far up the harness as possible (so you have the cooling fan switch receptacle on the end of say, 1.5 feet of wire), doing the same on your vehicle, and splicing in the "new one" (with BOTH solder and electrical tape, for sure) at the point where you cut off the old one. Let us know what happens!!!!

Here is a wiring diagram for a 98 from the library. I think it applies from '97 to ~2000 or 2001

The first drawing I posted disappeared. The first long post above refers to this drawing.

Mine because the expansion valve blocked(clogged) (not cool) so the pressure triggered by the AC pressure switch and make the fan always on...after change the drier and expansion switch all back to normal...(Toyota AE101 year 95) TQ

I have a 01 Toyota Corolla my engine fans do not turn on the car is running they work I hooked the wire to intestinal the battery must fans work and when I unplug the temperature sensor both fans turn on but my car will not start and I just replace the sensor any ideas

I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, ANY ANSWERS OR SUGGESTIONS

That is more than likely what they did it's where it's straight to the fuse box under the hood to a hot plug to a hot wire so as soon as you turn your ignition and it will start as soon as you turn it off it will turn off I have done this too many

I had the same problem after I had a new air conditioner compressor installed in my 2001 Corolla. Replaced the AC Pressure Switch and that resolved the issue.

i have toyota corolla 2002 le one week i drove with out runing raiderator fan one day i did pay attion fan not working and also coolant level was very low but i checked all hoses raiderator not was leak.i thought coolent sencor problem today i changed coolant temperator sencor but after this my engine not being on but when i try to start the engine right away start to run my fan.my question what going on why not start being on my engine and what is going on with my fan.plese can you let me know what is problem?

Please help, I have a problem with my Toyota axio 2009. When I turn key to "on", ideally all the lights on the dashboard should go on, when I turn to "start" the engine starts and the lights go off. In my case when I turn the key to "on" the dashboard lights doesn't come on, the radiator fan starts to rotate. If I continue and turn the key to "start" the starter works normally but the engine won't pick or start. I turn the key to "off" and "on" again, I am forced to repeat this a few times until the dashboard lights come on, that is only when the engine will start. What might be the issue?

2009 Toyota Yaris same : ignition on the radiator fan run at full speed (engine cold and not running). If i crank the engine, it wont start. Its like the car think that the engine is hot wich is not true and the mixture fuel/air is not proper. If i play with the gaz pedal after couples of minutes of cranking it finish to start but i cant no longer touch the gas pedal if because the engine stall....after the engine is reaching normal temp at idle without touching the gas pedal it is running fine and i can start driving the car with no issue until the next cold start. i changed the mass airflow today and tomorrow i will change the coolant temp sensor to see...if not i will change the ECM...