How to Replace the Fan in a Chevy Cobalt

Your Chevy Cobalt has an electrical engine fan, meaning that it is powered by electricity from your alternator, not by a mechanical fan belt. An amateur can perform this repair in about an hour with nothing more than a wrench and a set of jack stands or ramps.

Instructions

Remove the Old Fan

1

Purchase a Chevy Cobalt radiator cooling fan to replace the old unit.

2

Raise your Chevy Cobalt and support it on jack stands or ramps. Make certain that the vehicle is secure and won't shift.

3

Disconnect the negative battery cable and isolate it with non-conductive material, such as a clean glove or rag, to keep it from slipping back into contact with the battery terminal.

4

Detach the cooling fan connector, and remove the entire cooling fan assembly from the radiator. Just push up on the material surrounding the fan to unsnap the remaining fasteners. Move the cooling fan assembly away from the radiator.

5

Remove the air dam push-in retainers and the air dam. Then, remove the engine splash shield to radiator mount push-in retainers from both sides.

6

Remove the charge air cooler radiator along with the radiator mount, brackets, and bolts from their seating, but don't remove them from the engine compartment.

7

Tilt the radiator and condenser forward, making space for you to remove the cooling fan assembly.

Install the New Fan

8

Position your new cooling fan in the vehicle, then return the radiator and condenser to their original alignment.

9

Tighten the upper radiator mount back into its original position.

10

Install the radiator and condenser into their normal position. Properly align the upper radiator mount pins with the upper radiator mounts.

11

Reinstall the lower radiator mounts, brackets and bolts. Tighten them to 18 foot pounds (25 Nm).

12

Replace the retainers you removed in Step 4 of Section 1.

13

Line your cooling fan shroud up with the radiator and pull down on the fan assembly to snap it into place. Don't use excessive force. Reconnect the fan's electrical plug-in.

14

Lower your vehicle and reconnect the negative battery cable.