Cooling

P0692 — Cooling Fan 1 Relay Control Circuit High

Severity: medium Drive with care, to a shop

What P0692 means

The engine control module switches the cooling fan on by grounding the relay coil control circuit, and it monitors the voltage on that circuit. P0692 sets when the voltage stays high when it should drop on command, which points to an open circuit, a short to power, or a faulty relay. As a result the fan may not run or may not run correctly.

Symptoms

  • Check Engine light on
  • Overheating warning or high temperature gauge
  • Temperature rises in traffic or at idle
  • Fan does not run, or runs all the time
  • Weak A/C because the condenser gets no airflow

Possible causes

  1. Failed fan relay
  2. Open wire in the relay control circuit
  3. Corroded or damaged relay connector terminals
  4. Control circuit shorted to battery voltage
  5. Blown fuse or power supply problem at the fuse box
  6. Faulty fan motor or fan control module
  7. Failed PCM (uncommon)

How to diagnose

  1. Scan for codes and freeze frame data, and check for other cooling-related codes
  2. Confirm the coolant level is correct and the engine is not overheated
  3. Inspect the fuses and the fuse box condition
  4. Command the fan on with a scan tool and listen for the relay to click
  5. Swap in a known-good identical relay to test
  6. Inspect the harness and connectors at the relay and fan for opens, chafing and corrosion
  7. Measure voltage and resistance on the relay control circuit with the key off and on
  8. Check the fan motor for current draw and binding; test the PCM last

Common fixes

  • Replace the fan relay
  • Repair the open or shorted wire, or replace the damaged connector
  • Replace the fuse after fixing the cause
  • Replace the fan motor or fan control module
  • Replace or reprogram the PCM if confirmed faulty

Questions and answers

What does P0692 mean?

The PCM detected high voltage in the control circuit of cooling fan relay 1. The usual causes are a bad relay, a broken wire, or a poor connection.

Can I drive with P0692?

Only briefly and while watching the temperature. If the fan does not come on, the engine will overheat in traffic, so fix it first if you can.

How do I quickly find the cause of P0692?

Check the fuse, then swap the relay with an identical one and command the fan on with a scan tool. If that does not help, test the wiring and connectors.

This is general information about the code. The meaning can differ between makes and models: a scan tool and the repair manual for your car will show the exact cause.