Faulty fan 3 relay or fan control module/driver; Control circuit wiring short to voltage or damaged insulation; Corroded, loose or water-damaged connector or terminals at the relay, fan or control unit; Open circuit or high resistance in the fan control circuit or its earth; Failed cooling fan motor drawing abnormal current or damaging its driver; Fault inside the engine control unit driver circuit.

P0696

Fan 3 Control Circuit High.

Generic
Powertrain
Generic code
Medium severity

How this code is built

P: SystemPowertrain
0: Defined bySAE, the same on every car
6: AreaComputer and output circuits
96: FaultThe specific fault in that area

What it means

P0696 is a generic powertrain code meaning the control circuit for cooling fan 3 is reading high. The engine control unit commands the fan driver or relay and monitors the voltage on the control circuit. When the voltage does not match the commanded state, for example it stays high when the fan is commanded on, or the driver reports a fault, the code is set. How fan 3 is wired and driven, and which fan it is, depends on the vehicle.

Symptoms

Engine cooling fan not running or running constantly
Engine temperature rising in traffic or when idling
Air conditioning performing poorly or cutting out at idle
Engine temperature warning light or message
Engine management light on
Vehicle entering a reduced power or limp mode on some models

Possible causes

Faulty fan 3 relay or fan control module/driverlikely
Control circuit wiring short to voltage or damaged insulationlikely
Corroded, loose or water-damaged connector or terminals at the relay, fan or control unitpossible
Open circuit or high resistance in the fan control circuit or its earthpossible
Failed cooling fan motor drawing abnormal current or damaging its driverpossible
Fault inside the engine control unit driver circuitrare

How to diagnose

Read all stored codes and freeze frame data, and note engine temperature, vehicle speed and air conditioning status when the fault set
Check for related codes for other fans, coolant temperature or fan circuits, and deal with those in a sensible order
Visually inspect the fan wiring, connectors, fuses and relay for heat damage, chafing, corrosion or water ingress
Check coolant level and condition, and confirm the cooling system is otherwise healthy
Use a scan tool with bidirectional controls to command fan 3 on and off, and see if it responds and whether the fault returns
Measure voltage on the control circuit with the fan off and on, following the wiring diagram for that model, and compare against the expected values
Test the relay or fan control module, and check the circuit for a short to voltage or an open circuit with the connectors disconnected
Check the fan motor current draw and condition, and confirm the earth connections are clean and tight

How to fix

Replace the faulty fan relay or fan control module once it has been tested
Repair or replace damaged wiring that is shorted to voltage or open circuit
Clean or replace corroded connectors and terminals, and make sure they are properly seated
Replace the cooling fan motor or fan assembly if it is faulty
Repair earth connections that are corroded or loose
Have the engine control unit checked, and repaired or replaced, only after the wiring and components have been ruled out

Can I keep driving?

Medium severity

Short, careful journeys are possible if the engine temperature stays normal, but avoid traffic and long idling since a fan that does not work can cause overheating. Stop if the temperature gauge rises, and get it fixed soon.

Guide written by AI from the code's definition. Confirm with a diagnosis before replacing parts.