Relays question..

[E_tar]

Next to the brake master, to the left of it is a small relay box, with 4 cubic relays in it.

I was told that if the car is stuck in stop and go traffic or ina traffic jam for a long time, the relays will burn out...

Is it true? Also, are all 4 relays identical? and what are they for? which systems?

Thanks in advance

 

[Steve-Indy]

Pull the cover, labels are in the lid...and, NO...we have not had the problem you descirbe on our Vipers.

 

[Fatboy 18]

OK, My radiator fan packed up the other day, I noticed my tempture gauge getting higher and higher and in the end had to pull over, lift the hood and work out what the problem was! Just in front of the Positive battery terminal there is a square black plastic cover which contains the relays to the fan. My car is a 2000 GTS, there are slots for 4 relays, one of these is redundant. all 3 relays are the same. I found that by swaping over one of the relays I got the fan to work So it was off to my local auto accessory shop to find a replacement. The relay has 5 pinouts. Next to the pinout is a tiny little number. The guy in the Accessory shop matched up the pinout numbers and I purchased a replacement relay $3.99 Job done

My original relays were made by Siemens VF4-15F21-Z05

 

[Steve-Indy]

...and, on 2001 & 2002 Vipers there is an active 4th relay in this box for ABS indicator lamp (the other three are rad. fan off/on, rad. fan high/low, and starter).

In my opinion, there is NOTHING good about letting these cars sit and idle...especially in warm temps. Most of the electrical problems that I have heard of coming from said circumstances were modded Vipers...with headers, some with shields, some without...some of which melted O2 sensor wires, plug wires, etc.

 

[Fatboy 18]

Thanks for the extra information Steve, Good to know there are variants for each year

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

Interesting timing on this thread. Last week I was in FL. Temps in the mid 90's and major stop and go traffic on the strip. My high/low speed fan control relay died. It caused the CEL to come on. CEL code was for "low speed fan control circuit malfunction" or something like that. So, my high speed fan was still working, but no low speed fan. On a Gen 1 there are 5 relays under the blower motor and are NOT labeled in anyway (???). I had to call Tator (forgot my service manual at home) for him to look up which relay I needed to replace. Did the job in Advance Auto's parking lot. Had to remove the heater air intake box and blower motor to access the relays. Not a hard job, but in mid 90 temps and w/my friends at the beach, I was LESS than impressed. The only good part was the new relay only cost $10.

I never thought of the heat and stop and go traffic as a possible reason for the relay to die. Thanks for the info

 

[E_tar]

How do you check of the relay is burnt out ? is there a wire that splits in it like a fuse?
each relay has multiple pins under it, how do i know which is burnt out and which are ok... Dreading for this to happen to me in traffic and not knowing what to do... lol

Thinking that if all relays are identical, I should buy a couple and keep em in the glove box..

 

[Fatboy 18]

How do you check of the relay is burnt out ? is there a wire that splits in it like a fuse?
each relay has multiple pins under it, how do i know which is burnt out and which are ok... Dreading for this to happen to me in traffic and not knowing what to do... lol

Thinking that if all relays are identical, I should buy a couple and keep em in the glove box..

I could see that around the area on one of the pinouts on the relay the black plastic was slightly charred!

For peace of mind buying another couple of relays and keeping them the car is no bad thing Their cheap too I also carry an extra couple of fuses too

Enjoy your Ride