Hi folks, got a query about the cooling fans after having an unsatisfactory experience at the local Ford garage.... they wanted to charge me 2500 AED (3.67-$/5-£) for a whole new fan unit, based on visual inspection that one of the fans was not working... details are follows:

• Should both fans work at the same time? - Erm don't know
• Is it a two stage system (second one kicks in when car gets two hot or one spools up) - Erm don't know
• What diagnostics did you do - none
• Why - from experience we just change, its a safety concern
• Did you do a diagnostic test - no
• Why not - not normally required
• Why should I give you a large sum of money on this basis - erm....

You get the gist.... if its broken, no issues as its very hot here and my wife is too precious to kill for a few hundred quid.... however I work in power plant maintenance, so no convinced its as broken as they say. Asked them to do a full diagnostic examination and report back before I decide anything.

What I want to establish:

• What is the logic? Both run and one speeds up? Or one kicks in at a different point?
• What is the likelihood that the second fan simply has a broken connection / wire?
• What is the likelihood that one of the fans is choked with dust/dirt/sand? (live in the UAE, do a lot of miles)
• Are these units serviceable individually or is there a simpler fix?
• Do we need to bend over and buy a whole unit?

Advice / experience / guidance welcome.... please let me know about the above. Cheers.