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Let’s say you have an IBM ThinkPad laptop and when you turn it on all you get is a black screen with “Fan error” message. What could be wrong?
A few weeks ago, the fan in my trusty IBM T42 bought the farm. This resulted in the unit heating up considerably, as well as numerous “fan error” messages on bootup. It eventually became so bad that to boot up at all, I had to blow compressed air into the fan’s exhaust grill for 5-10 seconds, in order to fool the BIOS and make it believe the fan was actually spinning.
According to the IBM hardware maintenance guide (HMM) for ThinkPad T40, T40p, T41, T41p, T42, T42p this error message indicates a problem with the fan, you can find symptom-to-FRU index on the page58.
The symptom-to-FRU index in this section lists symptoms and errors and their possible causes.
Apparently it’s time to replace the fan assembly. The cooling fan comes together with the heat sink, that’s why you’ll have to replace the whole fan assembly.
You can easily replace the fan assembly after you remove the palm rest and keyboard.
1. Remove the battery and unplug the AC adapter.
2. Remove four screws marked with yellow circles. These screws securing the keyboard.
3. Remove eight screws marked with orange circles. These screws securing the palm rest.
4. Lift up the keyboard and upnlug the keyboard cable from the motherboard.
5. Lift up the palm rest and unplug the touchpad cable from the motherboard.
6. Remove three screws securing the fan assembly, unplug the fan cable from the motherboard. Lift up and replace the fan assembly.
You’ll find step-by-step laptop disassembly and fan replacement instructions in the HMM in the chapter “Removing and replacing a FRU” on the page 70.
You can find a new fan assembly using the FRU number located on your failed fan, it might look like 91P8393, 26R7860, 13R2919, 13N5442, or 13R2657. Just google the FRU number and find a place to buy it from. Different laptop types with different screen sizes use different fans, so you have to find the correct one witch fits your model. If for some reason your fan assembly doesn’t have the FRU number, you’ll have to refer to the HMM page 216-217. On these pages you’ll find witch fan belongs to your laptop. Here you can find new and used fans for ThinkPad laptops.
For example, if have a type 2378-FVU laptop with 15.0″ LCD screen, then you need a fan assembly with FRU: 13R2657
December 25th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Lauri,
Apparently, there is a problem with the fan and you’ll have to replace it.
If you still getting the same “Fan Error” after replacing the fan, there could be a problem with the system board.
December 25th, 2008 at 6:41 am
I just bought a IBM ThinkPad Laptop (WXP) on Ebay a few weeks ago and it recently got here. I just got it and set it up and all, but for some reason it keeps saying “FAN ERROR” when I turn it on. I read your thing on this site but am VERY confused. I have no clue what a “FAN ERROR” is and know very little of computers. I just turned it one for about ten minutes ocne, but then it shut off and began to say “FAN ERROR”, again. Please tell me what to do.
My email posted below:
schwarze5055@yahoo.com
December 11th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Mona,
Did you touch or remove the memory module by any chance? If you did, make sure the memory module is seated correctly.
Try installing the old defective heat sink assembly back. Can you boot the laptop back to “Fan Error” message? It’s possible the new fan is defective and is halting the whole system.
December 11th, 2008 at 11:56 am
I have a thinkpad R51 and it kept giving me the fan error message. I replaced the fan today just as described here, and now the screen won’t turn on at all! It used to turn on to tell me about the fan error at least before!
I don’t understand what could be wrong, I can hear the fan when I press the power button and it stays on until I press the power button again to turn it off.
Please help me!
(I also hear a buzz sound twice when I first turn it on, I used to assume it was the fan trying to turn on – I hope it’s not the hard disk)
December 8th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
I have a T30 its old but has always worked. I have that same problem
November 4th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Yeehah! Worked like a charm. Thanks a bunch.
November 1st, 2008 at 5:21 pm
Thank you!!! Maureen
November 1st, 2008 at 3:57 pm
maureen,
You will not loose any data when you replace the fan. All personal data is stored on the hard drive no on the fan.
November 1st, 2008 at 3:15 pm
After replacing the fan (I have rec’d the dreaded black screen with fan error), will I have lost any data once the fan is replaced?
Maureen
September 4th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Jerry,
Make sure your new fan is plugged into the motherboard. Make sure there is thermal grease between the heatsink and CPU surface.
If you replaced the old fan with a know good new one but still get the same error message, apparently there is a problem with the motherboard.