Coolant boils at shutdown, worry or not?

[rh77]

Originally Posted by JanGeo

...and usually radiator electric fans run for several minutes after the engine is turned off.

I recall having this happen on a few vehicles I've walked past in parking lots, but none of my own...is it a particular trait of certain brands?

RH77

[Gary Palmer]

I have had two different vehicles which I know had this feature. The first was an 84 Plymouth Voyager and the second is the 87 Honda Civic. We also have an 89 and 91 Honda, but neither of them does this, as far as I know.

I think that on the 87 Honda they may have done if for two reasons. The first is that the cooling system design doesn't have any tolerance of air in the system and running the fan for a few minutes keeps it from doing the boil over routine. The second may be that it's carburated and they are trying to keep the carb from vapor locking. I think this is the reason they had it on the 84 Plymouth.

We have a 94 Chrsler Town & Country and it doesn't do it, either, as far as I have been aware.

[jackfrost1031]

My Volkswagens' fan is on about half of the time when I shut the engine off and continues to run for a bit, although never very long.