I know my old metro did the same thing. I wonder if it has any relation to aluminum engines? Seems like the electric fan was put into production about the same time as aluminum engines were

I think my wifes 4cyl accord does the same thing too.

 

Every car I've seen with an electric cooling fan (most are these days) does that occasionally. When you stop, the engine is still hot and there's no airflow over the radiator to cool it. I don't know if the water (coolant) pump continues to work too until the engine has cooled off enough.

In the old days, when engines used to overheat more, stopping and turning off a hot engine would immediately stop the belt-driven fan and could easily cause the radiator to boil over.

 

I've had several front wheel drive cars with electric fans, and they only turned on when the vehicle was shut off in pretty hot weather when using the A/C usaully. But the HCH turns on almost everytime (40 degrees out even)

 

Ok! Here's an opposite problem. My radiator fan USE to keep going for a few minutes when I shut off the car. It has not done that now for about 4 months? Does anyone know if I blew a fuse or something? The car runs just fine and doesn't even come close to overheating.

Howard

 

maybe check the fuse box in the engine bay - black plastic box with a cover near the driver-side fender