P0480 on Dodge
Cooling Fan 1 Control Circuit
P0480 on Dodge vehicles indicates cooling fan 1 control circuit. Au7o has documented this code across 1 Dodge model — most commonly on Challenger. P0480 indicates a fault in the engine control module's circuit that operates cooling fan 1 (or the fan relay it drives). The computer detected an open, short, or out-of-range condition in the fan control output. Because the cooling fan helps prevent the engine from overheating — especially at idle, low speeds, or with the A/C on — a fan that won't run can lead to high coolant temperatures. It is worth addressing fairly promptly to avoid overheating, particularly in hot weather or stop-and-go traffic. Typical repair costs on Dodge range from $375 to $811, depending on the specific model and root cause.
Common Causes of P0480
- •Faulty cooling fan relay
- •Failed cooling fan motor
- •Wiring damage, shorts, or corroded connectors in the fan circuit
- •Blown fuse or fusible link for the fan
- •Poor ground for the fan motor or relay
- •Faulty fan control module (where used)
- •PCM driver circuit fault (less common)
P0480 on Dodge by Model
Dodge Challenger(1 issue)
- HEMI Water Pump Premature Failure / Coolant Leak2009-2023
The mechanical (belt-driven) water pump on HEMI-powered Challengers is a recurring weak point that can fail well before normal service life, with owners reporting failures across a very wide mileage band — some as early as ~5,800-7,000 miles, clusters around 18,000-25,000 miles, and others out past 45,000-60,000 miles. The OEM Mopar pump uses a plastic impeller pressed onto a sealed bearing-and-shaft assembly. The dominant failure mode is bearing wear: as the bearing develops play and roughness, the shaft seal weeps coolant (a telltale trail of dried/crusty glycol residue on the pump body, distinct from harmless minor weep-hole staining), and in worse cases the loose impeller rubs the inside of the timing-cover/block bore, shearing plastic vanes off the impeller. Shed plastic circulates into the cooling system while the now-degraded impeller stops moving coolant effectively, producing localized overheating that can escalate to engine damage. This is a distinct component and failure set from the separately documented OEM radiator cooling issue — same system, different part. Dodge's own DodgeGarage how-to acknowledges the inspection points (loose/rough bearing and seal-deposit trail), and many owners and some dealers treat it as a known HEMI weak spot. A common, well-regarded fix is replacing the OEM plastic-impeller pump with a metal-impeller aftermarket unit (e.g., Gates) rather than another identical OEM pump.
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View P0480 across all makes →Frequently Asked Questions
What does P0480 mean on Dodge?▼
P0480 stands for "Cooling Fan 1 Control Circuit." P0480 indicates a fault in the engine control module's circuit that operates cooling fan 1 (or the fan relay it drives). The computer detected an open, short, or out-of-range condition in the fan control output. Because the cooling fan helps prevent the engine from overheating — especially at idle, low speeds, or with the A/C on — a fan that won't run can lead to high coolant temperatures. It is worth addressing fairly promptly to avoid overheating, particularly in hot weather or stop-and-go traffic. On Dodge specifically, this code is documented across 1 model.
What causes P0480 on Dodge vehicles?▼
Common causes on Dodge: Faulty cooling fan relay, Failed cooling fan motor, Wiring damage, shorts, or corroded connectors in the fan circuit, Blown fuse or fusible link for the fan, Poor ground for the fan motor or relay. Specific causes vary by model and year — see the per-model sections below.
How much does it cost to fix P0480 on a Dodge?▼
Repair costs on Dodge range from $375 to $811, depending on the specific model and root cause.
Which Dodge models have P0480 documented?▼
Au7o has documented P0480 on 1 Dodge model: Challenger.