Engine fan running after engine shutdown

[MarksVRS]

In 18 months of owning my VRS I have noticed it a couple of times with mine - totally normal though, although with cars I have always associated it with diesels. My Triumph Daytona does it almost every morning when I get to work because waiting for the roller door, driving into the carpark and down a couple of levels the engine temp almost always heats up to >103 deg (when the thermo fan kicks in) and the fan stays on for about 1 minute after turning off the engine.

[Fireside]

Mine has just started acting weird... Starting up after about 15 minutes and not stopping at all.
I was out at dinner tonight, and thought it was funny that long after my car was parked the thermo fan began to run again... then stop... the go to full bore (both fans)!
I've had to disconnect the battery in order for it to stop (after almost 20 minutes), so I defiantly have a problem on my hands.
The engine was not hot when it started, and cold to touch by the time I pulled the battery lead out.

I've read elsewhere that it may be a damp fusebox or replacing CU fuse helps. Others have said that they've needed to replace the heating control unit... I hope this in not the case.

[Mysticality]

Have had it once in my TDI, on an average day in averagely average weather. After driving averagely behind an average family 4WD full of what appeared to be screaming kids.

Come to think of it, that was the highlight of my day. My thermo fans turning on.

Have also had it in the '94 Renault 19 loaner car from my dealer, and the mate of mine who bought the exact same Renault 19 has had it happen, as well.
Usually for the Renault, it starts when you open the bonnet and stops a good 15min later, when the engine is colder than an esky.

Come to think of it, I've never had it happen (whilst engine off) in any other vehicle. Including the 2.2ltr CRDi Sorento. Although, when my Rio had its two thermo fans start up it sounded like a truck.

[Fireside]

OK, so I'm guessing that it was a damp fusebox.
After drying it out with a hairdryer, the problem seems to have vanished.
Good to know for next time.

[Ocy_RS_TDi_Kombi]

My RS TDi does it every few weeks. A trick is to go back and start the car. This normally it stops, but occasionally it will start the fans again.

These days I just let it go as the fans running after turning it off does me no harm - if it was going 30 minutes later that's different, but after about 5 minutes it stops.

[zei20t]

idling a car down is a good thing, however sitting there not moving for 5 mins to let your turbo 'cool down' is a myth. water cooled turbos have water cooling specificially for this reason. in fact, not moving at all is probably worse as the fans cant draw in the same volume of air that your car travelling at 50km/h can.

The fans stay on to draw cool(er) air to vent the heat that would normally stay under the bonnet. its happened to me a few times now, im not sure if water temps or oil temps trigger it. As the water temp gauge is padded, i really cant tell which one it is!

[woofy]

Its highly dependant on where your car is, at our previous place, the garage was in the sun a lot and also had perspex clear panels in the roof. Our new place is part of the house and also shares the roof space with the house so gets more ventilation and is in shade when I get home. Its a lot cooler. At the previous place it was not uncommon to come home and have the car fans running up to 15min after parking on a hot day. I rarely have it happen at all in the new place. I also do a more sedate drive coming along my street to let things cool down whereas previously I used to fly into my own driveway. I also used to leave the garage door open when it was running otherwise it ran even longer as the garage got hotter.