What is the reason for the fan shroud on a car? Is it primarily a safety feature?

Question

What is the reason for the fan shroud on a car? Is it primarily a safety feature?

Answer 1

to keep the hot air in the engine bay from sitting in front of the radiator.

in some conditions your car might overheat without one.

Answer 2

It's a safety feature, especially now that the car's fan can turn on even without the motor running.

Answer 3

it is to consentrate the air toward the radiator. yes it also helps in keeping hands of the radiator fan.

Answer 4

it,s for safety and also it blows air back on the engine.

Answer 5

Yes. You could operate the vehicle with it off, but it is not a good idea. On an older car I had, the radiator needed replaced and the fan shroud would not fit back in properly so I left it off. You can do it if you have to. Older cars didn't even have them. But when you are under the hood you can get chopped, or drop a tool there and while driving, road hazards fly all around under the hood. My personal opinion is that the engine may run cooler without it, because it blocks some air to the radiator.

Answer 6

yup.

Answer 7

if you are under the hood it does act as a safety feture but thats not the main reason. It makes the fan on your car draw air only through the radiator and not draw it from around the radiator. That way they can use a smaller fan to cool your car and cut down on parasitic draw.

Answer 8

All answers here are correct. its for safety reasons as well as to make the air flow alot more efficiently.  

Answer 9

the fan shroud is there to help contain  air to the radiator for cooling.