Issue with chassis fan

[sbankscharles]

I just purchased and received my new HP Envy.  Initial setup and operations went great.  Shut down the computer and when I brought it back up I had an error message "The system has detected that a cooling fan is not operating correctly."  Diagnostics do show a failure with a replacement code.  My issue is that the fan appears to be working just fine.  Even with the error, it is running and cooling down the computer.  HP wants me to send the unit in for repair, but they can't explain what is going on.

Has anyone else experienced errors with the fan?  Trying to understand if this is hardware or maybe just a bad sensor.

[NonSequitur777]

@sbankscharles,

Welcome to our HP Community forum!

Thanks for sharing your experience. You're definitely not alone -other users have reported similar situations where a brand-new HP Envy (or other recent model) displays a "Cooling fan not operating correctly" error even though the fan appears to be spinning and the system seems cool.

Here's what's likely going on:

The fan's rotation isn't the only thing the system checks. Your HP laptop monitors internal sensor feedback -like RPM (revolutions per minute) and temperature -from the cooling fan. If:

• The fan's RPM sensor is sending faulty or no data, or

• The motherboard's embedded controller (EC) misreads the signal,

you'll get that error, even if the fan looks functional.

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Suggested Steps:

1. Update BIOS and Drivers
   Run HP Support Assistant and check for updates. Also, visit HP’s official support driver/BIOS update page for your model to make sure you have the latest BIOS and firmware.

2. Re-run the UEFI Hardware Diagnostics
   Press Esc at startup → F2 → select "Component Tests" → "Fan".
   If the test fails again, note the Failure ID code, and please provide that failure code and your model number, ending with #ABA

3. Hard Reset
   Shut down, unplug the power adapter, and hold the power button for 30 seconds. Repeat.  Then reboot.

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If the Error Persists:

Even if the fan works for now, that failure code usually means HP wants to replace either the fan or system board to avoid future thermal shutdowns or performance throttling. Yes, that would be most inconvenient, but worth doing under warranty to avoid long-term issues.

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Let me know how it goes after the BIOS update and diagnostic check!

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[sbankscharles]

Thanks for the reply.  It does seem to be more of an issue with sensors than the fan itself.  Inconvenient to send for repair is an understatement.  I spent two days getting the computer setup and now have all my work on it.  Whatever happen to quality control?  

I tried to update the bios but received a message that the software on HP Support was older than what is installed.  That seems to be the case with most software.  Please explain this hard reset.  At what point do I hold the power buttong?

Thanks

Charles

[NonSequitur777]

@sbankscharles,

Thank you for getting back to me. I totally understand how frustrating this is -especially after spending days setting everything up and moving your work over.

You are absolutely right to expect better quality control on a brand-new device.

You're also correct: this often turns out to be a sensor or embedded controller issue rather than a physical fan failure. Still, it triggers the alert because the system is programmed to err on the side of caution.

BIOS Version Note:

If HP Support Assistant or the official HP driver page shows an older BIOS than what’s currently installed, that simply means your laptop already has the latest version (or even a newer one, pre-installed at the factory). No worries there.

Hard Reset Instructions:

This step helps discharge residual power and resets certain embedded controller settings -it's simple but surprisingly effective:

1. Shut down your laptop completely.

2. Unplug the power adapter.

3. If your laptop has a removable battery, take it out.

4. Press and hold the power button for a full 30 seconds (count it out -don’t let go early).

5. Reconnect the battery (if applicable) and the power adapter.

6. Power on the laptop.

After that, see if the fan error reappears at boot.

If the error persists and you're still under warranty, I would strongly recommend contacting HP Support to document the issue -even if you delay sending it in. That way it’s on record (documented!) in case it gets worse later.

Let me know how it goes after the hard reset.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[sbankscharles]

FYI for the community.  I regret purchasing an HP but now feel as though I'm stuck with them.  They have issued an RMA and agreed to an exchange but I take issue on the following:

1.  Everything is on their terms.  I was assigned an account specialist and had to wait two days to connect with her.  All she did when we finally connected was verify my info, and what the issue was.  

2.  Even though what I purchased was listed on the HP Store website, they consider this custom built.  They have now changed the processor to an i5 from an i3 and wanted to charge me for that.

3.  They will not start the order for a new computer until they receive this one back.  It will be at least two weeks for the unit to be built.  Between building the new computer, dealing with the issue and now sending it back I have lost over a week.

No one believes in customer service anymore.  My biggest concern is, how do I know the new one will not have issues?