Answer
Oct 17, 2025 - 04:43 PM
Yeah, that’s a tough spot — once the wiring’s been pulled apart, it can get confusing fast on those older Sportsman models.
If it was overheating before you took the wires apart, you were probably dealing with a fan circuit issue, temperature sensor, or maybe a bad ground near the front harness. The problem is that the wiring harness up front connects several things — headlights, fan, temp sensor, and sometimes the brake switch — and they all share similar connectors.
Here’s what you can do:
- Look for wire colors — Polaris uses color codes. The fan relay and temp sensor usually have brown (ground) and blue/white or blue/yellow wires.
- Check the service manual or wiring diagram for your exact year. It’ll show you the connector pin-outs and color traces, which makes reassembly way easier.
- Inspect for melted connectors or corrosion — that could’ve caused both the overheating and the electrical issue.
- Once reconnected, test the fan by jumping it directly from the battery to confirm it runs.
In any case, this 👉🏻 2001 Polaris Sportsman 400, Sportsman 500 H.O., Sportsman 500 DUSE, Sportsman 500 H.O. DUSE, Sportsman 500 H.O. RSE ATVs OEM Service & Repair Manual has information on the wiring system of your model, the Sportsman 500 H.O., as well as all the related procedures provided by the manufacturer.
