My car smells like its overheating but not steaming. Fans are not coming on. tested it last night and after about 30 min of running and reving it up, it blew a little steam out radiator cap. I am not getting warning lights on the dash at all. I tested all fuses and relays to the fans. could it be thermostat? why would fans not work?
First you may want to use an external infrared thermometer. Aim it at the engine block and check the temperature. This will prove if the engine is overheating or not. If the engine is not warm enough the fan will not come on.
Fans not coming on
The Engine cooling fan is controlled by the ECM. The ECM uses an Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor signal to decide when to turn the fan on and off. I the coolant level is low the sensor will not be able to read the correct temperature. So first thing to do would be to check the coolant level. If the coolant level is low, find out why and make the necessary repairs.