A system and method of operating a cooling system for a vehicle engine, wherein one or more motors are operable to rotate one or more fans. Each of the one or more motors is controlled by a motor controller associated with the motor, in response to a control signal received from a system controller and an enable signal received from the vehicle. The motor controller operates the motor at a speed based upon the control signal if the control signal is received, and operates the motor at a predetermined speed if the control signal is not received but the enable signal is received.