METHOD FOR OPERATING A VEHICLE COOLING SYSTEM

Method for operating a vehicle cooling system (12) which has a main cooling path (14) as well as a secondary cooling path (16) branching off upstream from the main cooling path (14), wherein a main cooling unit (18) for generating a main cooling air flow (22) passing through a first heat exchanger arrangement (20) is assigned to the main cooling path (14) and a secondary cooling unit (24) located upstream in the main cooling path (14) for generating a secondary cooling air flow passing through a second heat exchanger arrangement (26) is assigned to the secondary cooling path (16). In this case, a control unit (64) operates both the main cooling unit (18) and the secondary cooling unit (24) in a first operating mode in order to generate cooling air flows independent of one another, whereas the control unit (64) operates exclusively the main cooling unit (18) in a second operating mode and the secondary cooling unit (24) is placed into an idle operating state such that, due to the pressure conditions prevailing upstream in the main cooling air flow (22), a passive secondary cooling air flow (62) passing through the second heat exchanger arrangement (26) is induced.