Climate Control Problems (Air Conditioning, Heat) - All Cars

obyone · July 2009

Harbor Freight like WalMart specializes in the marketing of Chinese goods.
I once bought a bulk pack of razor blades for $1.99 vs the American version at $5.99. What I found was the cardboard that they are wrapped in was no longer cardboard but thin paper and a few of the blades had no edge not to mention that the crimps were missing on some causing the blades to fall apart. But hey for a buck ninety nine what do you expect. :confuse:

hop2 · July 2009

My auto (2005 Chevy) A/C - the compressor engages but a few seconds later disengages. It does cool, but limited and I can't have the compressor going on and off like that.
I had added r-134 - just a little low - and think I might have gotten air into the refrigerant. Has anyone had a similar experience?

obyone · July 2009

Compressor cycling on and off with frequency indicates low refrigerant.

oldfarmer50 · July 2009

"...If you have no conscience over being solely responsible for destroying the earth..."

That reminds me of the joke about the 80 year old man who married the 20 year old stripper.

His friends all took him aside and asked him if he wasn't worried that having sex with a 20 year old might result in death.

His response was: "If she dies, she dies!".

burdawg · July 2009

Now that's a good one.....

hop2 · July 2009

Thanks.

It also behaves like that with too much- as I found out.

Learned to never trust the gauge on those Superstore refrigerant cans.

petersenjoe · July 2009

Hi I have a 2001 Olds Silhouette Van that has the exact same problem as described in #713 Hot on the left cold on right, did you ever find a solution to the problem.

oldfarmer50 · July 2009

Thanks all those who weighed in on my not too cold AC problem. I finally got around to getting a can of 134a at the local auto parts store and did it myself. Only took half a can to charge it up to spec. Now , if I leave it on high I'm frostbitten in the same length of time it took to start cooling before.

Cost me about $20.

obyone · July 2009

Not that I'm a greenie but what happened to the other half of the can? :shades:

oldfarmer50 · July 2009

"...what happened to the other half of the can..."

Sitting in my basement for the next time I need it. I'm pretty cheap.

Hey, that means my fix only cost me $10. Hoo ray.

brandiwine06 · August 2009

The van has 3 center of dash vents...
Left and center now give warmish air...
The furthest to the right gives cold air???
What could be causing the problem...
Is there a blend door ? Part of AC not cooling?

We are having the same problem with our Chevy Venture. We have been all over looking for some answers but with no luck at all. Even dealer ships!! If anyone has any info on this please share!!! I have to get this fix & get back on the road for work & living in Florida A/C is a must have!

brandiwine06 · August 2009

Chevy Venture 2000
The van has 3 center of dash vents...
Left and center now give warmish air...
The furthest to the right gives cold air???
What could be causing the problem...
Is there a blend door ? Part of AC not cooling?
We have been all over looking for some answers but with no luck at all. Even dealer ships!! If anyone has any info on this please share!!! I have to get this fix & get back on the road for work & living in Florida A/C is a must have

buck96 · August 2009

the ac dash vent diverts to the defrost and floor vents under pulling conditions, I'm figuring I have a vacuum leak, can you tell me if this is so and where I would need to look to correct the problem?

brandiwine06 · August 2009

Chevy Venture 2000
The van has 3 center of dash vents...
Left and center now give warmish air...
The furthest to the right gives cold air???
What could be causing the problem...
Is there a blend door ? Part of AC not cooling?
We have been all over looking for some answers but with no luck at all. Even dealer ships!! If anyone has any info on this please share!!! I have to get this fix & get back on the road for work & living in Florida A/C is a must have :sick:

imidazol97 · August 2009

I can tell you that many people have had problems with the newer H-body (leSAbre, Bonneville) some with dual control AC giving warmer air to the driver and cold air to the passenger. They fixed it when they had the system recharged. Apparently there, the freon enters the evaporator in a location over which air passes that goes to the part of the AC box that feeds to the passenger side. The freon is warmed up somewhat when the coolant gets to the other part of the evaporator and that air doesn't get as cold.

I would think that the dealerships had checked the charge. Maybe it's within tolerance and they didn't find a need to recharge, but the system has actually lost a little freon with the 8-9 years of age on the system.

imidazol97 · August 2009

You should check all the rubber lines and the tank which serves as a reservoir for vacuum and check the one-way valve that is in the system somewhere so that the intake manifold vacuum can suck air out of the system controlling the heater unit, but when vacuum in the motor drops under high load or flooring it, the higher pressure air can't flow into the heater system.

brandiwine06 · August 2009

I am having a problem with my A/C, I have read you post & I am hoping you might have an idea of whats going on,,
I have a Chevy Venture 2000
The van has 3 center of dash vents...
Left and center now give warmish air...
The furthest to the right gives cold air???
What could be causing the problem...
Is there a blend door ? Part of AC not cooling?
We have been all over looking for some answers but with no luck at all. Even dealer ships!! If you have any info on this please share!!! I have to get this fix & get back on the road for work, kids, etc.... living in Florida A/C is a must have!
Thank You for your time!

kiawah · August 2009

Have an airconditioner shop check your freon level.

imidazol97 · August 2009

I posted yesterday but something happened and the post is not here!

On some H-bodies (2000+ Bonneville, LeSabre) people have noted that the passenger side will be cooling fine and the driver side gets warmer air. The owners have looked for phsical causes in the HVAC unit but others found that a low charge results in the freon's cooling ability being used on the side of the evaporator where it enters and the air from that side goes to the passenger side of the car, while the freon isn't as cold as it expands on the rest of the evaporator where air goes to the driver. It still cools but it doesn't feel nearly as cold as the passenger air, probably partly due to less humidity removal along with a slightly higher temp.

Your HVAC unit may not be the same but that should have been the first thing a dealer checked and made sure the freon was fully charged.

Good luck finding the cause and the fix.

oldfarmer50 · August 2009

"...Left and center now give warmish air...Is there a blend door..."

I seem to remember that on GM vans the blend doors are controlled by vacume. Depending on engine load the vacume in those doors can fall and redirect air flow. Thus if you are going up a steep hill you might have the air switch from face level to foot level without changing the settings.

Check your lines for leaks.

wolferman1 · December 2009

So far,the mechanics have changed the thermostat, flushed the coolant 3/4 times, raised the front of the vehicle to remove air bubbles, replaced the fan clutch, replaced the temp actuator, replaced the inside filters, replaced the control switch panel, blew out the ducts, made sure that the coolant level was high enough, and who knows what else and still lukewarm air comes out of all positions. Help!!

imidazol97 · December 2009

Since they replaced the actuator motor for the blend door, I assume, assume they checked the movement of that blend door to be sure it was able to move completely to the setting sending all air through the heater core?

Then it's down to how hot is the heater core? Are hoses to the heater core after driving 15 or more minutes so the engine temp is full hot both very hot even after the blower motor has been on HIGH for several minutes with the motor idling? That would indicate full flow through the core.

Otherwise, my next step would be a heater core flush using only its hoses to gently, gently move air and water through it backwards and forwards. If the DexCool or other coolant weren't changed in 9 years there may be some goop clogging the tiny water channels.

Good luck. It's down to scientific analysis of symptoms.

wolferman1 · December 2009

The coolant has been changed at least once a year for the last five years. The blend door is working like it should. The coolant hoses are hot going in and coming out.The blower is also blowing a lot of air. Help again..

kiawah · December 2009

I suspect you are not getting air flow thru the heating core, some sort of air blockage.....or the damper that brings in outside air is stuck open, bringing in too much cold air.

obyone · December 2009

flushed the coolant 3/4 times

Did they do a back flush? That would usually clear any blockage in the block and heater area. If they did, it makes no sense that they do it 3 to 4 times which is already suspect. Also raising the front end of the vehicle to remove air bubbles sounds like something click and clack would do.

One thing you could do now is to check the overflow tank and make sure it is at least filled to the cold line. If it is then check the radiator to see if it is topped off. Please do this when the motor is cold.

Other than that you may want to change mechanics.

0patience · January 2010

The coolant has been changed at least once a year for the last five years. The blend door is working like it should. The coolant hoses are hot going in and coming out.The blower is also blowing a lot of air. Help again..

If you have heat at BOTH coolant hoses of 150+ degrees, then the blend door is NOT working properly.
If the blend door is not shutting all the way, it allows cool air from the A/C core in the heater. Which cools the air down.

How did they determine that the blend door was shutting completely?

techman41973 · January 2010

I owned my Honda Accord for over 12 years. 3 of these years, I was caught off guard when my AC
system was less than adequate when the summer months hit. The best example was when I was driving to Las Vegas
in 116 degree weather and discovered the hard way that my AC was'nt up to the job. One year it was a problem with the
evaporator, the two other years it just needed a refrigerant refill.
I would like to prevent these suddent discoveries in the future. Before the summer months hit, I will ask my mechanic
to inspect the AC system. Should this be done every year? Can this be done when the weather is still cooler? What
specifically should I have my mechanic check. How many hours of labor should this cost me?
Thanks

imidazol97 · January 2010

Are both heater hoses so hot after the car's been running for 20 minutes and more that they are too hot to hold with bare hand for more than a few seconds?

Also with the blower on a high speed, and the heater set for HOT, the hoses should be nearly the same temperature. If one is cooler, that means the flow of coolant is not fast enough to keep it from losing too much heat to the air flow to really heat the air to maximum.

Low flow could be partly clogged heater core. Did it have DexCool when new? (Yes) Was other green antifreeze, old style green added? If so the coolant turns to globs and looks thickened in the reservoir. Professional flush.

Water pump may not be moving coolant properly? Open the radiator with the engine cooled a few minutes to relieve pressure on the system.Then start the motor and see if you can get the coolant to flow noticeably from the high pressure hose when someone accelerates the motor. Or you can accelerate it with the engine end of accelerator cable at the throttle body. It may take a few minutes for the thermostat to open again as the engine warms.

Most likely your blend door isn't closing all the way, if the first two are okay. My understanding is that all incoming air goes through the AC evaporator. Then a door forces none, part or all of the air to go through the heater core. If the blend door doesn't quite close all the way, some 30 deg outside air mixed with the air that does get forced through the heater core really cools down that air at the vents.

obyone · January 2010

'01 Tahoe came with dexcool.

imidazol97 · January 2010

>came with dexcool.

Yes, it did. I was hinting around to suggest someone had put in standard green antifreeze and caused the DexCool to glob up. Another factor is the DexCool may not have been changed at 3 years or earlier, like some suggest. In a few cases, just like with any antifreeze left in too long, strange things begin to happen as chemical components wear out.

A few people have had heater cores blocked partly with the globs of crud.

alternator · June 2010

How much should the air temperature drop from ambient after going through a car air conditioner ?

imidazol97 · June 2010

The drop depends on the ambient temperature, the humity of the air, and the heat of the sun. The factory service manual gives a chart of the expect temps at the CENTER dash outlet.If you have a thermometer from an auto store meant for AC, stick it int he center outlet and drive. Unless the sun is very strong and the humidity is very high, I'd expect it to show about 60 after many minutes of steady driving with the fan on medium speed. I have not checked the manual.

alternator · June 2010

I wonder if a 25 degree F drop in an average day ambient of 88 degrees F is about normal ?

pashuko · July 2010

my a/c doesnt work or doesnt trow the air cold when am stop or on parking it a 2003 montana pontiac

ray80 · July 2010

Could be a nunber of things, one quick thing to check is the condition of the cabin air filter(s) if so equipped.

kiawah · July 2010

or your ac is marginally effective.

- to little, or too much freon
- compressor weak
- obstruction in the freon flow
- engine idling too slow
- obstruction in the air flow thru the 'radiator' (will keep it simple here), or radiator/ac fans not working.

alternator · February 2011

Somewhere I read that the intake vents (near the windshield wipers) need to be kept clear of snow and ice. I would think that if you were satisfied with using the "recirculating air" mode it wouldn't matter. Is there something I'm not taking into account ?

srs_49 · February 2011

Generally, the recirculating mode is not recommended to be used for long periods of time, as this allows the cabin air to become stuffy. So you want to use external air most of the time, which means your intakes should be kept clear of debris.

kiawah · February 2011

You must not have a pet, or an uncle Louie that let's one loose every couple mins.

bobster0007 · March 2011

Its simple to check it. You should have 2 water lines going inside to the heater core. Feel each line. Are they both warm, hot? Its simple to check from there. air

dwpc · June 2011

If a hose has been bad and/or left loose for an extended period, does the contamination ruin all the components in the system?

I recently purchased an '85 exotic car that had been in storage for a few years. Seller did extensive work and maintenance on the car to put it back in service but said the AC didn't work because the orig hoses were bad. He had removed the compressor belt. It turns out that a hose fitting on the compressor was also left completely disconnected; probably when the timing belts were replaced a year ago. I figured on new hoses and a rebuilt compressor, but should I expect to replace everything...evaporator, expansion valve, etc.?

burdawg · June 2011

No. If you plan on replacing the hoses anyway I can't see how the other parts would have become contaminated. The receiver/dryer will need to be changed out also since it's probably absorbed a lot of ambient moisture. If in doubt the entire system can be flushed out prior to evacuation/recharge.

lance1980 · June 2011

I have a 2003 Mitsubishi Galant and i am having AC and Heating Issues for example: When I turn on the AC it will work for a little bit then stop working, sometimes if I let it don't run it for a while the AC will come back on. On rare occasions the AC never kicks on at all....When I run my heat...the heat never gets Hot like it use to when the car was newer...It is warm / lukewarm....I am not sure if these issues would be related in any way...Any help will be appreciated, thank you.

shekire4 · June 2011

I am having problems with my 97 Honda Passport.The problem is with the blower to my heat and air.I can feel heat and air coming out but the blower is not working.Can anyone tell me what to do.

jgianna · June 2011

Guys
1992 Crown Vic. Air condition blows cold air then will blow warm,turn off air and wait 2 min
sometimes it goes back to cold. Sometimes the air is fine for the whole ride.
Any clues? Thanks in advance

wcubby2 · June 2011

I have a 2004 ford explorer that when in idle or park for any length of time the a/c starts blowing HOT air and when driving it cools down but doesn't blow as hard or as cold as when i first purchased it. the a/c is charged,I changed the thermostat, I can hear it kick in but it's sure not blowing cold air it's new 50/50 but no matter what i do. hot air, I live in az and it's cooler outside the car than in it. can you help?

Mr_Shiftright · June 2011

first guess would be low refrigerant, then faulty compressor clutch, then faulty expansion valve (if your system uses one).

bdymn67 · July 2011

drivers side is cool but passengers side is hot. how to repair?

bdymn67 · July 2011

when first cranked up in am both ide cool but after warming up drivers side is cool but passengers side is hot

trutledge · November 2011

i have a 2003 chevy silverado with the dual zone climate control heating and air conditioning. last year i couldn't turn off the recirculation button.... several months later, i was only able to get heat if I cranked the temp up to 90 degrees... from 89 degrees and below.... it was straight air conditioning. this morning the blower just simply quit... is it the control panel gone bad?? or something else? I really like my truck but this is nuts!

Climate Control Problems (Air Conditioning, Heat) - All Cars

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