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

kramer3 · May 2005

I have a 98 dodge dakota with 74,000 mi. on it. The a.c. stopped blowing cold air so I added a can of 134a. It still will not blow cold air. The compressor cycles on & off & with a gague installed on the low side the pressiure drops form approx 40 p.s.i. to approx. 15 p.s.i. when the compressor clutch cycles on. Is this normal? Should the clutch be cycling on & off? Also, it is not leaking water from the drain, but I am not getting any water in the cab. i don't think i have a leak as I added some dye, & the system seems to be holding what I put in. Any ideas?

chopper23 · May 2005

When I started the Van today, with A/C on, the air was only blowing out of the Defrost and Floor ports. I cannot get the air to come out of the dashboard vents. No matter what position I put the selector in, the air just comes out of the two ports mentioned. Any ideas as to cause/fix?
Thanks

Kirstie_H · May 2005

chopper23, can you get air to come out of just one or the other, or is it defrost AND floor together, all the time. In other words, can you change the setting at all? If not, your switch may be stuck.

If you can get the defrost/floor to turn off, or operate one at a time, then it may be that you have a blocked vent. I'm not an expert at all, so maybe some members who ARE will have better advice.

kirstie_h
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Kirstie_H · May 2005

It sounds like your problem is associated with the electrical system, and isn't specific to your climate control, so I've moved your post here:
rebellady1964, "Electronic Gremlins: Electrical Problems That Are Driving You Crazy" #312, 15 May 2005 8:22 am

dogstar · May 2005

I have a 2001 Ford Windstar with no heat, probably thermostat, but also, when sliding the temp towards heat, it makes a slow, steady "flapping" sound, almost like a wounded bird trying to get out. I pulled the glove compartment door out and looked behind the air controls and can see a small, thin white 'box' with a white gear-like dowel coming out of it and into the plastic 'wall' behind it...beyond what I can see. It is loudest when sliding the temp control towards heat, and not as loud toward cool. The dowel also turns to the right - clockwise - towards heat and counterclockwise toward cool. Any idea what is making this noise and does it have anything to do with no heat? Thanks for any and ALL your help.

andys120 · May 2005

sweetwolf54 · May 2005

Purchased a new 2005 Reno just a few months ago. The a/c even though after running for an hour, comes out of the vents at about 50 degrees as Suzuki says is spec correct. But ill be damned if the car interior ever gets even cool, unless its a CLOUDy day under 80 degrees. the dealer has recharged the system, checked all the hoses etc and tells me" well ya cant compare it to other cars" whats THAt supposed to mean??DUH!! Ive had the windows tinted 30 percent grade to help, but to no avail. i HAve tried VERYTHINg in the owners manual and then some I called SUZUKI in Brea and they cant help me. whats up/ LOusy a/c? DAWOO parts ? crappy insulation?? HELP!!!! maybe i should try another DEALER???? it does have a 3 year 36000 mile warrenty

sailor5 · May 2005

My 16yo son lives 2000 miles away and I am trying to resolve a problem long distance. His AC works sometimes and not sometimes. It is cold when it works. He took it to a repair place and they said it is shorting out and why it is intermittent. The only electrical I am aware of with the compressor is the clutch, so I assume the clutch is not always working due to some electrical open most likely in the clutch. The question is to save me trying to explain more than I think I can, can the clutch just be removed and replaced thus saving removing hoses, R134 etc? I know there is also a pressure relay that will cut the clutch out on low pressure. I am not sure what this repair shop checked but I am a bit skeptical.

auto850 · May 2005

hey I have the same deal happening to me.............have you figured anything out yet?

Mr_Shiftright · May 2005

The diagnosis makes no sense. Take it to another shop. Clutches don't really "short out". They either work or they don't. If the clutch is "cycling", then it is being shut on and off for a reason that is probably not purely electrical in nature. That shop, I think, is trying to fix the symptom but not the disease, which is probably low freon or a faulty component in the system such as a bad temperature sensor.

auto850 · May 2005

ECC.................. electronic climate control.....................any solutions?

cattlovver · May 2005

I have an 02 Ford Windstar minivan - 45K AC has always been fine since I bought it new. Just in the last week it seemed to get a little warm when i would come to stop lights or slow down ... now it is pretty much only blowing hot air (since its now in the 90's here in south florida) unless I am on I-95 doing highway speeds - as soon as I exit and stop/slow down its warms up quickly! Is this characteristic of any particular problem with and AC system? Have an appointment with an AC repair place on Thursday and would love to not be totally ignorant to the whole situation since I am female :surprise: and AC places have a bad reputation for ripping people off ( no offense ... I personally have never dealt with one - last car I had that the ac died I traded in!) anyway - any help would be greatly appreciated! also if anyone know what it should cost (ballpark) to fix something of that nature ... I have my credit card ready but hoping it doesn't kill me - but the heat will so it has to be fixed! Thanks in advance for any help! :confuse:

Mr_Shiftright · May 2005

Sounds like a refrigerant leak and you are low in the system.

diego1 · May 2005

I recently swapped out my ac compressor. After putting everything back together the unit will not come on. Before swapping it the old unit ceased but would come on (made a lot of racket). I evacuated the system swapped out the compressor but it would not come on. I then started checking the wires and noticed that the wire to the compressor had no current. It did have current for a bit after installing and compressor came on fine then cut out, I then checked wire for current and all was dead. I have checked all fuses and all are fine. Any suggestions.

Mr_Shiftright · May 2005

If your compressor seized you'll have to replace or clean all the major components, as there is no doubt debris in the system---your dryer for instance. This doesn't explain the compressor electrical problem---that may be due to a low refrigerant level---but even if you get the compressor working it won't work for long unless you clean out your system completely.

cherj · May 2005

I love my old Saturn, cracked windshield and all. But, the problem I have is no air. I've checked the fuses, they're okay. I don't know anything about mechanics (cars either) and I hate to trade her in if the problem can be fixed for a fair price, but I'm being told it will cost me over a thousand dollars to retro-fit! Isn't there a better way?
The blower works, just not cool air. I'm told there is no place around to recharge and that it might be the compressor. This was a sudden event--just turned on the air and not cold---not even cool...
I live in the Chicago area and really NEED air since I commute over an hour to and from my job. I'm a teacher, so I have to arrive cool and collected. . .and yes, I'm a lady : )
cherj :confuse: ">

Mr_Shiftright · May 2005

Try a new shop. The answers you have received are kind of....lazy...to use a kind word.

A mechanic can eyeball to see if the compressor is engaging, in about two seconds. You don't have to retrofit. Any licensed AC shop can sell you the old R12 refrigerant.

What you need to do is have your system tested for freon level and to see if the compressor is working. This is very easy to do. If the compressor ISN'T working, then yes, it can get expensive and you might as well retrofit. But if you are just low on freon from a leak, then seal the leak and recharge with the old R12.

jwoll57 · May 2005

I just replaced the AC compressor (single unit only), evaporator drier and orifice valve on my 3.0 L. System was not leaking but after 132,000 miles the old compressor gave out (S. Texas weather too), My question is how cold is cold? I measured the maximum cold from the vent at 47 degrees with a thermometer. Normal cold at about 58. Temperature will vary a little bit as the system works. Outside temperature at about 89 degrees. Seems a little slow to cycle. Does anyone know the specs on
the a/c for this model.What should air temp be at the vent? The compressor is a remanufactured part from Carquest. Is there a more powerful compressor they could have used? Just doesn't seem quite as cold as the original.I paid a pretty penny for this job so I want to make sure they got it right while the fix is still under warranty. Do I need to go back and make sure they fully charged system?

Mr_Shiftright · May 2005

48 degrees or lower is the general rule. 47 isn't bad but isn't great either...it's "acceptable" for 90 degree weather. Do you run in the recirculating mode? You really need to check that your recirculating door is opening, that the servo that operates it is working. If recirc isn't working, even 40 degrees won't cool the car very well.

kramer3 · May 2005

I took it to a shop & they told me the comp. was leaking & needed to be replaced. The total bill would be over $800. Of course they want to change the belts also, which are fine. For that $$$$ I'll roll down the window.

tomjava · June 2005

Has anyone ever used this product? Cheaper than R12 and much more efficient than R134?
link title

Thanks in advance.

outa · June 2005

My 2000 Merc Marq LS (Electronic auto heat/ac) heater & AC blower fan works some of the time but does not, only when it is +90 deg or 20 below zero.

It seems I can get it to work sometimes by shuting the engine and restarting and the blower will come on.

I think there is a resistor which I had cleaned by an auto repair shop in 12-04. Where is this resistor? Is it necessary to replace it or just clean its contacts?

Thanks for your help.

cherj · June 2005

I knew that son-in-law of mine was lazy! . . .and that's putting it . . .kindly. I'll take your advice and take my good old Saturn to a service station. Is there any "chain" service more reputable than another? How do I find a GOOD mechanic? I sometimes feel like "they see me coming" since I'm a single, middle-aged woman who obviously doesn't understand the workings under the hood of car. Thanks for any advice.
cherj

Mr_Shiftright · June 2005

Well best way to find a good mechanic is on the advice of friends, who've had good results. For AC, I think an AC specialty shop is best. You might ask some fancy repair shop that works on luxury cars where they send their AC work.

jwoll57 · June 2005

Follow up to previous post.Freon pressure checks out on new rebuilt compressor. Mechanic said that diaphragm on ad duct was OK. Once car is on the highway cold air temp drops to about 47 degrees (which feels good) upon idling at stop signs or when decelerating. But then when accelerating between 50 and 60 mph there is a clicking sound that comes from engine and temp goes up to 60 degrees. (not so good) Clicking sound goes away if AC is not on. Is this the clutch turning on and off or is it the air recirculation door malfunctioning, thus the raise in inside temp. Granted outside temps are near 100 degress now in S. Texas. Is there some sort of vacuum sensor for this recirc door that is malfunctioning? or is it the compressor turning on and off. It feels that the belt is tightening/ enginge hesitating when the clicking sound occurs. Could it be the timing is being affected by the engaging of compressor between 50 and 60 mph?

Mr_Shiftright · June 2005

Yes it does sound like your compressor is cycling off and on. Even if your recirc. flap servo motor is bad, you'll still get cool air at the vents. Generally the compressor cycles on and off due to low freon or a bad thermo sensor/switch, which thinks the interior of your car is colder than it actually is. Sometimes you can bypass this sensor/switch as a test but I wouldn't leave it bypassed as your AC will ice up and then you'll get no cold air at all until it defrosts.

synkrowe · June 2005

I have a 2002, The front Heater / AC fan output is not pumping out any air with any amount of force. I can turn the speed control up, I hear the fan speed increase but the output does not. This is the case with both (all) settings of the heater and the A/C. The odd part is also that there really is no heat either being produced in the air that is coming out. ??? I checked all of the fuses (O.K.), maybe a faulty relay?
Thought about the heater core, but why the diminished air flow output, when I can clearly hear the fans working. It's like the ducting is disconnected, but how would that occur and where do I start to check? Anyone else with this issue? Solutions???
Thanks for any response

Mr_Shiftright · June 2005

It does sound like a ducting problem and most ducting is controlled by either a cable or by vacuum servos (little vacuum motors). So you'll need to look for a disconnected cable control or leaky vacuum line or bad vacuum servo motor.

Just in case, can you feel the heater core? If it isn't hot, then you have a water circulation problem---but I suspect it will be hot.

If the heater core isn't hot AND you aren't getting any AC...hmmm....I need to think about THAT.....could be two problems at once.....

drifter3 · June 2005

I have a 2001 montana and the clutch on the compessor is not engaging. Check all
fuses for a/c and even the diode in the fuse box by the relay for a/c...thanks for any help

Mr_Shiftright · June 2005

You could check to see if the clutch is getting an electrical signal, using a test light. If it isn't, then either your dashboard controls are malfunctioning or the low freon switch is shutting the clutch off. You need to check the freon level, and if it's good, then you can momentarily bypass that switch and see if the clutch kicks in. I have no idea however where this switch is on your vehicle. There is also, on most systems, a thermo switch that monitors the interior temperature, and those can also malfunction,thinking erroneously that your car's interior has reached the desired temperature when it hasn't.

flasentra · June 2005

I have an air conditioner/heating problem with my Nissan Sentra 2000. The other day I went to turn up the temperature to a warmer setting with the temperature control knob, but accidentally went to far over to the red/warm side. I turned the dial back to cold, all the way, but now all it will blow is HOT air, period. The air was perfectly cold before that so I really don't think there is anything wrong with the air conditioner itself.

Does anyone know what might cause this to sort of ``stick'' in the heat mode? Could it be a sensor or switch of some sort? If it were a fuse, it wouldn't work at all, right?

Any suggestions?

Mr_Shiftright · June 2005

first thing I'd do if I were you is determine if your AC compressor clutch is engaging. Do you have a separate AC button that you push on that car or is it just a matter of twisting the dial to cold and turning on the fan?

flasentra · June 2005

There is another a/c button yes, that lights up to indicate its on.

I had the temperature control dial turned from cold to hot, while the a/c button was on and the fan was also on, ... I turned the temperature conrol dial back to cold and it stayed with hot air blowing out. .... It also seems that if you turn the temperature control dial to cold, shut off the a/c button (you just tap it in and out) and turn the fan to the offi setting, it still is sending out hot air.

I have another knob that has different vent settings, so I have to turn this to the floor/feet setting to keep the hot air from blowing at me right now -- usually I keep it set at the head setting.

Mr_Shiftright · June 2005

Okay what you need to do first is lift the hood and have someone who knows what an AC clutch is to look at it while you press the AC button on and off and see if the compressor clutch is engaging.

My reasoning is that if the AC clutch is working, then you have either a bad heater control valve or a vacuum leak or bad servo motor not allowing your various blending doors to operate. You may be getting cold air but the various ducting won't allow it to enter the car and it keeps the heat vent on.

But we need to determine if the AC clutch is working or not.

flasentra · June 2005

Thanks, I'll have someone take a look at that -- at least this gives me a place to start.

bigfig · June 2005

I recently posted a message on the Oldsmobile site about foam coming out of the A/C vents on my '00 Silhouette with 36,800 miles. I suspect that it is the foam drying out and blowing from the vents. It also oily and causing spots on the mats. Has anyone had this problem and is it expensive to correct. Would appreciate some feedback on this problem.

flasentra · June 2005

A relative took a look under the hood and we determined that the AC clutch is, in fact, working just fine.

I tried to get the local Nissan dealer to give me some ballpark figures on repairs if it were one of the three things you mentioned but all he kept saying was he couldn't do that until they took a look at it, and it would cost $89 to take a look at it.

I let them do an oil change and that was it, period. .... I also let them know the gas pedal sticks and they tried to tell me it was probably some sort of throttle issue and would be about $399. I think they are totally insane. I will definitely NOT be going back there -- at least not the local dealer, in any event. I've had issues with them before and the fact they are always trying to get you to spend $400 plus in auto repairs every time you go in for a simple oil change is one reason I'll never get another Nissan.

Do you have any idea at all what these sort of repairs run in the neighborhood of -- just a random guess would make me happy at this point. I just want some sort of idea on what I'm dealing with. My guess is it's probably the heater control valve or the motor -- I really doubt there's a leak here.

What is the best place to get this sort of thing looked at --back to another, but different dealer (I've had better luck at another Nissan further away from home) or an air conditioning specialist or foreign car specialist, or does it make a difference?

Thanks for all of your help.

Mr_Shiftright · June 2005

I think an AC specialist would be best, yes, as they do this kind of thing all day long and have all the equipment for testing.

jumblejowls · June 2005

I have a 1989 Honda Prelude. A few years ago my mechanic switched the a/c to use the 134 coolant, and I've been having problems ever since. Usually, a hose blows every few weeks. Do I need to replace the entire a/c system with 134 specific parts? If not, which of the old system parts besides hoses are most vulnerable to problems?

Mr_Shiftright · June 2005

Here's a good description that tells you how to do the job right. It's not about your car but basically should hold true for most automobiles.

You might get away with doing less and some people do and some don't.

http://www.dmcnews.com/Techsection/r134.html

jumblejowls · June 2005

Thanks for the reply. However, the change was made a few years ago and I have no idea if the mechanic did it correctly. Now I'm constantly having a/c failure. Would you recommend taking it to an authorized Honda dealer for a complete diagnosis?

The latest failure occurred 2 days ago. The a/c was running fine when I started on a 100-mile trip, but gradually the "air flow" coming out the vents diminished. By the end of the trip, almost no air was coming into the passenger compartment, but what little there was (almost nothing) was still cold. Now, just hot air. What do you think happened?

Mr_Shiftright · June 2005

Hard to say but I wonder if it's icing up. However, if that were the case, the air would blow cold again once the system defrosted. The icing would be caused by a defective temperature sensor.

I guess you could have the sytem checked first of all for leaks, then check the pressures, then each individual component. It could be a lot of things.

markbrant · June 2005

My car is blowing hot air only, even though I've had the a/c serviced and it's working- I don't know if the problem is my climate control module or the mono-valve?? The mechanic wants to replace everything- and that would be over $1500 to fix problem... Oh... my system is blowing through the defrost vents too! Any help would be appreciated... Mark

Mr_Shiftright · June 2005

This is a duplicate post. Try to keep your questions in one forum only---your question has been addressed already in the Mercedes 300D forum.

thank you

Host

cob · June 2005

I have a 1997 Astro that is a conversion van by Glavel. The rear heat/a/c was installed by them at an aftermarket company. There are freon lines and heater hoses running to it so I would assume it would work for both a/c and heat. However the control for it is just a 3 speed fan switch. The unit always blows warm air no matter what temp I have set on the dash control. The a/c portion is an extra evaporator connected to the factory unit and there is a sticker under the hood that states they put in x amount of freon at this company. My dash factory a/c blows cold (so I know that the freon is not leaking)but the rear one blows warm air. Is there a valve somewhere in the system that may be stuck for the temp control to the rear unit? If there is where can it be located? If anyone else has this setup or has some answers please reply, thanks.

cryptoking · June 2005

The a/c on the suburban continues to blow hot/warm air. A/C compressor and clutch are engaged. Controls are on Max cool. Low pressure side, when gauged, fluctuates between 22-50. Placed 2 cans of r-134A into system, still no cold air. Any ideas?

Mr_Shiftright · June 2005

maybe this will help for the next step:

Go to this website:

http://www.airconditioningforcars.co.uk/#howdoiknow

Then click on the FAQ that says:

"My car has AC but it is not as cold as the AC in my friend's car"

then click on Step 4, about using the "sight glass".

scottso · June 2005

The other day I started my 2002 I35 and the climate control unit registered -169 degrees, the a/c was on full and none of the buttons worked to adjust it or turn it off. Has anybody had a similar problem?

My dealer has told me they need to replace the whole dashboard unit at a cost of over $800!!! I'm pretty ticked off cause the car is under the warranty in Time but only over few thousand in miles and I am a loyal Nissan owner (over 7 cars). They tried to get me under the Goodwill Program but I was denied. I have my car "maintained" at the dealership every 5,000 miles and get replaced whatever they tell me needs replacing at the time. I DON'T sign on for the "Scheduled Maintencec Program" cause I see no need to spend over $300 for them to fill my washer fluid, check my cruise control, check my tire pressure, check the parking brake etc.

Can anyone help me with the diagnosis and any chance of raising the issue further at Infiniti to get results?

thanks

Mr_Shiftright · June 2005

Doesn't sound like there is much you can do if they already turned you down for a goodwill adjustment. You have no legal issue either as you are out of warranty. Perhaps you could figure out how much of this $800 is labor and how much parts and perhaps you could ask for some kind of 50-50 split or a break on the parts or something to ease the pain. But it sounds like the control unit just went screwy for some reason, and to remove and diagnose it would cost as much as replacing it. Nobody fixes electronic parts anymore anyway, even though this is probably fixable if you are an electronics geek. If the part is way more expensive than the labor you could consider a used part from a wrecker, but if the labor is way more than the part, I wouldn't buy anything used.

scottso · June 2005

Thanks for your advice. I've considered a salvage yard but I'm not sure I would trust an electronic component from there; plus it's just not worth the hassle. The dealer did offer me 10% off the part, which cost $670. I told him to take his $67 and, well you know, stick it! I think this the type of situation where a manufacturer or dealer should step up to the plate and fix it. It's not a part that should wear out like a water pump or oil pump which can last somewhere between 50,000 miles and 150,000 and if you're over warranty; well that's the way things go.

This just gets under my skin; especially seeing this is my 7th Nissan.

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

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