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PT Cruiser Air Conditioning Questions/Problems

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Comments

  • jkas1953jkas1953 Member Posts: 8
    Even though i am not haveing any over heating,
  • bthompson40207bthompson40207 Member Posts: 62
    Yes, you may not experience engine over-heating even though the low-speed fan has failed. The high-speed radiator fan eventually kicks in and prevents an over-heated engine. But, in the mean time, the lack of a low-speed fan causes the A/C compressor to build up excess pressure and vent Freon. The extreme compression also causes an excess load on the engine which makes it idle rough or causes "shudder".

    Once the low-speed fan is eliminated as an issue, you will then need to verify the Freon charge level and also verify correct operation of the LPS (see previous posts). The fan and LPS failure seem to go hand-in-hand. I suspect that the excess pressure caused by the lack of low-speed fan causes the LPS to fail as well. And, the Freon venting causes the charge to fall below normal levels.
  • jkas1953jkas1953 Member Posts: 8
    Thanks for the Info,We are traveling in our Motorhome we live in FL.and are now in PA.This seems to be covered on my extended warrantee,this looks like and expensive venture,any Idea what this will cost me ?

    John
  • jkas1953jkas1953 Member Posts: 8
    well it was determined at the dealer it was the low speed fan,but it will cost 800.00 and of corse my extended warrentee dosen't cover this,Does any one know where to get the part,how much,and how to replace,i'm pretty handy.

    John
  • jkas1953jkas1953 Member Posts: 8
    So yes i went to have it checked out by the dealer,they said the fan assembly motor is not working,they wanted 800 to fix,Now is it called the low speed fan or fan assembly is it one fan and the relays decide when it is on low speed/high speed?I found fan assembly's on ebay for around 90.00
  • bthompson40207bthompson40207 Member Posts: 62
    You will be replacing the "Radiator Fan Assembly". It includes the fan, motor, two relays, cable w/connector and the shroud. See my previous posts for replacement instructions.
  • jkas1953jkas1953 Member Posts: 8
    Thanks once again,since every thing else checked out,i guess i only need to replace the motor not the whole assembly correct ?,i found the motors only on ebay for about 52.00
  • jkas1953jkas1953 Member Posts: 8
    edited September 2010
    Confuesed,when i look up the part,i find 2 different fans,one says replacement A/C condenser fan and one says,replacement radiator fan,one is 100.00 more than the other. here is the link,http://www.discountbodyparts.com/catalog/parts.php?year=4294962486&make_te-- xt=1589&model_text=10004,found them both .Now to make me even more confused,i go out to look at the fan/fans,i turn on the air while ideling and it is working,now if the fan motor was shot like the deales said how could it be working now.
  • junkman1974junkman1974 Member Posts: 6
    http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2006-2007-2008-2009-Chrysler-PT-Cruiser-Radiator-- Fan-/310244346285?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item483c0109ad

    THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED,,I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS YOU AND BOUGHT THIS ITEM AND GOT IT IN 2 DAYS AND IS MADE MUCH BETTER THAN STOCK......
  • bthompson40207bthompson40207 Member Posts: 62
    Thanks Junkman.

    That fan assembly will work - as will others in the same price range. Just Google "PT Cruiser Radiator Fan" for a selection. I do not recommend going for the ultra-cheap solution of replacing only the fan motor. A complete Radiator Fan Assembly will include a centrifugally balanced fan blade (important for any long-term fix), a new shroud, new relays, new cables, new connector, and, of course, a new two-stage motor. And, replacement of the entire assembly is actually easier and less time-consuming than replacing the motor alone. The difference in price is about $40.00 but the difference in value will exceed this amount. Consider also the fact that a typical dealer will charge between $800 and $1,200 for replacing an assembly that you can acquire in the $100 price range.

    But, its your time and money.
  • jkas1953jkas1953 Member Posts: 8
    Just want to thank everyone for all your insight.
  • ptowner1ptowner1 Member Posts: 1
    My 2005 PT Cruiser has been shaking the whole car and not cooling when idleing. My son-in-law was visiting from TX and charged it. It worked for about a day in the hot FL temps in the high 90's. Started blowing hot air. Thankfully I was at a gas station and had just got gas and started to pull away from the pump when the car looked like it was on fire from all the smoke. I got out and the station attendent came over and said I lost my charge. My family had to go back home and I am a 69 year old female. Now what do I do? Take it to the dealer or try to sell it and let people know the ac doesn't work? Any suggestions other then leaving it on the railroad tracts? Thank you. :lemon:
  • eagleswolfeagleswolf Member Posts: 1
    I had the same trouble and it was a hose way down on the bottom. It cost me $400 to get it fixed and I have not had anymore problems with it. They had to take the whole front end apart to get to it. link title
  • bmacflabmacfla Member Posts: 5
    HI there, I have been reading through this thread and like many others I to am having A/C problems. It started with the A/C being cold but over a longer drive the blower speed would gradually decrease that I had to turn the A/C off to let it melt?

    then it would work then not work, turn on with acceleration shut down when idling.

    now it just stopped

    I did try the LPS paperclip trick and the compressor does seem to come on but not cold. Could be low freon. The LP side reads in the normal when the A/C is not on and very low when it is running. IS that normal for low freon?

    If it is low freon then I am going to charge it, check the low speed fan to see if it is operating and also change the LPS.

    Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated

    thanks
  • bthompson40207bthompson40207 Member Posts: 62
    Based on the information provided, as is always the case, the answer is: it depends. There are often a combination of symptoms and causes; quite frequently, there are more than one. Since you say that the low-speed fan is proven, and the paperclip test proves that the compressor runs, low Freon is the most likely culprit. I had a low-speed fan failure, AND an LPS failure, AND low Freon. My first flakey indication after owning my PT for a year was a frozen coil! (which is what you also seem to indicate).

    My intuition tells me that you should go ahead and risk the $30 for a new LPS (eliminate it from the factor list) and then, if there is no improvement in performance, have your system professionally charged (this will also ensure that you are getting a Freon/lubricant mix). Agian, this is based on the assumption that your low-speed radiator fan is functioning properly.

    Good luck! Let us all know your results.
  • bmacflabmacfla Member Posts: 5
    Does anyone know of a site/thread that has the info on how to change a cooling fan assembly on a 2006 turbo? just might need it
  • ash22ash22 Member Posts: 2
    After reading several of these postings i realize we probably all have the same problem.

    When i turn my A/C on my cars idle goes down. My A/C works fine when i am driving and if i rev my engine while im stopped. if i stop with out reving the engine while my A/C is on my car almost stalls out and the RPMS dip down and then go back up and the air gets warm. I have had so many different diagnoses i just want this problem fixed. WHAT IS IT?
  • ash22ash22 Member Posts: 2
    yeah it def. sounds like we are having the same A/C problem. i have a 2005 pt cruise i bought it at 42000 miles and the a/c was doing this since i bought it . Maybe your right they arent meant to last over 40000 miles.
  • dwjmd79dwjmd79 Member Posts: 2
    I purchased a well maintained 2007 pt cruiser at 75k miles. has been well kept and in great condition. now at 85k miles the AC stopped blowing cold air. the night before it was working fine. I replaced the radiator fan and fan relays when I first got the car. so far I have checked all the fuses and they seem to be in good shape. i also checked the relays by the fuse box and they seem to be fine as well. the radiator fan comes on when the AC button is pressed or when the car gets hot. the car does not overheat or run warm. I also released freon pressure from the low pressure end of the AC. then I refilled it to about 40psi so it was in the green on the pressure guage. i went to auto zone and the guy checked my low end pressure and it was over 80psi and way high. completely in the red, all the way until the pressure guage was maxed out. so he said i have too much high low end pressure and that the freon was not cycling thru the ac compressor. i also have found that the compressor will not kick on no matter what. it doesnt kick on when driving, and it wasnt giving me trouble when i came to a stop either. the AC was working fine last night and then this morning it just wouldnt come on. the AC button does light up when I press it however the compressor does not kick on. i have a few ideas. can someone tell me if its the compressor, the low pressure sensor or the high pressure sensor??? like i said before, the low pressure end has too much pressure and the AC should have plenty of freon because it didnt start getting warmer over time, it just stopped blowing cold one day and it was fine the day before. i also pulled the the low pressure sensor and put a paper clip in its place (the LPS paper clip trick). but that didnt cause it to kick on either, but Im not sure if I even did the LPS trick right. anyways can someone advise me on what to do or what they think it might be. its definitely not the radiator fan cause i have had it replaced and it still comes on when the AC button is pressed. PLEASE HELP!!!
  • bthompson40207bthompson40207 Member Posts: 62
    If you are sure that the low-speed radiator fan is coming on when you engage the A/C and cuts off when you disengage (assuming a cool engine), then the LPS is working. I am unsure of operation with high-pressure switch failure (which would be my next guess).

    Double-check fan operation, and, if necessary, double-check the paper-clip test. The fact that you measured excessively high freon pressure indicates that the compressor must be running at some point. The pressures you describe can occur when the low-speed radiator fan does not operate, and this usually occurs when the LPS fails (yes, I know, vicious circle).

    A good A/C mechanic can check all of this in short order. However, a crappy A/C mechanic will replace the entire radiator fan assembly before replacing the LPS when necessary.

    Good luck!
  • dwjmd79dwjmd79 Member Posts: 2
    I am sure that the radiator fan does come on when the A/C button is pressed. So the fan is operating correctly. I am not sure how to properly do the paperclip test. I am also not even sure if I attempted the paper clip test on the correct sensor. For the paper clip test I inserted a paper clip into the sensor attached to the silver soda can looking container close to the engine firewall that has the low pressure freon pipe attached to it.

    I am also sure that the compressor does not come on at all at any point during my day or during driving or sitting idle. I did measure high pressure on the low end side when the car is completely cool. The pressure measurements were all taken when the ambient outside temp was 70 degrees F and the engine and car were cool, My friend thinks its a Low Pressure Switch or Low Pressure Sensor that engages when the low pressure side gets too high in order to shut off the compressor so it doesnt seize up or blow.

    I did have the radiator fan replaced last year and I had the radiator fan relays replaced as well. The radiator fan defect is a known issue with the PT cruisers that causes the A/C compressor to disengage and blow warmer and the car to overheat. After the radiator fan was replaced last year the A/C worked great until a few days ago.

    I will say that when the ambient temp was 75 or below and I ran the A/C at night it would blow so cold and the A/C coming from the vents would blow less hard yet extremely cold. When i turned the blower off and let the A/C "thaw" it would blow hard again and cold. It seemed to me like when the A/C was blowing cold at night it began to "freeze up" and the air coming out the vent would decrease in velocity the longer I let the A/C run. This happened at night when the outside temp was about 60-70 degrees. This was happening every so often for a few months. Do you think the "freeze-thaw" issue is the condensor or the blower that is causing the high pressure in my system and the compressor not to engage?

    Is there anything else that migh cause higher pressure readings on the low pressure side?

    And are there any other sensors that would cause the compressor to not engage?

    I do appreciate any feedback or ideas. You have no idea how much it helps. Looking forward to hearing from anyone soon. Thanks
  • mike573mike573 Member Posts: 1
    edited April 2011
    I have a 2002 pt with the folowing ac problem. Low speed fan does not come on when ac switch is turned on. compressor cycles on and off. Works great while in motion. Have been reading this forum to help trouble shoot. I jumped the LPS connector with no change in compressor cycling. I put power to fan motor and got it to work. Changed low speed fan relay and that also changed nothing. fan still will not activate when compressor and switch are turned on. Is there a high and low side to the motor or is that taken care of by the 2 relays. What should i check next?
  • gomermgomerm Member Posts: 1
    Ok I have a 2001 PT. A few months ago I had someone change the radiator. I don't know if that has anything to do with my problem or not. Anyway, As things started to warm up I tried to use the A/C and it didn't work. I hooked the A/C gauge to the car and it is reading 60 to 70 psi which is into the red on this gauge. I started the car and the compressor isn't kicking on. I pulled the low pressure switch off and shorted it with a piece of copper. The car immediately started surging at idle. I disconnected the jump wire and hooked the switch back up and it is still surging. I'm at a loss. Any ideas?
  • opheliawestopheliawest Member Posts: 2
    I am having the same problem. A/C works great when I am driving and blows warmer air and jerks when I stop/idle. Can you explain how I can look at the the low speed fan with the flaslight to detect a problem. I would like to check it out myself before a dealership. Thanks:)
  • babydollsptbabydollspt Member Posts: 6
    Well all I can say is I replaced the the LPS switch and it worked for a day but thats it. You can start there, my next step is replacing fan, but before I spend a 100 on that I'm taking it to a dealership to see if the run a diagnostic on it as I am having other issues as well. I'm noticing some oil on valve cover and not sure where its coming from. Someone said I may need to replace the PVC valve have either of you heard of this one?
  • opheliawestopheliawest Member Posts: 2
    This is the first problem I have really had with my car. Hope you can get yours figured out. I hope it is the least expensive problem:)
    I just called PEP BOYS and am going tomorrow morning to have a diagnostic test run and to have them look at the fan to see. I tried the self test, but could not find a good angle to see the fan properly.
  • ginia740ginia740 Member Posts: 5
    Ok, this information is useful for me as I have an 08 that began having on and off AC issues at 49 k miles. Brought to dealer and they diagnosed a short and wanted me to shell out $950.00. The service separtment would not provide me with general information on the actual piece my car required but expected me to have the money to pay for it. Since last year (when the issues came about), my AC kicked on and off a total of 3 times. I have had no significant over heating issues with the car. It frightens me because the day before yesterday when I was driving the AC (after not working for 5 months) kicked on and blew dust in my face and scared me. I leave the nob on in the car because when I drive the cold air comes out of the vents and feels good in the AZ heat, but at a stay still nothing cames out only if there is a breeze outside. Do you think if replacing the parts you suggest will help my issue? It appears that there are similar issues with various years on this vehicle. :surprise:
  • bthompson40207bthompson40207 Member Posts: 62
    Assuming that the freon is at full charge, perform the paperclip test first. Verify that the low speed fan is functional. You may only need the LPS or radiator fan/shroud assembly. These are two of the more common causes of failure. From the symptoms you describe, these are likely culprits.
  • ginia740ginia740 Member Posts: 5
    What is LPS? Is that a switch? I am wondering because if I can purchase the parts and if easy to install perhaps my boyfriend can install. He, also hates the heat; especially in June. Thanks for responding.

    Funny thing, today my AC did not work when I turned the car on. But, I started driving and began to turn on and off the nob for the AC and it turned on. :)
  • ginia740ginia740 Member Posts: 5
    additionally, can you explain the paper clip test? and to what areas in the car I perform this task. Thanks again....
  • ginia740ginia740 Member Posts: 5
    What is LPS? Is that a switch? I am wondering because if I can purchase the parts and if easy to install perhaps my boyfriend can install. He, also hates the heat; especially in June. Thanks for responding.

    Funny thing, today my AC did not work when I turned the car on. But, I started driving and began to turn on and off the nob for the AC and it turned on.
  • ginia740ginia740 Member Posts: 5
    So I looked at Auto zones website and for my car, there is a switch Duralast/A/C Heater Blower Control Switch Part Number: JA1472. Do you have any idea about this part? :shades:
  • bthompson40207bthompson40207 Member Posts: 62
    The LPS is the Low Pressure Switch - a common cause of A/C failure. The LPS is what cycles the compressor on and off. It cost me $9.00 for a replacement at Auto Zone. Perform a search in this thread for my previous posts on how to troubleshoot and replace the LPS and the radiator fan/shroud assembly.
  • ollinmollinm Member Posts: 2
    I was having same problem. Last summer I took it to an a/c "expert" (his terminology) since I don't have guages etc.
    He charged me $70 to tell me that I need an $1100 compressor as mine was "weak." I decided not to do it. This spring I took it to another a/c shop. He worked on it for about an hour with his guages and code readers. He said he would have to put it on the rack and pull the fan from the bottom to see if it was the problem as he could find nothing else wrong and that I would have to bring it back later for that. He didn't charge me and seemed embarassed that he couldn't diagnose it.
    I took the upper radiator support off (6 bolts), leaned the radiator forward and took out the 4 fan shroud bolts, unplugged the wiring, and removed the fan from the top. I hooked a 12v battery to the ground and positive terminals of the wiring harness (3 wire plug). The fan would not run on low speed and was sluggish on high speed. I took the blade off the fan and oiled the fan motor bearings and put the blade back on. The fan worked from that point on both speeds. Apparently the motor is thermally protected and the dry bearing created enough heat to kick out the thermal switch causing the system to detect overheating and kick off the compressor at idle speed. I ordered a new fan that I will install as I feel that the problem will return due to wear in the fan motor bearing. The best price i found on the fan was partsgeek.com. $89 including shipping. Wish I would have taken this on from the beginning.
  • hbtmmmomhbtmmmom Member Posts: 3
    So, after 5 years, I have finally found out what has caused my 05 PT to shudder and have idling problems. Mechanic thinks it may be the Radiator Fan Module. Is this the same as Radiator Fan Assembly??? Also, I read the post about the paperclip trick, however, I am a un-mechanical woman. I just have to take it to mechanics and dealerships. So, with that in mind, how would a mechanic tell if the LPS is the prob or if it is the Fan Assembly? Finally, is the LPS something that typically gets replaced when the Fan Assembly/Module is replaced?

    Also, people keep posting on here that this A/C issue is a known issue with Chrysler. I called Chrysler yesterday and they knew nothing about it. They said they typed A/C into their database and nothing came up.

    Thanks
  • hbtmmmomhbtmmmom Member Posts: 3
    Dear dwjmd79:
    You had mentioned that this radiator fan issue is a known defect in PTs. I have a PT with this issue and I called Chrysler and they know nothing about it. They said if the part was "defective" that there would be a recall on it, but no recalls have been issued through NHTSA. Is this something that a mechanic told you or were you actually able to get someone at Chrysler to admit that there is really some defective parts on their precious PTs?
    Thank you
  • bthompson40207bthompson40207 Member Posts: 62
    Just look at the sheer number of posts here regarding the radiator fan assembly (and this is just one forum). It is not unusual to find them failing after only two years. There is a reason that these fan assemblies are in stock and so readily available at so many automotive parts web sites.

    There is a big difference between a "Service Bulletin" and a "recall". A Service Bulletin for a defective part does not necessarily evolve into a recall unless these is a known safety issue. "No A/C" is not considered a safety issue.
  • bthompson40207bthompson40207 Member Posts: 62
    A good mechanic will know how to perform the paperclip test. But, then on the other hand, many mechanics are not out to replace a $9.00 LPS. I and many others on this forum thread have been quoted anywhere from $600 to $1,200 for the"fan" repair. But, the LPS only affects the A/C and the defroster (the A/C compressor cycles in winter to remove moisture from the air stream blowing against the windshield). The only symptom you mentioned was the idle/shudder issue. Is your A/C also affected?

    I'm surprised that Chrysler did not find anything in their "database" regarding A/C. Especially since it has been reported hundreds of times on the internet.
  • hbtmmmomhbtmmmom Member Posts: 3
    Yes, the A/C is affected. That is how this finally got diagnosed for me. Thought it just needed refrigerant added, but the mechanic dug a little deeper when he discovered pressure issues and that the fan would shut off causing warm air to blow. Not sure if the defrost is also affected or not. I seem to remember a thud sound every time the defrost was turned on or off which is also something we hear when the A/C is turned on or off. And the car would shudder and almost die when stopped during A/C usage and I think defrost usage. I will have to check for sure on the defrost, though. Right now the focus is on A/C since it is hot. I will have to be in contact again with Chrysler. I think they are playing dumb. How can they not know of this? The dealership that will be servicing my car seemed to think this was a fairly common problem among PTs. He even fixed this issue on one last week. Turns out, that right after I bought my car, I took it into the dealership and told them about the shudder issue and that it felt like it was going to die when we were stopped and all, but they kept saying there was nothing wrong with it. It wouldn't shudder if the A/C was turned off during a stop light, though. Now we find out that the root of all this was most likely the fan issue. Infuriating since the car is no longer under warranty. But why should I have to pay for it now just because it wasn't diagnosed until now even though the problem existed 5 years ago when it was purchased?
  • bthompson40207bthompson40207 Member Posts: 62
    All of your symptoms can be due to inter-related issues. A properly functioning LPS is required for the the low-speed radiator fan to engage when the A/C is switched on; a properly cycling low-speed fan is required for the compressor to work properly; and, the compression is what trips the LPS. Excessive compression (due to a non-functioning low-speed radiator fan) can cause the engine to "shudder" because idle speed is insufficient to overcome the pressure in the A/C system.

    As proven in these and other forum posts, problems with the LPS and the low-speed radiator fan (and ultimately the A/C) are common in the PT Cruiser. They are also not uncommon in other Chrysler vehicles.
  • terry1703terry1703 Member Posts: 1
    I had a pressure test done on my 2002 PT Cruiser AC and I was told that I had a leak at the top of the Condensor. Yet when I search on line I keep getting results for the compressor. Are these one and the same thing and just go by different names depending on the shop doing the work?
  • bthompson40207bthompson40207 Member Posts: 62
    No, the compressor and condenser are not the same thing. The compressor is the mechanical piston-driving device powered by a belt that compresses the freon gas. The high pressure vapor output of the compressor is fed into the condenser that is located adjacent to the radiator. The low speed radiator fan supplies constant air flow across the condensing coils which converts the freon vapor into a liquid form. An expansion valve after the condenser coil allows the liquid freon to form into a low pressure gas that flows into the evaporator coil inside the car. The A/C fan blows air across the evaporator coil and through the duct work into the passenger compartment. The low-pressure freon gas is sucked from the evaporator coil and into the compressor as the cycle repeats itself.

    So, to put it in short form, your leak is in a coil of tubing in the exterior of the vehicle parallel with the radiator.
  • bthompson40207bthompson40207 Member Posts: 62
    Way to go! This is exactly the kind of self-service that everyone should try for themselves before shelling out hundreds of dollars for what are essentailly low-cost solutions. While I acknowledge that not every repair can be simple or cheap, it seems that the majority are.
  • maggiescalesmaggiescales Member Posts: 1
    I have. a 2005..same air problems.. Warm are when stopped at a light, noise, etc..first place said air needed charging..I paid but did no good. Next place charged over $200 said it was a leak..worked a month then quit completely! Next, one of the tubes was blocked. $180 to fix. When replacing, found medal shavings. Apparently, compressor slowly falling apart causing blockage..and problems. Now, $700 !! Who knows! It sure is miserable with no air though! It's been over 100 every day!
  • bthompson40207bthompson40207 Member Posts: 62
    Spend the less-than-20-dollars needed for the LPS and then take five minutes to replace it before you spend any more big bucks. If it works then celebrate, if it does not, then you will have spent a few dollars to eliminate one of the more common causes of PT Cruiser A/C failure as the source of your issues.
  • deb904deb904 Member Posts: 1
    I would like to know where the low speed fan relay module is located on my 2008 pt cruiser. does anyone know?
  • babydollsptbabydollspt Member Posts: 6
    I replaced the LPS switch, put sealant and also tried detecting a leak in my AC system. Never fails after adding refrigerant it works for two days and goes back to not working. The compressor and fan both kick on once there is refrigerant in the system, so i'm thinking neither of them need replaced. They want $120 at the local dealership to run a diagnostic and leak test. Which to me is ridiculous. Any suggestion on what may be my problem.
  • cindybrockcindybrock Member Posts: 1
    And "good mechanic" does not include the guy at the Chrysler dealership who told my husband (after we refused to pay the $900 to fix this problem which is just more of an annoyance to me) to "get it fixed or the engine could stop running". LOL LOL LOL What an idiot.

    My husband's best friend knows all about cars so we're sending him the link to this forum page to see how he can help.

    I do have a question (and apologies if I don't see the answer here): what the heck is the paperclip test?

    Cindy :blush:
  • bthompson40207bthompson40207 Member Posts: 62
    The paperclip test is used to eliminate the LPS as the source of system failure. Go back and find the detailed description of how to perform this simple test in posts from last year. I believe I posted them around May or June of 2010.
  • bthompson40207bthompson40207 Member Posts: 62
    For those of you asking about the paperclip test. Go back and read my posts starting with #60 in this forum. There are detailed descriptions of how to perform the test (very simple) and I have also posted other troubleshooting tips. There is also a detailed description of how to replace the LPS and how to replace the radiator fan assembly.
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