When AC goes out...

yeagermeister · Post by **yeagermeister** » 08 Aug 2006, 07:52

I'm having a similar issue. Mine cycles on for a few minutes, and then off for a few minutes. When it's off, though, I'm getting hot air. I've added refrigerant, and it doesn't seem to help. If it were leaking, I imagine I wouldn't get a long cycle (2-3 minutes). It's intolerable here on the East Coast in the summer to have hot air blowing with the windows up, so I just drive with the windows down at all times.

Anyone have suggestions on what this could be?

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 08 Aug 2006, 08:35

Yeager...check your temp. sensors located above the grab handles above your doors. Maybe some lent in them...blow them out gently or vacuum out and see if this makes a difference.

On a related note...have heard of AC's freezing up, not allowing cold air to pass through, thus blowing warm air until the unit thaws out and then you have cold again. Not exactly sure why this would happen, but others will chime in...too much gas pressure? Bad clutch gap? Not sure.

yeagermeister · Post by **yeagermeister** » 08 Aug 2006, 09:38

MadeInJapan wrote:Yeager...check your temp. sensors located above the grab handles above your doors. Maybe some lent in them...blow them out gently or vacuum out and see if this makes a difference.

On a related note...have heard of AC's freezing up, not allowing cold air to pass through, thus blowing warm air until the unit thaws out and then you have cold again. Not exactly sure why this would happen, but others will chime in...too much gas pressure? Bad clutch gap? Not sure.

can't find anything that's obviously a sensor of any sort. Are there other possible locations, maybe due to the wagon design?

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 08 Aug 2006, 12:29

No, should be there...if I recall correctly, may actually be under the clasps that hold on the grab handles...just pry them open and take a look. I know they're there on 850's...sedan or wagon, every year. I read about these sensors being dirty all the time... If this is it, it would be a very simple fix.

yeagermeister · Post by **yeagermeister** » 08 Aug 2006, 13:10

MadeInJapan wrote:No, should be there...if I recall correctly, may actually be under the clasps that hold on the grab handles...just pry them open and take a look. I know they're there on 850's...sedan or wagon, every year. I read about these sensors being dirty all the time... If this is it, it would be a very simple fix.

aha! I don't have the auto controls... Not sure if that's why I don't have them, but it seems like a likely scenario.

Post by **matthew1** » 08 Aug 2006, 13:19

yeagermeister wrote:
MadeInJapan wrote:No, should be there...if I recall correctly, may actually be under the clasps that hold on the grab handles...just pry them open and take a look. I know they're there on 850's...sedan or wagon, every year. I read about these sensors being dirty all the time... If this is it, it would be a very simple fix.
aha! I don't have the auto controls... Not sure if that's why I don't have them, but it seems like a likely scenario.

It could be a collapsing ac hose.

Post by **itsdug** » 15 May 2008, 02:19

while re-charging a/c, is the engine running or shut off? if engine is running, do you have the a/c turned on as well? thanks.

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 15 May 2008, 07:31

while re-charging a/c, is the engine running or shut off? if engine is running, do you have the a/c turned on as well? thanks.

The engine should be on and the A/C should be on. If the system pressure is so low that the compressor won't come on at all you will need to jumper the lower pressure cutout switch as well.

...Lee

Post by **itsdug** » 15 May 2008, 11:44

Ozark Lee wrote:
while re-charging a/c, is the engine running or shut off? if engine is running, do you have the a/c turned on as well? thanks.
The engine should be on and the A/C should be on. If the system pressure is so low that the compressor won't come on at all you will need to jumper the lower pressure cutout switch as well.

...Lee

thanks for the response Lee. something weird going on here. i get cold air when the a/c is off. when it's turned on with light on there's no cold air. when i charged the system it was the opposite as well. when a/c turned on i didn't hear the compressor kicking in but it did with switch off. so with gauge plugged in it read high with a/c on and it read low with a/c off. it seems like the absolute opposite. any ideas?

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 15 May 2008, 11:49

Are you sure you are actually turning it off? On the electronic climate control unit the A/C light illuminates in the Off position rather than the On position.

...Lee