2009 Volvo S60 AC blows hot after smoke coming from radiator

jackfish28 · Post by **jackfish28** » 13 May 2014, 20:39

I have a 2009 Volvo S60 with over 100k miles on it. Yesterday when I was driving back from New Orleans I stopped to get a coke at a gas station and when I came back to the car smoke was coming from under the hood. I opened the hood and I would have sworn I had a busted radiator or leak. But it is a new radiator as I hit a box on the road in November and all of this was replaced. And the car was not runningt hot, and no water leaking or anything leaking. Several mechanic guys stopped and helped we look over the car and determined no leaks anywhere, and engine was not running hot and that is was something electerical or I picked up some plastic that was burning off the radiator. I drove about another 20 miles and determined that the AC was not blowing cold air at all. On the way to New Orleans three hours earlier it was almost too cold. Any idea of what this could be? It was something right on or next too the radiator. It blows hard but there is clearly no freon cooling the air.

Steve in mobile

Post by **jimmy57** » 13 May 2014, 20:56

If the electric cooling fan was not working (unplugged when rad was replaced) then the A/C high pressure will go really high and can blow out refrigerant from a relief valve. The compressor will be switched off if pressure goes to 440 psi but the relief valves can dump before the compressor is shut off.
My suspicion is your smoke was refrigerant release.
The car can idle for a few minutes with no fan and not run hot. The fan does not run at all if you are moving 25 mph or above.

jackfish28 · Post by **jackfish28** » 13 May 2014, 21:19

So you think the electric cooling fan is the problem? I have run the ac many times since then. Could it just have gone out? Does it have a fuse or something?

Post by **jimmy57** » 13 May 2014, 21:39

I listed one scenario. If the a/c is on and the car is sitting still then the fan will be on if the temp outside is over 75. Have you been hearing the fan?
If you didn't idle very long then fan can be out of action and there would be no problem. Leaving it running and going into a convenience store is long enough for it to overpressure without fan running.

jackfish28 · Post by **jackfish28** » 13 May 2014, 22:23

Got it thanks

speedyt5 · Post by **speedyt5** » 18 Nov 2014, 19:56

You definitely busted an a/c hose. When the smoke came out it was refrigerant from the hose. The hose or fitting wherever it may be that broke sent the refrigerant out which can be mistaken for coolant. The reason the A/C is blowing hot is because there is no refrigerant.