Air conditioner problem

bootcie · Post by **bootcie** » 24 May 2011, 22:23

My airconditioner is blowing cold from the driver's side vents, but it is blowing room temperature to warm from the driver side vents. Any suggesions?

Post by **jimmy57** » 24 May 2011, 22:30

Damper motor problem (motor that moves the temp blend door) or it is low on refrigerant.
Turn the left side to full hot and waut 45 seconds then go back to aall the way cold and see if the temp goes down.
My money's on low charge from what I have seen.

bootcie · Post by **bootcie** » 25 May 2011, 09:26

Thanks Jimmy57,

I just realized that I made a mistake in describing my problem. I am getting warm to room temperature air on the drivers side but cold air on the passenger side. Since I corrected the description of the problem, which side should I turn to hot?

Additionally, it works with the temperature. If it is cool, mild or raining outside, I get cooler to cold air on the driver's side. If it is hot (even a little bit) I get warm to hotter air on the driver's side. Early this morning it was colder on the driver side, not as cold as on the passenger side but definitely much colder because it was mild to cool outside this morning.

I thought that since it was getting cold even on one side (the passenger side,) that it could not be a freon problem, but clearly, I know nothing about air conditioners. I am just a woman on a fixed income, trying not to get taken at the repair shop. I read something on another site about the condenser crumbling up inside and the owner had to replace all the lines because bits of metal, etc., was trapped in them and that was $2500! I don't have that kind of money! When I bought this car second hand, 9 months ago and the air was working fine, in the very hot month of August, but somewhere, at some point, the air stopped getting cold on the driver's side and just one side does not cool the car.

Post by **jimmy57** » 25 May 2011, 09:53

I figured you were describing a left to right vent temp difference.
Outside temp would affect a/c performance if low on charge but likely would not have any effect on damper motor operation.
Most a/c problems like yours are simple leaks at a fitting and not catastrophic problems like the example you found.
That year model probably has dye already in the refrigerant for detection but a shop could look for leaks and add dye refrigerant and you could run it for a while and then have it checked again to discover leak point. If it is a slow leak it could go a couple of years before it stops cooling again.

bootcie · Post by **bootcie** » 25 May 2011, 09:57

So, no point in trying your suggestion about turning it all the way to hot?

bootcie · Post by **bootcie** » 25 May 2011, 10:00

Thanks Jimmy57, I feel better and I hope you're right. I'll try that.

Post by **jimmy57** » 25 May 2011, 11:59

I don't think so. the vent temp changing due to ambient going down points to low refrigerant.

volvodoc · Post by **volvodoc** » 25 May 2011, 12:32

you might want to take to dealer to recalibrate dampner motors we have replaced a couple of motors but usually recal works while your there you might inquire if you have the latest software in the ccm if not have them update it

Post by **jimmy57** » 25 May 2011, 21:48

From your problem description and the cooling performance improving on cooler days, get refrigerant checked first.
Damper motor problem can't be ruled out nor can some other things that can affect one side control of the HVAC system damper motors (seat heater module, pinched wire on one of the CC LINs).
Any tech checking this system for your problem would verify refrigerant charge as one of the checks and that can be done at a number of places.