My 1998 Eldorado displays this message across the DIC. I took in to get it checked out. The tech put the guages on it and bypassed the relay to get the compressor to run then prounced the system to have plenty of refridgerant but the system is clogged. So...are we talking orifice tube or what? Advice?

I can evacuate the system and replace the drier(accumulator), orifice tube and refridgerant for a fraction of what it would cost at the dealer but would that do the trick?

Mtl

Yes that would do the trick. The next question is how did the system get clogged?

No telling how it got clogged. But Made those repairs last spring and have had cold air ever since. Right up until the blower motor went out. I replaced that over priced fan and had a very comfortable ride...That is right up until the head gasket failure forced me to park it.

By FAR and AWAY the worst car I have ever owned.

This post is very confusing to me! 'Low coolant' refers to the coolant/antifreeze system. If the coolant is low, the computer system will disable the a/c compressor to lower the temperature of the air flowing across the radiator. The a/c condensor is in front of the rad and gets very hot when in use.

Why didn't the tech pick up on this and check the coolant? May have saved the head gasket.

If the a/c system was low, it should read 'refigerant low' rather than coolant.

MtlSphere, was the orfice screen truely plugged up? Usually the screen will get plugged because the compressor has failed (pieces of seals)or the desicant bag ruptured due to water in the system.