A/C not working.. compressor not turning on?

[Kraze]

So my A/C is out, and I need to get it fixed soon as I live in the desert and it's really starting to get hot lol. What are some things I can check to see if it's the problem?

My mechanic friend looked up the car in alldata and said there's no AC relay.

What were the buttons you push on the ac control unit to make it do that self-diagnostic test?

Oh, and the A/C was recently recharged and I just replaced the blend door last year, so I know that's not it because if it's cold outside I can turn on the vent and it still blows cold air.

 

[NoLimit95]

If it's cold outside, it's going to blow cold air when the vent is on. If you had it recharged, there was a reason for that and the reason would be because it was obviously leaking. If there isn't enough 134A in the system, your compressor isn't going to kick on. Go to Wal-Mart and they have a can of 134A with a leak sealant mixed in. It's about $25.00 but it comes with a gauge and if your compressor isn't coming on, you'll need about 2 more additional cans and their around $15 each but they're worth it.

Mine was completely out and I pulled a vacuum on the system first and then added the first can with Max-AC turned on. The first can didn't make the compressor kick on. I started in with the second can and 1/2 way through that one, the compressor started kicking on and off. The gauge will be hooked up to the can you are charging with and it tells you what the pressure is as you fill. Do it little at a time. The more you add, the more the compressor will stay on. As the compressor runs, it's sucking from the can.

On my 3rd can, I might have used 1/2 of it and now I have cold ass air and this was about a month ago. Still doing perfect so far. If you want the name of the stuff, I'll go out in the garage and get it for you and even get a pic of what to look for but I bet that's your problem. You have a bad O-ring somewhere and if it's not too bad, the stuff I'm telling you about will fix the leak and you will have cold air again. I'll go ahead and get a pic of it while it's light outside and then you can decide. I think your system has leaked out what you thought you had.

 

[Kraze]

If it's cold outside, it's going to blow cold air when the vent is on. If you had it recharged, there was a reason for that and the reason would be because it was obviously leaking. If there isn't enough 134A in the system, your compressor isn't going to kick on. Go to Wal-Mart and they have a can of 134A with a leak sealant mixed in. It's about $25.00 but it comes with a gauge and if your compressor isn't coming on, you'll need about 2 more additional cans and their around $15 each but they're worth it.

Mine was completely out and I pulled a vacuum on the system first and then added the first can with Max-AC turned on. The first can didn't make the compressor kick on. I started in with the second can and 1/2 way through that one, the compressor started kicking on and off. The gauge will be hooked up to the can you are charging with and it tells you what the pressure is as you fill. Do it little at a time. The more you add, the more the compressor will stay on. As the compressor runs, it's sucking from the can.

On my 3rd can, I might have used 1/2 of it and now I have cold ass air and this was about a month ago. Still doing perfect so far. If you want the name of the stuff, I'll go out in the garage and get it for you and even get a pic of what to look for but I bet that's your problem. You have a bad O-ring somewhere and if it's not too bad, the stuff I'm telling you about will fix the leak and you will have cold air again. I'll go ahead and get a pic of it while it's light outside and then you can decide. I think your system has leaked out what you thought you had.

Well me and my mechanic friend that I was talking about up in the first post were the ones that recharged it. We did pretty much the same thing you just described, and even after filling it up the compressor still isn't kicking on.

 

[NoLimit95]

If pressure shows it to be full, then I guess that's not it. I thought mine would have kicked on after a little of the first can but it didn't. It took most of the 2nd can before it started kicking on.

That's what I used and I got cold cold air.

 

[Kraze]

I think we used around 3 cans to fully fill mine. It wasn't that exact stuff but something similar.

 

[Sapperfire]

There is an A/C fuse, check that, then check the plug at the compressor, there is also a sensor but I'm not sure where it is....but this is DO know, if that compressor kicks on while you're driving, and the system isn't charged, it WILL fry that compressor fast, and then you can't drive because the pulley will lock up, and then you'll shred your belt,

So if you have no refrigerant, you need to unplug the compressor so it won't kick on

if you need to change the compressor, I've already done a write-up on it, use the search function, good luck

 

[BAD97LSC]

when you turn the A/C to max air with the car running, check the electric fan on the radiator and make sure that is on, with max A/C on, and car running, your electric fan should automatically be on, if you try this, and your cooling fan doesnt come on, and the A/C clutch doesnt engauge, then you need to replace the VLCM Module which is the little 4x6 black box mounted to the air suspension compressor bracket, it controls the cooling fan and A/C and other crap too. if your cooling fan isnt coming on, your ac wont work no matter what you do.

 

[Sapperfire]

^^^^^^ what he said too

 

[XLRVIII]

my internetguess is low pressure switch

 

[Kraze]

when you turn the A/C to max air with the car running, check the electric fan on the radiator and make sure that is on, with max A/C on, and car running, your electric fan should automatically be on, if you try this, and your cooling fan doesnt come on, and the A/C clutch doesnt engauge, then you need to replace the VLCM Module which is the little 4x6 black box mounted to the air suspension compressor bracket, it controls the cooling fan and A/C and other crap too. if your cooling fan isnt coming on, your ac wont work no matter what you do.

Son of a.. I went out and tried this but the cooling fan was on the whole time anyway so I couldn't tell. I'll try it again later.

There is an A/C fuse, check that, then check the plug at the compressor, there is also a sensor but I'm not sure where it is....but this is DO know, if that compressor kicks on while you're driving, and the system isn't charged, it WILL fry that compressor fast, and then you can't drive because the pulley will lock up, and then you'll shred your belt,

So if you have no refrigerant, you need to unplug the compressor so it won't kick on

if you need to change the compressor, I've already done a write-up on it, use the search function, good luck

Definitely going to look at these things later too.

my internetguess is low pressure switch

How would I know if that's the culprit?

 

[Moes8]

pull the plug off the accumulator (electrical plug), jump the plug with a paperclip while car is running and a/c set to max, the compressor should come on, low r134 or not. if it does and gets cold,its the switch, if it comes on but doesnt get cold fairly soon stop it ,cause something else is wrong imho.

 

[XLRVIII]

what mike said^
also if the system got really low, you might have to jump the switch to get the system to accept the charge

 

[XLRVIII]

How would I know if that's the culprit?

and they are cheap and easy to replace, you wont lose much if any R134
when you unsrcrew it a little might start to come out, when that happens quickly finish unscrewing it and the valve below the switch will close.

it's like a tire pressure valve ontop of another second pressure valve.
you'll see, dont be alarm if it leaks a little