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View Full Version : Automotive Air Conditioning stops working when stopped, cold air when driving.


neret
Aug 22, 2011, 06:22 PM
Vehicle stops cooling when car is idling, after accelerating a little bit, it starts cooling, any idea?

CliffARobinson
Aug 22, 2011, 06:46 PM
I have had this problem personally.

The internet is a thorn in the auto repair industry because they cannot simply perform one of their all inclusive repair services like "air conditioning refurb". They tried that on me, and a quick check online revealed that the most likely culprit was a malfunctioning compressor fan.

The compressor fan blows air on the compressor, keeping it within safe temperature range. If it gets too hot, the cooling will stop so the system doesn't fail.

So, when idling, no air is passing over the compressor, when driving, the airflow through the engine compartment allows your AC to operate. There are other possibilities, but I would check the fan.

BTW, the difference in cost of replacing a fan compared to a shop's full AC refurb is several hundred dollars.

P.S. when I told the sales guy it might be the fan, he told me, "NO. Fan works". I said, let's go to the truck and see. I want to see. We go to the truck, and he instructs the repair guy to check the fan. Oh. Doesn't work. Save $600 - and the refurb doesn't even touch the fan, so I would have been out the money and still had the problem.

TxGreaseMonkey
Aug 22, 2011, 06:58 PM
Classic sign the compressor is likely shot--they tend to last around 100,000 miles. Hooking up a manifold gauge set will easily confirm whether this is the problem or not.

neret
Aug 22, 2011, 07:54 PM
So, it was the fan ?