The AC in my van has stopped working. Completely - no change in temp at all between off or on but no accompanying weird noises or anything. It's always been very occasionally unreliable, not kicking in for a few presses of the button once a month or less. Before I get an expert opinion I wondered if it might just a stuck-open relay. Likely? I've never had one go before in 30 years of car ownership. I've checked the fuse, that's fine.
Of course, this also means I don't know how to swap a relay. I assume they just pull out like a big fuse?
To swap a vehicle Relay it’s usually just a case of unplug and plug back in.
But… aircon is quite likely to be low gas or a one of the pressure sensors / valve.
Relays are generally pretty reliable I think.
Has it been hissing at all recently? That’s a sure sign of low pressure.
Oh, just seen the “no weird noises” bit.
What van?
They are very reliable but relays and fuses are so easy to check/replace then it's a good place to start. That said it's almost always something else and even if they have failed there may be another underlying reason
Its highly unlikely to be a relay. Automotive spec relays are spectacularly reliable.
Its probably dropped pressure enough such that it wont kick in.
Best starting point is getting a garage to plug it into their vacuumiming/pressurisation/leak testing machine. #
My money is on its empty of refrigerant and you've a hole in the condenser somewhere.
Best starting point is getting a garage to plug it into their vacuumiming/pressurisation/leak testing machine. #
Even better if you can find someone that can actually fix aircon and knows what they’re doing. The machines can’t detect small leaks, they’ll refill it and say there’s no leak as it passed the 30 minute test and it’ll be empty again in a few weeks / months.
But… aircon is quite likely to be low gas or a one of the pressure sensors / valve.
Its probably dropped pressure enough such that it wont kick in.
Ah right, that would make sense. I've never had it topped up, could well be that it's just hit the critical pressure if there's a protective switch in there.
I hope there's not a hole in the compressor, I had to have one of those replaced a couple of years ago on the missis car, (bearing, not a leak) they 'aint cheap!
It's a Transit Connect.
A hole in the compressor is unlikely. A condensor that's turned from aluminium into its oxide is considerably more likely.
It's a Transit Connect.
my ancient mk1 Focus still had working aircon when I got rid of it not too long ago! Only problem I had in that time was something called the "resistor pack" went, very easy & cheap fix (just got new one from eBay). Can't remember what the exact symptoms were tbh (i.e. can't remember if the whole system was dead or continued to run but just never got cold).
Even better if you can find someone that can actually fix aircon and knows what they’re doing.
There's a franchise right near work called wecoolanycar.com I'd already thought I'd find a specialist rather than take it to the normal garage. They do have the gas recovery/injection machine and did the car fine, but that was easy as the bearing was making a right bloody row.
I shall ask around to see if anyone has a good experience of the local guys.
You could get it regassed with leak detection stuff.... If it leaks that can see where it's coming from (mine was the compressor)
Relay failure - possible but unlikley, as someone else has already said they are remarkably reliable.
Gas leak - possible, depends upon age and condition of the vehicle.
But the issue that dis-abled my wifes car air-conditioning (with similar symptoms to yours) was a failure of the electro-mechanical clutch on the compressor. When you press the button (on the dashboard) it switches power to this device and that engages the drivebelt to turn the compressor and pump gas around the system.
There's a large electro-magnet in the clutch, on our car the system was sending 12v to the connection but the clutch wasn't engaging. The electro-magnet part of the system had failed.
Best bit was I was able to buy just the clutch and replacing that fixed it :o)
Like this: Air-Con Compressor Clutch
I'd go with low gas/leak. I've had the air con pipe and radiator (got holed from debris) on my previous car. The run-about Aygo I had it re-gassed properly, and tested, they didn't find the leak. I refilled it with leak sealer/detector (environmentally friendly stuff) then found it bubbling from where a sensor was connected to the high pressure pipe. Nipped up the sensor fixed. Re-gassed myself and it was fine. Topped it up again recently after two years as it was slightly low (I have a pressure gauge).
The replacement refrigerant is environmentally friendly.
Mine was also the compressor clutch. It would cool briefly and then give up. I bought a pack of shims but when I took the clutch off the compressor it only had one shim in there, removed it and all fixed! Wasted a few quid on shims but a garage should have stung me for a new compressor and a regas for several hundred pounds.
Always Google for common faults before going to a dealer! In my case with was a common Honda fault.
