air con

[Nu2sabbie]

  god evening all
sods law has struck again. hot weather, turned the air con on and low. no cold air!!!
tried the fuses and swoped the relay in the engine bay. no different.
tried re calibrating, no difference.
when i switched between auto and econ i could not hear the click you get when the compessor kicks in.
any ideas would be great before what expect will be an expensive visit to the garage. if this is the case will replacement parts be an issue.
cheers all

[Steve440]

Probably just low on gas, there is a low pressure switch in the system that does not allow the compressor to cut in.

Your local A/C specialist will top it up for you.

They will also be able to tell you if you have a leak, in truth they all leak just the amount that varies.

Steve

[RussJ]

Try Kwikfit. They recharged mine for £25 and guaranteed it for a year. All done automatically by their machine so no need to worry about some spotty youth fiddling with your car...
Russ

[TomPaine]

If it's suddenly gone in this fashion, then in my experience there's a leak and topping it up will only address symptom and not cause. I've had good experiences with local mobile aircon guys - they're specialists and costs are reasonable.

(On a 9-5 the thin pipe which runs along the front of the car is often a culprit for corrosion.)

[CitTone]

Actually, Nu2's comment "hot weather, turned the air con on" suggests that in this case it may not have been a sudden occurence, only a sudden discovery! Could it be a "leaking past the seals due to overly infrequent use" situation?

Nu2 - when did you last have it working?

[Nu2sabbie]

heers for all your comments.
i run it most of the time, i know it is not as economical but i am aware that under use can cause problems.
the reason i noticed was because it was hot and the car had been standing in the sun. i therefore put the air con on low to cool the car.
first time this year.
the car had new rad and pipe work after a bump 8 months ago so probaly not that

[Milowokie]

When I bought mine ('04 95 Aero) in August last year I had the air-con gas replaced and systems checked for leaks a couple of days after, it was quite warm in August.

Then it got cold and the a/c wasn't kicking in, a couple of days ago, warm again 18-22C, no cold air.

Took it to my local (1/3mile away) Halfords nee National Autocentre and they did their free a/c check;

http://www.halfordsautocentres.com/Other-Services/Air-Conditioning/

to be told that the system is holding pressure with no leaks, but the compressor isn't working.

Took the car back home and performed the checks as per the OP, fuse check and relay tap, and now it's working properly again.

I'd recommend the check just to see if there's enough gas in there, if not the compressor won't start regardless of the condition of the electrical parts, if you can eliminate any gas/pressure problems then it should be easier to track down the problem.

[Petemate]

The OP's post could easily have been written by me! But I would of course have posted in the section for my car. End result the same, hot & flustered. Got back from the car flying through the MOT, all chuffed. Went to go shopping, car was like an oven; same as the OP's post almost to the letter. Haven't tried wriggling the relay though.
Booked for next Wed. Will report.....
Pete

[stevetreacy]

Hi ,

With mine works perfect for about 10 months then needs topping up. I do mine myself using Interdynamics EZ chill from Halfords. I just add a little while system running on Low until i get 5 - 7 deg C at panel vents. Only costs £49 has leak sealant, oil, cleaner and dye. Have got 2 summers out of the current can so good value for me.I am fortunate that have on site Air Con engineers who can test my pressures etc so i dont waste the can contents on a leaking system. The leaks i have had over the years are around the collector/dehumidifier joints and at the Schrader Low pressure valve where you fill it. Did have to replace Expansion valve 21 months ago though when stopped getting cold, was full of gas and compressor cutting in.

steve

[Nu2sabbie]

  had car back today after re gas.
very cold through vents and sods law the weather has turned chilly.
problem seems to have been fixed will monitor.
thanks all for your help and advice