2014 Explorer A/C at idle not working.

[Denver Davis]

My wifes Explorer, which I don't drive often, the A/C blows hot air when parked and running.
Here is what happened yesterday:
Ambient temperature 70 degrees.
Start up vehicle and drive to town. Air conditioner works fine. Extremely cold.
Stop at store and wifey shops and I shop a while, come back out to vehicle, start it up and wait on wifey.
A/C works fine at startup. In 4-5 minutes quits blowing cold air and blows extremely hot air, like the heater is on.
I notice cabin temp has dropped to 10 degrees.
Wifey comes out and says common problem, once we start moving, A/C will start working.
We start driving and cabin temperature starts rising. Once it gets above 32 degrees, A/C starts working.
Repeated the same scenerio ad the same thing happened.
One thing I noticed is when we stopped, shut the vehicle off, go in store 10-15 minutes, come out and start car.
The cabin temp is normal and A/C is OK.
So the problem only happens when vehicle is idling.
I have seen similar issues posted and discussed. I am thinking a fan issue.
There is a lot of knowledgable folks on here, so I appreciate any help in advance. Thanks

 

[Rick]

I don't think the 2001 has an electric fan. If it does it should come on with the A/C. If it has a standard engine driven fan the fan clutch may not be "grabbing" as the engine temperature rises which would make it less efficient at pulling air through the condenser.

Another thought is that the blend doors are not working properly and diverting hot air into the cabin, but it's odd that it's only at idle that you are having the problem.

 

[Denver Davis]

Thanks for your response Rick, but I goofed. This is a 2014 Ford Explorer. I didn't put that in my original post. And the 2001 mentioned in my profile is an older truck I had when I originally signed up for explorerforum.com.
Thanks, Denver

 

[Pete Deering]

Thanks for your response Rick, but I goofed. This is a 2014 Ford Explorer. I didn't put that in my original post. And the 2001 mentioned in my profile is an older truck I had when I originally signed up for explorerforum.com.
Thanks, Denver

Check your Radiator electric cooling fan

 

[Denver Davis]

Check your Radiator electric cooling fan

Thanks Pete. I will do that. Are there two cooling fans on this vehicle? When the cabin temperature drops to 20 degrees it is like something is freezing off on the A/C (blowing hot air inside). Once I am moving, the cabin temperature comes up above freezing temp, the A/C starts working.
The radiator cooling fan on/off is temperature controlled, on/off, right? I guess I need to look under the hood, and under the vehicle, when the cabin temp is 20 degrees to see if there any ice anywhere. And make sure the fan is working.

 

[Pete Deering]

The cabin

Thanks Pete. I will do that. Are there two cooling fans on this vehicle? When the cabin temperature drops to 20 degrees it is like something is freezing off on the A/C (blowing hot air inside). Once I am moving, the cabin temperature comes up above freezing temp, the A/C starts working.
The radiator cooling fan on/off is temperature controlled, on/off, right? I guess I need to look under the hood, and under the vehicle, when the cabin temp is 20 degrees to see if there any ice anywhere. And make sure the fan is working.

the cabin air has a temp probe that will shut off the evap, when the coil goes below 32degree F. And it turn back on when the air goes above 32.
When you bring in outside air to the central vent the vent temp goes up too 5 Degrees. get a thermometer and stick it in the center vent, watch the vent temp.
with the engine off , key on and AC on. The cooling fan should run. Maybe only one fan might be working (running). If there is a cooling fan problem, it shows up as lack of cooling. You can see it on thermometer. As the car moves, the condenser get air flow thru it, extracting the heat in the system.
I don't own a 2014. You can jump out the cooling fans see if they operate. The radiator cooling could be bad. You need find out which fan is not working.
I don't know if you have a multi speed fans.
It could be the blend door, but you see that with the thermometer, when car is at a stop and when the car is moving. If the vent temp is around 50 degree
in decir air, the charge is low. What happens, when you connect fitting too the port, they might not seal properly and leak.

 

[Michael Blackburn]

The cabin
the cabin air has a temp probe that will shut off the evap, when the coil goes below 32degree F. And it turn back on when the air goes above 32.
snip

QUOTE
I notice cabin temp has dropped to 10 degrees.
Wifey comes out and says common problem, once we start moving, A/C will start working.
We start driving and cabin temperature starts rising. Once it gets above 32 degrees, A/C starts working.
UNQUOTE

You need to fix the internal temperature probe. The AC will not work correctly until it knows the correct inside temp.
BTW, how is your battery? Voltage fluctuations can really screw with these cars.

 

[Pete Deering]

Thanks for your response Rick, but I goofed. This is a 2014 Ford Explorer. I didn't put that in my original post. And the 2001 mentioned in my profile is an older truck I had when I originally signed up for explorerforum.com.
Thanks, Denver

what model explorer and engine do you have?
Do have climate control options ? Duel setting?

 

[Denver Davis]

The cabin
the cabin air has a temp probe that will shut off the evap, when the coil goes below 32degree F. And it turn back on when the air goes above 32.
When you bring in outside air to the central vent the vent temp goes up too 5 Degrees. get a thermometer and stick it in the center vent, watch the vent temp.
with the engine off , key on and AC on. The cooling fan should run. Maybe only one fan might be working (running). If there is a cooling fan problem, it shows up as lack of cooling. You can see it on thermometer. As the car moves, the condenser get air flow thru it, extracting the heat in the system.
I don't own a 2014. You can jump out the cooling fans see if they operate. The radiator cooling could be bad. You need find out which fan is not working.
I don't know if you have a multi speed fans.
It could be the blend door, but you see that with the thermometer, when car is at a stop and when the car is moving. If the vent temp is around 50 degree
in decir air, the charge is low. What happens, when you connect fitting too the port, they might not seal properly and leak.

Thanks Pete, I am traveling this week so will not be able to work on it until this weekend. What you are saying about the cabin temp probe shutting off the evaporater is what it is doing, I believe. Based on what the cabin temp is doing. That makes sense to me. When you say 'the coil goes below 32degrees F', that is throwing me a little. Which and where is the coil? And, what controls its temp? A fan, or an amount of freon?
I think when I get home, the first thing I will do is verify the freon is correct. And that the cooling fan(s) are working correctly. Thanks

 

[Denver Davis]

what model explorer and engine do you have?
Do have climate control options ? Duel setting?

It is a 2014 with the 3.5L engine.
Has Climate Control and Duel settings.

 

[Pete Deering]

It is a 2014 with the 3.5L engine.
Has Climate Control and Duel settings.

Those feature throw a wrench in the works.
1. From your answer above, you have a manifold gauge set. So you can see the pressures.
Your pressures should be high side around 150 and low side around 23 to 32.
2. measure your Center vent temperature. Its could be different for the driver side and the passenger side. go to walmart or target, in the cooking section you can get yourself a thermometer digital.
Place it the center vent first, before you do anything.
AC Setting, max cool and recir.
What is the readings?
3.because you have Climate Control and Duel settings.
You should have a temp sensor for each side. The blend door should be working too get the cabin vent temp where have it set at.
4. You have cabin air filter. Check it. Is it clogged. You need too move air.
You also have a sun sensor and vent temperature sensor. ( will come back too that).
5. The coil temperature ( evaporator coil) are one in the same.
When the coil temperature get down too 32°F, ice will form. Just like making ice cubes in your Kitchen freezer. So the sensor will shut off the AC compressor. That is why the AC compressor cycle.
But in your case the blend door will come in to play, with the vent air sensor.
Keep the vent temp at the target temp. That why you need to measure the vent temp.
6.if either center vent temp, its it target set temp, it not low in freon.
7. You control the cabin temperature you want.
The max settings, give you more air thru the evaporator coil. Causing a higher center vent temperature.
The Recir Air setting, cools just the inside cabin air.
8. After steps 2&3. What is the center vent temp?
9 . what is the high gauge reading on the manifold?
If your reading is around 50°F vent temp, high side around 100- 125 psi you could be low on freon.
10. If not,, there maybe other issue