A/C keeps cutting out, Its FREAKIN HOT!

[Big Green]

About two weeks ago I went to my car to go to work, I turn on the AC and I get nothing. I turn off the car and re-start it, AC works. Its been in the shop three times for this now, its acting up again. Out of 20 times it will work once. Help guys, its hot!

 

[jeff96]

What do you mean its cutting out? Sounds like you may be low of refrigerant, your probably hovering at the 50% mark, thus sometimes the compressor comes on sometimes it doesn'nt (anything below fifty and it just cycles off and on). Try adding a can of refrigerant.

 

[EliteConcept]

being that new its probably got a leak

 

[jeff96]

Should'nt a 2002 still be under warranty?

 

[Glacier991]

Do NOT just go adding refrigerant because that MAY be the problem. BAD idea. If you do not have refrigerant gauges, with a system that is sometimes working, do not just ASSUME anything regarding your charge. There are a lot of other things that could be causing your problems other than charge, and an overcharge is not a good thing.

Other possible causes - electrical. Low or high cutouts intermittently bad. Bad wiring at the dash that has an intermittent. Clutch gap too large.

I have too little data to go on, but I'm simply suggesting that there is no easy "give it online" answer to your problem. Have a good shop lok at it - and I am curious what the dealership is doing, finding, and I also wonder isn't this warranty?

Happy Exploring

Chris

 

[MaverickDaKid]

I remember when I had a bad alternator the AC would go out when it hit under 50% power on the dash. As soon as it would kick back to 50% it would go back on.

Not saying thats your problem but look into it.

 

[Big Green]

Well sometimes it works (blows cold air) sometimes it wont even blow. I've taken it to the dealer where I work and they cannot find the problem. They replaced some relay that had to do with the switch, but it still acted up again. When I turn on the AC at the switch, I can hear the compressor cycling, turning on and off but absolutly no air will come out. This is a problem that is very random, today it worked, but yesterday it didnt. This is very frustrating. Oh yeah it is still under warrenty but only for another 300 miles, so about a week. But since the car has been in the shop for this same problem 3 times under warrenty, if it isnt fixed and continues to act up even when warrenty runs out they can be held liable, and will have to cover it.

 

[Carlos Osornio]

I have had a similar problem with my '94 explorer, ( the compressor clicks on and odd but the blower does not work). The guys at the shop told me it was either a loose connection or a bad relay. I have not taken it in for a repair because the system work pretty much all the time. When it does not work I have to move the blower relay and the blower starts working (definitely looks like a loose wiring connection). Have the guys at the shop look at that.

Good luck

 

[Big Green]

Yeah they replaced the blower relay once but it still acts up. Its just been over 100 degrees for the past few days and without an a/c it gets rather uncomfortable. Oh well.

 

[GJarrett]

If it's an A/C problem and the A/C guys can't locate it, pay attention to the post above about the alternator. If your battery output is below a certain point, the Explorer will "save" itself by cutting off the (highly-draining) A/C circuit. Check electrical strength items like your battery or the alternator. A bad or soon-to-fail battery will do it as easily as a bad alternator.

 

[Ken99EB]

Oh boy, my first post. I just fought this problem with mine. After buying an EATC unit and a blower control module at the local juck yard the problem turned out to be the blower control module mounted on the fan. Took mine apart after replacing it and found and repaired a bad solder connection where the connector pin solders to the circuit board inside the unit. This should have been a 0 dollar fix but now I have some spare parts. Good luck!

 

[Big Green]

Well the problem has fixed itself (for now). But I am sure that as soon as I turn my back on it, it will go out again. Its very annoying. I wish that I was as mechanicly inclined as a lot of you guys, but my knowledge lies elsewhere. Hey Welcome to the board, maybe I'll have to share this info with the guy who works on my car. Thanks guys for all the help. Hopefully it will bw fixed soon.