AC Goes Hot for a Few Seconds

[d088]

I've been having an issue where AC stops cooling intermittently. It will be running nice and cold, and then goes warm for 5-10 seconds, then cold again, then warm, then cold, etc. It doesn't seem to matter if I am under acceleration, steady cruise, or stopped. It seems to be consistently a problem regardless of speed, but does not always happen, although it happens more often than not.

Any thoughts on what the culprit could be?

Thanks!

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! You might be low on freon so the compressor keeps cycling.

 

[d088]

Thanks BrooklynBay! Would it still get nice and cold if it was low on refrigerant? Just checking before I go spend $40 on a charge kit with a gauge...

 

[BrooklynBay]

It won't get cold without sufficient freon since the compressor doesn't have enough freon to cool down the system & remain on long enough to do its job.

 

[d088]

The air blows very cold, it just intermittently goes warm for 5-10 seconds. It's almost as if someone were switching the dial to "vent" for 5 seconds and then back to max ac.

 

[Bobmbx]

The air blows very cold, it just intermittently goes warm for 5-10 seconds. It's almost as if someone were switching the dial to "vent" for 5 seconds and then back to max ac.

Thats a symptom of low freon. Eventually all you'll get is warm air. You most likely have a leak. You can try topping it off with a parts store "instant cold AC" can. But the permanent fix is to find a leak (if thats what it is), and make the repair.

 

[d088]

Thanks guys! AC and transmissions are my weak area. I'll top off the freon for a quick fix for the vacation road trip and dig deeper when we get back.

 

[Bobmbx]

Thanks guys! AC and transmissions are my weak area. I'll top off the freon for a quick fix for the vacation road trip and dig deeper when we get back.

Most of those quick fix freon cans come with a gage. Use one of those. And just buy freon. No oil, no leak stop. Just straight R-134a. And check the pressure after you hook it up, but before you add any freon.