My air works almost everyday until it seems a certain temperature is reached. If I drive to town, short distance and start and stop traffic, it does not work very long. If I drive cross country on the highway starting early in the morning say 8am and drive about 1 hour or longer the air continues to work until i get in the start and stop traffic again. The dealer says I need a coil stator and clutch housing, total cost $750 - $800.00, I do not trust the dealer, could they be right?
The dealer checked for leaks and refrigerant amount and they were fine.
FYI i recently had a brand new radiator installed, I had this problem before the radiator repair, it did not change my A/C problem, When I left the radiator shop my A/C worked in town until i had driven around a while and then it quit.
Verify that the cooling fans are operating when the a/c is on.
…dealer says I need a coil stator and clutch housing…
I believe this is Chryslerspeak for the A/C compressor clutch. Should be an easy fix for an independant mechanic.
When the A/C is running the two electric cooling fans are working. Another for example the day that i submitted this question the A/C performed as usual working on the way to town until, (in my mind, something warmed up), later that day after being home for several hours and a very good thunderstorm, i drove my car down to the in-laws .25 miles and the A/C worked again, (in my mind something cooled off enough for the A/C to work again). There have been times when I have left the house in the middle of the day (very hot outside temp) and the A/C did not work at all.
Thanks
just curious.
when you start driving, do you touch the temperature slider knob? at all? ever?
try it next time once you start the car, DON"T touch the temp knobs AT ALL during the drive. see if the temp still fails in city driving. in other words, just keep the temp knob at the original position you start at, (just for a day) to eliminate the knob, or the blend door as a possibility.)
on the other hand, next time it quits, find a safe spot, and pull over. stop the engine, wait about two minutes and restart the engine. see it if changes the temp.
get back with some results.
the blend door may be falling open, or there is a heater valve in the water loop, which may be sticking open causing the problem.
if you have cold air, and the system is not low on coolant, then it sounds like a control problem as opposed to a bad compressor.
hmmmm… i dont trust dealerships either. but some of thier mechanics are really good, you just have to get through the service adviser crud and the upselling of more and more crud.
The next step is to verify that the a/c clutch is engaging when the problem occurs.
Point 1. when you start driving, do you touch the temperature slider knob? at all? ever? … I am certain that I have never to almost never moved the slider since I have had this problem and it has been sitting to the far left hand (cold postion) side for both the driver and passenger temp settings. Point 2. on the other hand, next time it quits, find a safe spot, and pull over. stop the engine, wait about two minutes and restart the engine. see it if changes the temp… I drive a route approximately 25 - 35 miles a day and stop at 3 customers offices, the A/C usually works to the first stop, and thereafter it no longer works all the way back to my home office. I have tried numerous times to reengage the A/C after the first stop, 2nd, 3rd and then on the way back to the home office. It has on occasion started to work again in the late evening or after setting a while and a thundershower. I will however try your suggestions again on the next drive.
Thanks