# Air Conditioner Problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [June 23, 2011, 1:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/air-conditioner-problem/65647 "2011-06-23T13:16:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![woodsmeister](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/woodsmeister/32/5925_2.png) [@woodsmeister](https://community.cartalk.com/u/woodsmeister)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 1:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/air-conditioner-problem/65647/1 "2011-06-23T13:16:03Z")
My wife has a 2004 Suzuki Firenza with 120,000 miles. She gets the spot in our one-car garage (because I am not stupid). Her air conditioning lately does not work first thing in the morning, but it does work later in the day. At work, she parks outside in a lot. FWIW, we live in Ohio. Any thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![MTraveler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ccd318/32.png) [@MTraveler](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MTraveler)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 3:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/air-conditioner-problem/65647/2 "2011-06-23T15:46:07Z")
Have the refrigerant level checked. ---
**Author:** ![woodsmeister](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/woodsmeister/32/5925_2.png) [@woodsmeister](https://community.cartalk.com/u/woodsmeister)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 2:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/air-conditioner-problem/65647/3 "2011-06-24T14:02:33Z")
Any other thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 4:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/air-conditioner-problem/65647/4 "2011-06-24T16:11:52Z")
Please define “does not work.” Does the fan work but the air is not cool, or does nothing work at all? Does the air come out the proper vents? Please be as specific as possible. And have you had the refrigerant level checked? ---
**Author:** ![woodsmeister](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/woodsmeister/32/5925_2.png) [@woodsmeister](https://community.cartalk.com/u/woodsmeister)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 8:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/air-conditioner-problem/65647/5 "2011-06-30T20:29:25Z")
Apparently, when it works, air circulates and it is cool. When it doesn’t work, there is no air circulating whatsoever. Shop was unable to replicate the problem, though apparently the vent hose needs replaced and it’s down half of its refrigerant. Would a cracked vent hose be a potential cause for sporadic air circulation? ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 8:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/air-conditioner-problem/65647/6 "2011-06-30T20:58:25Z")
Doubtful. What may be happening is that you have a broken wire, or a bad solder join somewhere in your fan controls. When it’s cool from being in the garage at night, it’s not making contact. As it heats up, the metal bends and expands slightly, which is enough for it to make contact. So it works after it’s been parked in the sun on a hot day, but not when it’s cool. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 10:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/air-conditioner-problem/65647/7 "2011-06-30T22:05:42Z")
If you were in Indiana, it would be a different matter, but suspect you are low on gas or the shut off switch that senses the pressure in the system is faulty. ---
**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 10:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/air-conditioner-problem/65647/8 "2011-06-30T22:20:26Z")
I think you have a problem with your blower motor. The brushes are probably marginal. ---
**Author:** ![Rudee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Rudee](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rudee)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 11:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/air-conditioner-problem/65647/9 "2011-06-30T23:39:14Z")
Honda 2001, my a/c was working fine, parked the car to run in the house for 20 mins,one hot day in California. When I got back in the car and started to drive off a/c would no longer blow cool air since then,f.y.i fan blows well,heater works too. Honda service dept. said “oh wow, your a/c needs to be rebuilt (for a mere $2,500) it is all in shattered pieces”?? what does that mean and if fan blows well can a/c be really totaled? Friend suggests going to her mechanic and just have it ‘charged’ should I trying charging it? Or is Honda right, within 20 mins and without any previous trouble or noise a/c just fell apart? ---
**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 8:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/air-conditioner-problem/65647/10 "2011-07-01T20:56:39Z")
Rudee, if it worked when you stopped and did not work when you started back up, then there is a good chance that the AC is ok mechanically. The problem could be electrical such as a bad AC switch or clutch relay. You need to see a well qualified AC repairman. ---
**Author:** ![Rudee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Rudee](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rudee)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 4:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/air-conditioner-problem/65647/11 "2011-07-02T04:40:13Z")
Thanks Keith, will look for an A/C repairman. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 11:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/air-conditioner-problem/65647/12 "2011-07-02T11:51:21Z")
“will look for an A/C repairman” Check out your local radiator shop. They are often the local A/C shop up north and in the south the A/C shop does radiators. ---
**Author:** ![Rudee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Rudee](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rudee)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2011, 4:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/air-conditioner-problem/65647/13 "2011-07-06T04:06:29Z")
Thanks Joseph, I know of a good local Radiator Mechanic. Thanks again for the tip.