My Honda Odyssey (03) has adequate A/C when moving, but blows hot air when idling or moving slowly. Refrigerant has been reloaded. Weirdly, I have an 06 Subaru Outback that developed the same problem when it needed a speed sensor and wheel bearing. Replacing the bearing cleare the problem right up. I live in hot country so this is a problem I would love to fix if anyone has any ideas…
You really need to clarify a few things first, although the point could be made that a blend door problem could cause this.
What do you mean by “adequate”?
The refrigerant has been “reloaded” which is an unusual term to describe a recharge.
So why was it “reloaded”? Was this an attempt to cure this problem or was the system empty or partially empty?
Exactly who did this reloading process; you or a shop?
Did the system receive an evacuation before this recharge?
At this point I have a lot more questions than answers.
“I have an 06 Subaru Outback that developed the same problem when it needed a speed sensor and wheel bearing. Replacing the bearing cleare the problem right up.”
I’m sorry, but I see no connection between replacement of a wheel bearing and the temperature of a car’s A/C. Either other repairs were done that you are not aware of, or this is simply a case of coincidence.
Like ok4450, I have more questions than answers at this point, based on the information that was provided.
All the work, including recharging the refrigerant, was done by my mechanic. the system was evacuated and recharged. this was done to try to get the A/C working properly which obviously didn’t work.
It would be impossible for me to make much of a guess without knowing what pressures were involved.
The part about adequate is still not clarified but I assume this means that it’s cool at highway speeds but not cold.
About the only advice I can give at this point would be to let the A/C run for about 5 minutes at idle, raise the hood, and look at the evaporator/accumulator fittings near the firewall.
They should be sweating to some degree and/or be cold to the touch. If they feel pretty cold then this might go back to a blend door problem in the dash.
(The blend door is what shuts airflow through the heater core off when the A/C is on)
adequate does mean cool but not cold. Thanks for the help.
Many times, poor AC at idle and low speeds is due to an airflow problem with the condenser. Check to see if the cooling fan or fans are working at full speed at idle with the AC on. Also check and see if the condenser or radiator is clogged with dirt or bugs. Sometimes dirt and bugs build up in between the condenser and the radiator. Make sure to check there.
In that case, you might not have a problem at all. You need to find out what temperature you should expect when the system is working right (the proper specifications). Next, get a thermometer and put it in one of the air conditioning vents and test the system to see if the air coming out is as cold as it is supposed to be. If the temperature you are getting is out of the specified range, then it will be time to do something about it.