So I get in my car today to find that the A/C is not cold at all. It was very hot and I had to drive two hours back from Charleston with no A/C. The RPMs increase when turning on the A/C, so I think the compressor is working.

I did just clean the throttle body and replace the air filter, but I don't think this could cause any harm to the A/C function.

What do I need to do or check? Anyone have any diagrams of the A/C system in a 3rd gen? Any help much appreciated.

 

You'd probably want to find someone with A/C troubleshooting tools and knowledge how to use them. Without tools the best you can do is look at the sight glass on the collector. But there too you sorta have to know what normal looks like.

 

So my only option is to take to a mechanic? Anyone have experience with getting A/C related problems fixed? How much should I expect to spend?

 

Maybe there's a leak somewhere and you need to refill the a/c system with R34A.

if you see bubbles in the sight glass with the engine and a/c on, then you need a refill and have it checked for leaks..

 

Theres multiple components on your A/C system that could fail. You really need to take it to a shop. Not much you can do at home to fix.

If you do indeed have a leak, then even if you refill it, it will just leak back out. And its illegal for a shopt to refill your AC if they know it has a leak, so they wont do it.

There is a thing or 2 you can do yourself. Check to make sure the compressor is indeed engaging via the clutch. Have someone in the truck hit the switch while you look at the compressor. You should see and hear the clutch engage. So if the clutch enganges, that means you have SOME freon in the system, as you have a low pressure switch that will not let the compressor kick on if you are extremely low on freon.

Look at the sight glass as others said. I forget where it is on a 3rd gen. Just follow the lines off the compressor and you'll see it. If you see bubbles, your low on freon. Low on freon=leak.

If your compressor comes on, no bubbles, then you have problems elsewhere. I would let it run for a little bit while driving, or keeping the RPM's up manually. Do this for 20 minutes or so. Is there water driping down on the passenger side? If not, it may be clogged. A lot of times this will back up into the cab and have water on the floor. Take a compressed air source (shop air compressor with a blow gun, or maybe even a leaf blower somehow) and stick it up in the drain hose for a few seconds, then pull it out. Hopefully water will start flowing out. Try it a few times before giving up.


I did have one strange case with my cousin's 02 Camry. Warm AC. And the green indicator light would blink. Compressor not kicking on. No bubbles though. I disconnected the battery for 10 minutes to reset the computer for something unrelated, and when I connected it back up, the A/C came back on and worked perfect.


Other than that, take it to a shop.

 

Just a thought- but did you check the fuse? Like Adam said, make sure the compressor clutch engages- sometimes, the light is green, but the compressor doesn't actually engage- especially when the freon is low, or the wire to the low pressure sensor is shorted or disconnected. Since you did some work there, follow all the electrical connections and re-seat them where you can. Buy a can of the R134a with the pressure gauge and make sure it's between 32-36 PSI on the low side as well. The sight glass will only show dye if the compressor is engaged- if you see no dye there then the compressor shouldn't even engage because the low pressure sensor won't allow it.

Was it on one day, then the next day...just..broke?

 

Thanks for the replies guys. Once again, YT responds. A/C is working now, thank god, temps are near 100 midday here.

The view in the sightglass showed flowing freon and the compressor did engage fine when switched on.

I took out the fuses and disconnected the battery and after a few minutes reconnected everything. Then ran the a/c for 20 mins, full blower, mid temp. This was after I got back, late at night.

The next morning, ice-cold ac. Has worked fine since then. Don't think it could have been a fuse, bc none were broken, but it works now, just fine. Should I still get it checked out?

I did also clean my MAF, throttle body, and replace air filter the day before it malfunctioned. Maybe disconnecting everything somehow righted something that happened when doing all that. Regardless, thanks again for your replies.