He has been working as a car mechanic for over 10 years, and the majority of them specialized in advanced car diagnostics and troubleshooting. Fix an Air Conditioning Not Working Video. So they are saying there is no leak. Is the Fan behind the condenser working? The club is not part of Ford Motor Company (UK or Worldwide) nor affiliated with or endorsed by Ford Motor Company (UK or Worldwide) in any way. The most common reason why your AC clutch is not engaging is that the AC refrigerant level is too low or too high. Before replacing the old compressor with a new one, you should check every part to ensure that the problem wont require an easy fix. This is called diagnosing and fixing the problem. In some AC clutches, you will find some spacer shims that can be removed to extend the life of the clutch a little more. Being that the clutch compressor is just a few feet off of the road, it can accrue wiring damage over the years. A/C only blows cold air below 78 degrees or so. I think you want one of those at this point. Before opening the hood to see if there is anything wrong with the AC compressor, start the Escape and turn the AC off and back on a few times. If you haven't bought one, don't. Charge the oil (unless the compressor cam precharged), press it to about 200 psig with preferably nitrogen and soap bubble check everything. ANY good A/C shop will solve this riddle in short orderits all they do. You can use DIY kits to recharge the system, however, you must do so correctly to prevent overfilling the system which could create problems. It could be because of a blown fuse, a bad clutch coil, or an open on the wire to the clutch coil. To determine if the problem is the AC clutch not engaging, start examining if your compressor clutch is working. The A/C stopped blowing cold air shortly after that. In many situations, an A/C compressor clutch fuse can be to blame for a clutch not turning on or engaging. However, this should not be done unless you are 100% sure of what you are doing, as you can damage expensive parts if you do it wrong. However, most car AC systems now use an electromagnetic clutch piece that engages the compressor to spin the air conditioning unit. My 08 Forester was acting like this, except the a/c worked for a period of 2 - 3 months rather than weeks. Mechanic's Assistant: Have you checked the Freon level? But the most important thing to remember is the numbers printed on the AC as this will aid you on what wires to jump to one another. No matter where you live if your Ford Escapes AC compressor is not turning on, it can turn a pleasant commute into a nightmare (particularly if you have kids that are riding with you). Check the front of the compressor clutch. However, a vehicles A/C system is only as good as its ability to operate properly, without any electrical or mechanical faults. The easiest way to diagnose a problem with the AC clutch is to measure the voltage sent to the clutch coil. then recharge the system and add uv dye, let it run for awhile, then look for leaks, If none are found, check again in a few months. Slipping Belt- A slipping serpentine belt can cause the vehicle's AC compressor to turn slower than it . Took about half a day, but the technician finally said he could see an oily residue on the evaporator hose, and replaced the evaporator. Is this normal? Perhaps someone can help get to bottom of this. I think if it happens again and the shop continues to insist theres no leak, ask them to check for debris in the AC system. Started 12 hours ago, By If the pulley is the only part spinning, it means that the clutch is damaged, and the AC will not work properly. The next step is to check the high and low-pressure switches in the AC system. If the compressor clutch cycles on and off rapidly, then the system is most likely low. Ask your Ford dealer. Bengi Yes, the fan work perfect, there is NOT overheat from the engine, is just the compressor that worksr for a few second then stop and start againg and then stop and so on You can post now and register later. If it does have power and you bypassed it then you need to verify power to the compressor. No leaks. It also gives an insight into how the system works. It should spin only when the AC system is activated and functional. If current draw is 2.5. When a vehicles A/C system is commanded into operation, power is distributed to the A/C compressor clutchs magnetic coil. Ships from and sold by Parts Geek LLC. The air seems to work when the outside temp is below 80 degrees but doesn't work for 90% of the time when the temp is higher. Something is telling it no to kick on. Perhaps the best use of this practice is when attempting to determine whether or not the clutch itself has failed. srpocd25 Opposite to an overcharged refrigerant is a compressor that has insufficient refrigerant. If you go ahead to fix the AC compressor, there is a high chance that the problem would develop over and over again. FluffyBunnyFlipFlops To check the fuse, you must first locate the appropriate one for the system. Debris in the system will quickly plug the tiny orifices in the system. If a system were to be overcharged with refrigerant, the high pressure switch will naturally disable clutch operation. From Heat To Cool. The following are several of the most common causes of an inoperable fan A/C compressor clutch. Consequently, the vents may be giving off heat. The condenser, expansion valve and . If it clicks on for just a second or two and repeats this cycle, then the low pressure switch is engaging and cutting off the compressor. Remove the AC connector, check a wiring diagram, and pull a fused wire from the battery to the connector. This article covers both causes and fixes for this issue. 2012 ford fusion evaporator temperature sensor bypass. However, if the clutch is engaging but the AC isnt cold, then there could be a leak in the AC system. Ensure that your engine is turned off when performing this inspection. Click Here for the 5 best options. With the engine on, you can fully diagnose the problem. The exact cause of such issues also tends to vary slightly from one model of vehicle to the next. Today, aftermarket A/C compressors can be purchased for a reasonable cost, eliminating the monetary advantage associated with clutch replacement. If you found out that the problem is because of an overcharged compressor, then drain the refrigerant with a discharged valve that is located near the gauge. Copyright 2023 Mechanic Base. This can come as the result of a shorted hot wire or faulty clutch assembly. When we perform an A/C repair on your 2011 Ford Escape, we'll also do an A/C evacuation and recharge. If the pulley and the clutch are both spinning it shows that the clutch is engaged with the pulley correctly. If you're here, chances are you've tried to recharge your AC system and found a compressor clutch not engaging issue. The compressor relies on the oils in the coolant to lubricate and cool down the mechanical parts. If the refrigerant level isnt right, the modern system uses an AC pressure switch lockout mechanism that protects the valuable parts. July 21, 2016 in Ford Fiesta Club. The easiest check is to look at the refrigerant levels. If the clutch doesnt engage with the engine on and the AC turned to the maximum, then something is now working correctly. Dec 25, 2006. However, many components make up the air conditioning system, so your problem could be entirely different. Clear editor. Unplug any relay terminal wiring with the interior car A/C controls in the "off" position. If the only rotating part is the pulley, then the clutch fails to run. By You have to jump-start it and the process won't take more than a couple of minutes: Examine the oil level in the compressor. Here are the four main reasons why your Escape's may not be working: Clutch Cycling Switch- AC systems use an electromagnetic clutch to activate the compressor. Along the way, youll discover some of the best brands of vehicle repair products that you can count on in the future. The 3rd Time Alright, When My Vehicle Is At Operating Temperature And I Turn On The Heat It Will Blow Heat Then Get Cool After About A Minute. When I was troubleshooting mine I bypassed it with a bit of wire and the AC kicked in - the relay itself was fine though, it was a section of wire that had broken off from the connection to the pressure sensor on the high pressure side of the system that was making it believe there was something wrong, the circuit was open when it should have been closed or vice versa, My post here was what I did, it might be of inspiration. When the AC is turned on, the clutch gets electrical energy. Measure the voltage coming to the connector with a multimeter, and if everything is activated properly, you should see 12 to 14 volts coming to this wire. With a DIY repair kit, you can recharge the system to the right levels. If so, try the troubleshooting techniques described here. If freon is low, it won't engage. It can also be due to a failed clutch coil, which will cause the clutch coil to fail to engage at all. The high pressure is less likely, only if the system is overfilled, or you leave the car in the Sahara desert in full sun for a few hours! Mondeo Mk5, Fiesta TDCI 1.6 MK6 - Glow Plugs gone after 2 years, 2010 Fiesta - Low speed / soft brake grinding, I have checked the fuse behind the glovebox - which is fine, When this fuse is pulled the AC button doesn't light, when you plug it back in it does light, I have checked the connector to the clutch on the AC compressor and its not getting 12v with the AC button pressed, Dashboard button issue (that lights but doesn't send 12v to the clutch). If it looks good, its time to move on to testing the relay and seeing if you can manually get the compressor to turn on. Then focus on the compressor clutch. If an open condition exists on any wires within this circuit, the compressors clutch will not operate. This process engages the plate, along with the compressor belt. -or-. This helps the refrigerant to turn into a gas. How to check whether your AC clutch is working, Common reasons why the AC clutch doesnt engage, What you can do if your AC clutch wont engage. If there is a ground wire, you should also check the ground. There are many ways for AC compressor clutches to receive power. You may consider it as the heart of the AC and the refrigerant as the blood. After inspecting the belt, there can only be two things left that could be happening: 1. I also talk about other relays that you ca. Ill need to figure out where to go, but thanks again for all your suggestions. Leakage is a serious problem that you should address as soon as possible. Is the AC clutch supposed to spin all the time? sambooka TYC 3782 Condenser Assembly Compatible with 2009-2012 Ford Escape. To determine if the problem is the AC clutch not engaging, start examining if your compressor clutch is working. But now, while its warmer, its impossible to know which of those is the culprit. Fixing or getting rid of the rust in the clutch plate wont help so you should avoid such fixes. (These are the ports where the gauges are connected. If the air conditioning isnt working, the problem could be the AC clutch. Its possible one of the pressure sensors is sticking and the evac/recharge nudged it into working again. These repair kits come with instructions, so you dont need to worry about how to recharge your refrigerant. Seems to be working. Your previous content has been restored. Started August 26, 2012, By If so, then youve come to the right place. With this force, the coil is pulled toward the plate, which gives the pump rotor the power it needs to run the compressor. Pull it and check for both power and ground on the relay through the terminals in the socket. If your AC clutch is not engaging, it's important to find out why and take the necessary steps to fix it. Notes: A/C install kit, Includes: Filter Drier, Expansion Valve, Compressor Oil, Necessary O-Rings and Gaskets, Cap and Valve Kit. The clutch is not getting a signal to turn on. Compressor does not run in any AC mode. 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