Over the weekend, the A/C started to blow hot air out of the vent, really warm one. Did notice the blow was not that cold some days ago, but I am not sure when the problem really started since summer has just arrived.
First thought was the Feron was out, purchased a can with a gauge. To my surprise (and worry), when connected with low pressure port, the needle on the gauge is at the red zone, estimate the reading at about 80psi. The car was sitting there for an hour. Is there something wrong? What is the expected pressue when outside temp is 75F? If the pressure is higher than expected, can I use the gauge tool to release some Feron out?

Thank you in advance for the help.

 

You need seek the advice of an AC tech.
But my guess is either the clutch on the compressor (if it doesn't run, pressure will migrate). Or the DPS valve on the compressor. (Note: NOT the expansion valve).
The clutch is powered through a relay. (I can't remember where but probably in the engine compartment fuse box). Check this first.

 

The high and low side pressure equalize when the A/C system is shut of and sat or when the compressor isnt working period. My best guess would be the Valve inside the compressor is faulty. I would bring it to a shop to check both high and low pressure sides to start.

 

Yes, the compressor clutch relay is in the engine bay fuse box. But I don't have a layout diagram so can't tell you which one it is. It's also protected by a fuse so worth checking the fuses in there as well. (This diagram says F6 but there are so many variants, don't assume it's F6 in your fuse box.)

 

One other thing, if you have a decent OBD II scanner (I use the iCarsoft LR2), there will be fault codes logged which should point you in the right direction.

 

Thank you for all the suggestions. With no car-tech friend around, I finally took the car to the dealership, to get that checked along with my annual maintenance. They said it is the compressor and quoted 2.6K for the replacement. Well ...

They said other things are looking good, and I can still enjoying it.

 

I know that for that year there are 2 AC compressors. One has a clutch and the other does not have a clutch and spins all the time. It would be easy, if you can see the compressor front to see which type you have. The clutch type is less expensive and maybe the clutch is replaceable. I had mine go bad under warranty and it was the more expensive one that spins all the time. My extended warranty paid about $1300 for that compressor..

 

I'm having the same issue, A/C blowing cool then hot then cool again out of the vents, compressor is clicking in ok, the radiator fan is not coming on at first i thought the fan was faulty, but when i pulled the connector off the coolant temperature sender the fan came on, low pressure side is in the red on the gauge, i took the car to have the A/C checked over gas was ok, they say the compressor has gone.

After some researching i have narrowed it down to the DPS valve, my question is how hard is it remove the compressor.

You can get a OEM DPS valve for about £100, but i found a reconditioned compressor with 1 years warranty for £120 so i went with that option.

 

Can you give us an update on how you came out. The TSB shows that labor is only 1.1 hours to do the valve. I have a smiliar problem but my pressures show a bit high on the low side and right at the low end on the high side. I don't get the the radiator fan coming on like it should with the compressor but it does work otherwise. I do get nice cold air on the highway.

I have SDD and did the tests which indicate a bad DPS valve. Just wondering if I should tackle it myself.

 

Mine is a 3.0d, on this model i can not see how it can only take 1.1 hours as the A/C compressor has to be removed first, below is my write up,

Well I managed to swap out my air conditioning compressor this Friday and had it re-gassed yesterday, I’m pleased to say that its working great.
The job its self was a right pig, took me 9 hours total I wasn’t in a hurry and I had a few heavy rain showers during the day that necessitated downing tools for a while.
To remove the compressor requires access from underneath the car and the top through the engine bay at the same time.
The worst part of the job was loosening the hose clips to remove coolant hoses and intercooler hoses, access is really tight and its very awkward to get them loose (then having to retighten after) this took up the majority of the time.
Steps to gain access were:

• Raise the front of the car, just enough to remove the bottom engine cover, you need enough room under there to work but not too high as you still need to work from the top of the engine bay at the same time.
• Remove the air box
• Remove the LH intercooler hose(was connected to the airbox) there is a moulded bracket with a 10mm nut that fixes this to the engine block, just below the top idler pulley, at the end of this plastic hose it a hose clip that’s needs loosening also(access to the hose clip is really hard)
• Remove serpentine belt(not completely but remove from the AC compressor and top idler pulley.
• Remove top idler pulley(3 x 10mm bolts) you need to remove this to gain access where coolant hose goes into the block to remove the hose clip.
• Remove the LH Intercooler to turbo relief valve hose.
• Remove the LH lower intercooler hose, rubber 90 degree bend that connects to the stainless charge pipe and the turbo relief valve that’s sits at the bottom of the radiator. Again the hose clips are a pig to get access to.
• Remove the stainless charge pipe, it fixed to the block by a bracket, access to this bolt is from underneath the car, the top hose clip again is a right pig and it situated by the top strut panel.
• Remove the plastic intercooler pipe that extends out of the turbo, this was the pipe that the LH intercooler pipe was connected to(number 3 above), just pull it away from the turbo and angle it towards the top strut panel.
• From under the car remove the AC pipe bracket that connects to the bottom of the AC compressor, while you are under there by the transmission bell housing there is another AC pipe fixing point that need to be taken off.
• From the top of the car you can now take off both AC pipes that connect to the compressor, they are 13mm nuts 2 in total, you can’t really see these so you are doing this by feel only.
• Carefully lift up and remove the AC pipes to one side.
• The compressor is held on with 3 10mm long bolts, once these are off you can remove the compressor, the front bottom bolt will not come away from the compressor (no room) so take off the compressor with it still sitting loose in its hole, important to remember when re-fitting the compressor to place this bolt into the compressor before attaching back to the car.

Re-fitting is the reverse of the removal process.
Good Luck.

 

Misterbish,

I actually had read your write up already, however you have a Diesel motor and I have a gasoline so I am sure there are lots of differences. That said, I agree that 1.1 hours doesn't seem right but I am just going off what is on the TSB.

 

From your description the 3.0D is not the same as the 2.7D, there are a lot of differences. On the 2,7D there is no prob with the bottom LH
bolt at all, for example. It can be removed completely at any time. This is just one of the many errors in the manual.
Actually I did not know there was a 3 litre Diesel.