Help, my car Air Conditioning isn't working! (Is there a mechanic in the house?)

todd2000 · Sep 15, 2007

So my A/C has started acting up in my 2006 Corolla. When I turn it on it blows warm (outside temp) air for anywhere from approx. 5-15 minutes. Then will finally switch to cold. Not even fading from warm to cold, It's as if it doesn't notice I turn the air on for like 15 min. And on top of that once it finally starts blowing cold air it doesn't always stay cold, sometimes it starts blowing warm again, after a few minutes.

I've got friends coming to visit from out of state on Thur, and I really want to get this fixed before they get here. With my work schedule the only time I have to bring it in is Thur. morning. Just wondering if anyone has a thought of what the problem might be, and how long it might take to fix?

nickster9224 · Sep 15, 2007

i would check the settings on the A/C knobs. it could be set to recirculate or intake. try messing around and see of that fixes it. other that that it could be a leak, so i would take it in to your dealer

Hummer · Sep 15, 2007

I'd like to say check your coolant levels... or maybe not.

Check your thermostat to see if its working correctly. That could be the reason its taking so long.

todd2000 · Sep 15, 2007

nickster9224 said:
i would check the settings on the A/C knobs. it could be set to recirculate or intake. try messing around and see of that fixes it. other that that it could be a leak, so i would take it in to your dealer

The knobs are fine, and recirculate shouldn't make the A/C blow warm. I wouldn't think it would be a leak because then it would just be blowing warm all the time not warm, cold, warm, etc....

I plan on taking it to the Dealer on Thur, but Im impatient I want to know what's wring with it now

todd2000 · Sep 15, 2007

Hummer said:
I'd like to say check your coolant levels.

By "coolant" I assume your referring to refrigerant, not Anti-Freeze right? I don't have any way to test the level, but I really don't think that is the problem.

Hummer · Sep 15, 2007

Well... low refrigerant = little to no cool air coming from the system, so it could possibly be the problem.

But if not, check your thermostat.

Frisco · Sep 15, 2007

todd2000 said:
By "coolant" I assume your referring to refrigerant, not Anti-Freeze right? I don't have any way to test the level, but I really don't think that is the problem.

You have a refrigerant leak (R-134A) that's why your A/C is cycling On and Off. It is low. Bring it back to Toyota and try to get them to fix it for free. A/C work is very expensive. You need a new Compressor--most likely.

If Toyota doesn't fix it for free, screw it. Buy yourslef a can of R-134A at any Autoparts store and put it in yourself. Should last about a year then do the same again. It is cheap and easy.

I use this

Thermostat and Antifreeze have nothing to do with A/C.

todd2000 · Sep 15, 2007

Why should I "try" to get Toyota to fix it? They better fix it, the car is only a year old, and still very much under warranty. It's not like I poked a hole in it and let the refrigerant out

. I didn't do anything but drive it, there should be no reason that I should have a leak at 19000 miles.

Frisco · Sep 15, 2007

todd2000 said:
Why should I "try" to get Toyota to fix it? They better fix it, the car is only a year old, and still very much under warranty. It's not like I poked a hole in it and let the refrigerant out .

Okay it's under warranty great! Toyota will fix it, but I doubt before Thursday. Call them Monday and see if you can bring it in on Tuesday. It's an all day job. Since it's under warranty just leave it alone, don't mess with it yourself.

todd2000 · Sep 15, 2007

Frisco said:
Okay it's under warranty great! Toyota will fix it, but I doubt before Thursday. Call them Monday and see if you can bring it in on Tuesday. It's an all day job. Since it's under warranty just leave it alone, don't mess with it yourself.

Sorry I wasn't clear about the warranty in my original post I figured saying it was a 2006 implied it was under warranty... my bad. I can't really bring the car and leave it there until Thur morning. I might be able to bring it in on Mon, or Tue, and have them look at and figure out what parts they need to order, and maybe bring it on Thur to get it fixed. Unless you think they'll have a compressor in stock (if thats what it needs). I wasn't planning on trying anything myself, just wondering what it might be.

Hummer · Sep 15, 2007

Frisco said:
If Toyota doesn't fix it for free, screw it. Buy yourslef a can of R-134A at any Autoparts store and put it in yourself. Should last about a year then do the same again. It is cheap and easy.

Thermostat and Antifreeze have nothing to do with A/C.

If there is a leak, refilling his coolant wont last him a year at all.

And cars do have an A/C thermostat I'm sure.

Frisco · Sep 15, 2007

Hummer said:
If there is a leak, refilling his coolant wont last him a year at all.

And cars do have an A/C thermostat I'm sure.

Well it depends on how big or small the leak is. Most A/C leaks are small. With a small leak the A/C would probably last a year without refilling. His car is over a year old and most likely had the leak from the getgo.

And there is no A/C thermostat. The only thermostat is for engine temperature which controls when the coolant flows or doesn't flow. A/C in cars is pretty much separated from the rest of the cars mechanics.

But I guess this is all useless since the car in question is under warranty.

yg17 · Sep 15, 2007

Not to hijack the thread, but I have a quick question regarding car A/C:

What in the holy hell does the "Mac A/C" setting do? I've tried using Max, and I've tried using just A/C, and it makes absolutely no difference whatsoever. I've seen it on a few cars and have always wondered.

todd2000 · Sep 15, 2007

yg17 said:
Not to hijack the thread, but I have a quick question regarding car A/C:

What in the holy hell does the "Mac A/C" setting do? I've tried using Max, and I've tried using just A/C, and it makes absolutely no difference whatsoever. I've seen it on a few cars and have always wondered.

I realize Im helping hijack my own thread, but oh well...

I believe max A/C is the same as a recirculate button.

todd2000 · Sep 17, 2007

Well just got back from the dealer, they said it needs a "Thermal Expansion Valve" they have to order the part. The service manager tried to tell me at first that it was "normal" that it took 17 min the other day to get cold. I said it didn't even take that long when it was 105° out.

Rodimus Prime · Sep 17, 2007

yg17 said:
Not to hijack the thread, but I have a quick question regarding car A/C:

What in the holy hell does the "Mac A/C" setting do? I've tried using Max, and I've tried using just A/C, and it makes absolutely no difference whatsoever. I've seen it on a few cars and have always wondered.

It recirculate. If you leave it on a little longer you may start noticed it getting colder in the car than if you where just sucking in out side air.

yg17 · Sep 17, 2007

Rodimus Prime said:
It recirculate. If you leave it on a little longer you may start noticed it getting colder in the car than if you where just sucking in out side air.

Ah....OK. In my car, I have it set to "normal" A/C and have recirculate enabled, so I guess that's why I never notice any difference.

ErikCLDR · Sep 17, 2007

Frisco said:
You have a refrigerant leak (R-134A) that's why your A/C is cycling On and Off. It is low. Bring it back to Toyota and try to get them to fix it for free. A/C work is very expensive. You need a new Compressor--most likely.

If Toyota doesn't fix it for free, screw it. Buy yourslef a can of R-134A at any Autoparts store and put it in yourself. Should last about a year then do the same again. It is cheap and easy.

I use this

Thermostat and Antifreeze have nothing to do with A/C.

I agree with you 100%.

Thermostat and Antifreeze have absolutely nothing to do with the A/C system unless its the thermostat for automatic climate control but that makes no sense in this case.

Anyways the freon is probably low. I don't really see how that would happen with a car that is a year old so I would look into that. Usually problems don't occur like that for years after the car is made. I suspect you might have a leak in your system that will need to get fixed.

Other A/C problems could include the compressor and the condenser but since it eventually comes on its most likely a lack of freon.

Is your car under warranty?

shu82 · Sep 17, 2007

todd2000 said:
Well just got back from the dealer, they said it needs a "Thermal Expansion Valve" they have to order the part. The service manager tried to tell me at first that it was "normal" that it took 17 min the other day to get cold. I said it didn't even take that long when it was 105° out.

Since it was intermittent, I would have said the clutch on the compressor was bad. But a valve would explain it as well. I would have replaced the clutch before I figured that out.

todd2000 · Sep 17, 2007

ErikCLDR said:
Anyways the freon is probably low. I don't really see how that would happen with a car that is a year old so I would look into that. Usually problems don't occur like that for years after the car is made. I suspect you might have a leak in your system that will need to get fixed.

Other A/C problems could include the compressor and the condenser but since it eventually comes on its most likely a lack of freon.

Is your car under warranty?

See previous posts.....

yojitani · Sep 17, 2007

todd2000 said:
So my A/C has started acting up in my 2006 Corolla. When I turn it on it blows warm (outside temp) air for anywhere from approx. 5-15 minutes. Then will finally switch to cold. Not even fading from warm to cold, It's as if it doesn't notice I turn the air on for like 15 min. And on top of that once it finally starts blowing cold air it doesn't always stay cold, sometimes it starts blowing warm again, after a few minutes.

I've got friends coming to visit from out of state on Thur, and I really want to get this fixed before they get here. With my work schedule the only time I have to bring it in is Thur. morning. Just wondering if anyone has a thought of what the problem might be, and how long it might take to fix?

You shouldn't be thinking about this so much. Your car is still under warranty - Toyotas have a 3 year warranty - so just take it in to your local dealer and they'll fix it up for nothing. In fact, I had the same thing happen at the beginning of the summer on my 2006 RAV4. It turns out that 2006 models in particular were being sent out of the factory with low freon levels. They'll top yours up and you'll be good to go in about 30 mins (depending on their workload).

todd2000 · Sep 17, 2007

yojitani said:
You shouldn't be thinking about this so much. Your car is still under warranty - Toyotas have a 3 year warranty - so just take it in to your local dealer and they'll fix it up for nothing. In fact, I had the same thing happen at the beginning of the summer on my 2006 RAV4. It turns out that 2006 models in particular were being sent out of the factory with low freon levels. They'll top yours up and you'll be good to go in about 30 mins (depending on their workload).

Is it wrong to be curious as to what is wrong with my car? I wasn't worrying I just like to know what's going on with my car. I figured I would post here out of curiosity before I brought it to the dealer.

I'll re-post since apparently people missed it. I went to the dealer this morning. Im not low on "freon" or R-134a as the case may be. It turns out I need a new Thermal Expansion Valve. Im going to bring it in Thur. morning to get it fixed.

yojitani · Sep 19, 2007

todd2000 said:
Is it wrong to be curious as to what is wrong with my car? I wasn't worrying I just like to know what's going on with my car. I figured I would post here out of curiosity before I brought it to the dealer.

I'll re-post since apparently people missed it. I went to the dealer this morning. Im not low on "freon" or R-134a as the case may be. It turns out I need a new Thermal Expansion Valve. Im going to bring it in Thur. morning to get it fixed.

Sorry if I sounded like I was scolding you or something. Of course there's nothing wrong with being curious about what might be wrong with your car... glad it will be fixed.

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