No A/C!!!
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 333
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From: NYC
red bicycle
No A/C!!!
Hey guys,
Long time no post. Anyway, we just picked up my 1996 C220 after almost a month in the shop (I have no idea why they kept it that long, but I'm not complaining since I had a loaner 2003 C320 wagon for that time).
The dealer replaced the lower control arm bushings, the front shocks, and the steering shock. They also replaced a valve block (free of charge) after finding a leak in the vacuum system (or something like that...but it fixed a recurring groaning noise from the PSE pump they just replaced a couple months ago). Oh yeah, we brought the car in just for an alignment.
But after all that, now the air conditioning does NOT work. The climate control system works, but I do NOT hear the compressor click on. It worked before we brought the car in for service.
While I may be a huge car nut, I have little clue about how they work and even less about how to fix them. Anyway, so my father and I open the hood and find the two clips holding the plastic shroad around the fan unclipped. There is a gash in the plastic, and the tip of one of the fan blades is sticking out. When the engine is running, the fan does NOT turn. Does this normally not turn, or only kicks on when needed? And is this something completely unrelated to my A/C issue? Arg...
Any help or input would be appreciated. And if you've got nothing, the least you can do is tell me a joke. Thanks! Sorry for the long post.
Long time no post. Anyway, we just picked up my 1996 C220 after almost a month in the shop (I have no idea why they kept it that long, but I'm not complaining since I had a loaner 2003 C320 wagon for that time).
The dealer replaced the lower control arm bushings, the front shocks, and the steering shock. They also replaced a valve block (free of charge) after finding a leak in the vacuum system (or something like that...but it fixed a recurring groaning noise from the PSE pump they just replaced a couple months ago). Oh yeah, we brought the car in just for an alignment.
But after all that, now the air conditioning does NOT work. The climate control system works, but I do NOT hear the compressor click on. It worked before we brought the car in for service.
While I may be a huge car nut, I have little clue about how they work and even less about how to fix them. Anyway, so my father and I open the hood and find the two clips holding the plastic shroad around the fan unclipped. There is a gash in the plastic, and the tip of one of the fan blades is sticking out. When the engine is running, the fan does NOT turn. Does this normally not turn, or only kicks on when needed? And is this something completely unrelated to my A/C issue? Arg...
Any help or input would be appreciated. And if you've got nothing, the least you can do is tell me a joke. Thanks! Sorry for the long post.
Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 180
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From: Houston, TX
98 MB C280
hey, there's an easy way to check if there's any a/c pressure. look for the a/c lines, they r prolly runnign around the engin bay somewhere. there will be 2 lines. one is fatter than the other. do this, find the cap/valve on the fatter pipe. or the thinner one. any is ok. once u take off the cap if there is one, just poke a key or something in there to see if there's any pressure. kinda like checking the pressure on a tire. if there isnt' any pressure, then maybe the y leaked out the pressure. cuz put some oilcharge and about 2 cans of freeon from walmart. (currently cheapest place for freeon cans)
coo
Manesh
coo
Manesh
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1
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That's funny. I got the same problem too after a dealer fix my car. It's a 97 c280. They also replaced the lower control arm bushing, steering shock, and switchover valve (the center vent on the dash wasn't working). When I get it back, the a/c control is working but the compressor just wouldn't start. The dealer looked at it again, check the freon level etc and told me that the compressor is busted. Estimated cost to fix: $1600.
I was fuming. The a/c was working when I brought it in, and now it broke and they want to charge me $1600 to fix it. I asked around the most people agree that compressor doesn't fail until later.. after 150k or so.
So I brought the car to an indep repair shop. The guy took 3 hours to figure out what's going on and zero in on the climate control itself.. that was funny because the climate control display seems to be working. Anyway, he replaced it and the a/c works again. Total cost: $800.
It's also nice that the new climate control replaced the old buttons.. which were showing sign of wear.
I was fuming. The a/c was working when I brought it in, and now it broke and they want to charge me $1600 to fix it. I asked around the most people agree that compressor doesn't fail until later.. after 150k or so.
So I brought the car to an indep repair shop. The guy took 3 hours to figure out what's going on and zero in on the climate control itself.. that was funny because the climate control display seems to be working. Anyway, he replaced it and the a/c works again. Total cost: $800.
It's also nice that the new climate control replaced the old buttons.. which were showing sign of wear.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 333
Likes: 0
From: NYC
red bicycle
Well, my car went right back to the dealer. My parents have an extended warranty through our insurance company, so we pay only a $250 premium for the work done. And since the A/C stopped working when the dealer had the car, they agreed to split the cost of the repair. Not a bad deal.
By the way, we have an ML350 loaner car this time. As much as I loved our 1998 ML320 when we had it, the C320 wagon loaner that I had for 3 1/2 weeks was far superior.
By the way, we have an ML350 loaner car this time. As much as I loved our 1998 ML320 when we had it, the C320 wagon loaner that I had for 3 1/2 weeks was far superior.
