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AC stopped blowing cold air. Had it pressure tested and recharged at my trusted 3rd party shop. Worked fine for about 2-4 weeks, then stopped cooling again. Went back. Tested again. No problems detected. Recharged. Another 2-4 weeks of perfect performance, then stopped blowing cold air.
Went to the dealership. Insisted THEY had to recharge it (even though I said that’s been done twice already). Same result. Went back in a 2nd time to the dealership. Now all of a sudden I need a new compressor. Replaced it. Working fine when I drove away, then 3 f-king weeks later, the same thing. 68 degrees outside and had both sides on LO, full blast, and still not cooling.
Back to the dealership again. Now they’re saying I need an “actuator” cause it’s not switching from hot to cold. System is charged and working properly. Another $2400 (though the part is only $200).
What are your thoughts on this?
Was this the original problem the whole time or just bad luck?
Was told the whole dash has to be removed. What’s involved in replacing the actuator as far as man hours?
Could it be something else, and these jokers are just guessing?
Been months. Annoyed to say the least. Thanks!
They are referring to the heat blend flap being stuck, of course everything else they had you do to this point was not the problem and they just wasted your money because it's not their money.
While I have not looked at the W222 specifically, changing of heat blend can require the removal of the dash.
Also this is probably also NOT your problem, these idiots fail to realize that a stuck heat blend flap only affects cooling once the coolant gets hot and also it's very unlikely that BOTH driver and passenger will get stuck at the same time.
You likely have a sensor issue, leak or clogged line.
Thanks for your reply. A sensor of some sort is what my gut/instincts feel… clearly not based on science.
Is there a way to test and confirm which of your suggested items might actually be the problem? I’d rather demand they eliminate all the alternatives to confirm.
If I understood you correctly there are two of these flaps? Why/how would this only be a problem after the coolant gets hot? The air temperature is the same on both sides. Just not cooling. Is there a master switch or something that then leads to the two flaps. Sounds logical that both would not fail at the same time, and if only one did, you’d think the temp would be different on either side.
With the 4 times that the system has been pressure tested, I would think it’s not a leak or clogged line. That would have shown up by now. Especially since it works fine again for 2-4 weeks after being in service.
So proper diagnostics would be needed but from what I gather this is what's happening to you:
1. A sensor (most likely pressure on high or low side) reports a value out of spec (either too high or too low)
2. Compressor turns off as part of the compressor protection programming, you don't have AC until faults are erased
What is needed next:
1. Connect pressure gages to high and low side, ensure high side is monitored when running next steps
2. Connect diagnostics and check compressor status in actual values, record status
3. Record any faults and then erase fault memory
4. Actuate compressor to full duty cycle, monitor high side pressure carefully immediately stop test if value on high side it too high (indicates clogging). Check both pressure values against expected performance.
Sorry to hear about it .When I used to own a Jaguar XJ40 , I had a similar issues as well. They had told me that they need to replace the condenser ( a very little part but involving a massive job to replace with )
Best of luck with that
TODAY, the dealer sent me a video of lots of debris between the radiator and ac condenser. Mechanic in the video says “there’s 7-8 inches of debris in the airflow area”. No recommendation, notes, advice, anything. Generic online videos seem to imply rinsing and blowing air to clean them out (similar to a residential condenser). What’s involved in cleaning this area on this car? I guess it’s on me to call them to ask what the solution is. What a **** show from a DEALERSHIP. Feedback would be helpful, please.
YESTERDAY
Talked to a mechanic yesterday to compare thoughts and he also questioned how both air flap actuators could have failed at the same time. A youtube video also suggested clicking being heard when the motors of the flap are unsuccessful in moving it.
He did bring up looking into the AC Evap temp sensor and the AC refrigerant pressure sensor. The latter is “part of the compressor” so I assume that was changed with the replacement. Beats me.
***Never mind the below, thought you said they found debris inside condenser and lines.
Yes so they ****ed it the first time, unfortunately your new compressor is likely damaged now. This work needed to be done the first time.
Recommendation would be:
- Replace condenser and dryer (most of the debris gets stuck here not worth it to try to clean)
- Remove metering valve and flush evaporator (should be very little debris but important to clean to ensure compressor service life, saves having to remove dash to replace), install new metering valve after
- Replace compressor
Last edited by VII; Nov 14, 2024 at 04:13 PM.
Reason: Thought it said debris inside the condenser
Bits of leaves, pine needles, tumbleweeds here in Az end up between heat exchangers in the stack in front of the engine. The 221 car had almost a third of the airflow blocked between the condenser and radiator. Learned of it when the plastic of the radiator cracked for a leak and got to replace it. Lived in the North of Washington State at the time so no issues getting heat out. I get ornery with the hose annually if not more often between the layers in the 222 car. Always lots of ick washed out. More important here in Arizona.
Fun times for you OP. XENTRY will let you ask everything to operate and I’d expect a number of helpful codes to follow for real diagnosis.
Too often the guys who pose as mechanics today lack any understanding of how systems operate and pull a code expecting it will tell them to replace a part. The codes speak of what the car sees as being out of place. The brain must still be used to figure out what is causing the failure. Then hopefully the brain continues to be used to good effect in verifying that the repair made for the desired result.
Never thought I’d end up one of those guys who says “Kids today” with a snort... but here we are. Good thing I can fix my own junk.
Got more info on a write up from them:
OP CODE AC01
REPLACE - AIR FLAP ACTUATOR MOTOR, RIGHT SIDE - 'A
PILLAR' - [W/ DASHBOARD ASSEMBLY R&I]
Parts:
AIR DUCT, Qty 0.00, CMB
DASH BOARD TRIM RETAINER , Qty 10.00, CMB
AIR DUCT, Qty 1.00, CMB
Labor 1992.00
Parts 163.25
Total 2155.25
Any of this reasonable? I’m tempted to take it to a non dealer, but at this point and history, I feel it should stay with the dealership since I don’t trust them and want them to completely and solely own this problem and all resolution(s). I can have my mechanic address other issues.
I guarantee 100% certain with complete confidence that is NOT your issue.
That A pillar motor is not even for heat blend!
I understand you want to keep it there but note that those guys are incompetent and this $2k will just be to keep going.
And yes in 4 months and after another $7k when they finally get to the issue they'll say that everything they did was necessary and won't return one cent for all unnecessary repairs.
You still think it is the sensor you previously referenced?
I think you said “a sensor”. Any chance there is only one that would be responsible for this or there are different ones that should be investigated?
I’d love to give clear, direct technical instruction to check out some parts, to eliminate that.
Again, air blows out strong in all vents (except the one vent in the passenger door, which I could care less about) just not cooling. With temperatures dropping, the air from the vents is not as warm, but smells like “stale unconditioned air”.
Unfortunately this is not something you can diagnose without instrumentation. It could be the pressure sensor on the high or low side but it could also be a clogged condenser/dryer. Need to connect gauges to low and high side and run the system using diagnostics to determine what the actual problem is.
Completely understand needing equipment and I’m not trying to do it myself. I’m crystal clear on my limits. I just need to be able to ask if certain things you’re suggesting have been tested.
Between this feedback and my gut, I’ve decided to take the car to a different dealership and pay their diagnostic fee for fresh feedback. At the point repairs are approaching another $3k, $250 to try and make sure I’m not getting screwed is worth it.
“100% not your problem” is alarming and I don’t like the way things have been handled by them so far- both technical and customer service.
Grabbing the car today and dropping off at a new dealership for fresh input. Re-reading all feedback here to try and prompt a certain level of testing and verification of the problem. We’ll see how it goes. Fingers crossed.
& Thanks.
Picked up the car and found more detailed information than I was ever given over the phone, even with all my probing. Should be illuminating to someone who understands all this. Diagnosis
It seems he did perform an update so that would have reset the control unit, no AC even just after you left?
B/c the tech indicates that the AC works when tested.
He is stating he can't run calibration because of that motor but calibration is not needed to test compressor and system for operation, also if you want that flap replaced the way to do it is removal of glove box not the whole dash (see video below).
No AC when I left.
Was 60 degrees but obviously not cooling.
Just sat down with a service advisor for 25 mins in the car as I explained the whole history and frustration (since he started with “we need to recharge the system”). He acknowledged it’s trying to cool so it’s obviously not a freon issue, and you have a new compressor.
Got him to agree to a more thorough inspection of what else it could be. Look at sensors, actuators, pressure etc. I’m not looking for a lazy diagnosis. For goodness sakes it was just recharged again last week for the 5th time.
[He even tried to get me to go above to the service manager or general manager at the previous dealership. I’m so annoyed, I told him I need fresh input. Lost confidence with them.]
I have not done this personally but from what I gather you can replace both the actuator and duct section (mechanical part) from there.
You'd have to get your hands dirty or find an indy though, a dealer is not going to help you save on labor.
Looks like a 3 hour job for trained hands.
Great. I’m certainly not taking this on myself, lol.
3 hrs or so is what I was looking to understand. The whole dash should not need to be removed. At 3 hrs, even with dealer rates, we shouldn’t be in the $2k+ range. I’ve already spent $3k+ on this. And it keeps working for short periods of time! We’ll see what this new feedback from the different dealership is, before I mention any of this.
Just want to confirm your video and feedback account for all parts listed on the diagnosis, and not only a portion of the work. Is that correct? Thank you.
The video is for removal of the AC potentiometers (the silver push out knobs) so it includes other locations.
The parts relevant to you are removal of center trim and glove box, removal and reinstall should be about 3 hours. Parts that you need are the duct section and the Servo.
Ok. So the duct and the servo account for everything on the write-up. Got it.
Does this sound to you like the flap may be stuck in a bad position or it is somehow registering a fault and causing the system to shut something down or enter a failsafe mode? Air not blowing properly out of one vent is one thing, causing the entire system to not operate properly is another. What I’m getting at is if this description changes your opinion of “100% not your problem”.
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