Air Conditioning Question

[Guest guv]

I wonder if anybody can help. Ive recently purchased a 2001 Galaxy. Overall Im pleased with it. Not sure about the Air Con though. It went back to the Ford Dealler last week becuase it didnt seem to blow cold air. They replaced the compressor unit and regased the system. Now when I run the airconditioning unit I notice that the compressor is quite noisey I can feel it vibrating the drivers seat slightly.And it still doesnt get that cold.

 

 

 

Also notice that when the Air Con is running the car appears to splutter slightly.

 

Also there appears to be what sounds like a relay constantly switching; this only happens when the aircon is running.

 

Any suggestions would be greatly recd.

[johnb80]

You shouldn't get any noise or vibration from it and you should get shed loads of cold air. I would take it back to the dealers, you can prove it's working (or not) by the vent temperatures, you should easily see 6 deg C or less at the vent. The realy switching on and off IF it's for the compressor should be 30 seconds or so cycle time, not chattering like a buzzer, it's possible that you have other problems causing high or low pressure trips.

 

Regards - John

[Guest guv]

The air conditioning system seems to switch itself on and off although the switch is on. For example I can drive down the road and the air conditioning appears fine, then for no apparent reason, the air from all vents just feels like it is outside temperature.

 

Ford dealer claims this is how it should be !!!!!

[Dally]

guv

 

If you had bought a 2002 model 2.3 zetec, I would have sworn you'd bought my part exchange!!

 

I had the exact same problem, only this behaviour started after ford had supposedly 'fixed' it.

 

I've mentioned this in the past on this forum but for your benefit the output was poor on my 2.3 and ford took it in and after two visits they agreed that parts needed replacement. Approx

[ALARM MAN]

Air conditioning should run cold till you swicth it off

it should not blow cold then hot

 

It is based on a fridge can you imagine your fridge going hot then cold

 

Take it back and ask them to fix the problem properly

 

The reason they say that is that they are C--p and are trying to get out of it

 

Kick Ass

[Guest guv]

I have carried out some investigation and placed a very sensitive digital scientific thermometer in the cabin of the car. Average temperature at the drivers position is 26.5 degrees C with the Aircon on full power. If I place the themometer infront of the Vents, the temperature fluctuates between, 12 Degrees and 20 Degrees. If the temp at the Vents would stay at 12 degrees (what I think it should) the car would chill nicely..... but it doesnt. Getting p***** off now

[ALARM MAN]

Take it back cos it aint working

They probably fitted a recon unit and are known to fail.

 

Just leave it with them and say the aircon has to run on chill constant when you switch it on

 

No aircon runs on or off unless it is Climate control an when cold enough then it will switch the compressor off not willy nilly

 

 

Ian B)

[seatkid]

IIRC all Shalaxy A/C variants run constantly. The C/C version modifies air temperature by altering the heater output automatically (on upmarket Audi's the compressor output can be varied with a variable displacement pump- but not on Shalaxies I think)

 

That means the only time the pump should cycle is due to one of the safety cutouts such ice protection thermostat (in the evaporator) or the high/low pressure switches.

 

Maybe they've put too much gas in!

[Dally]

I'm not sure about this (I may be wrong). My experience leads me to believe that it should not run constantly.

 

When I was having aircon problems with my previous 2002 model 2.3 zetec, I took it to the local VW dealership (my brother had just purchased a new polo for his wife and with familiarity I made enquiries) and was introduced to an aircon specialist.

This guy sat in my vehicle and spent some 30 minutes or so and confirmed that there was a problem - I took it back to ford at this point.

 

However, in between his checks, he mentioned that the 2.8 VR6 compressor was a variable output type and could, in conjunction with the CC increase or decrease output according to demand.

 

More interestingly though, he mentioned that whilst my zetec looked as though it had manual aircon, with the mk 2 shalaxies, this became semi-automatic. This meant that the aircon would not remain full-on constantly unless in the most extreme of heat. He explained that the clicking noise was due to this on/off cycle - just like a thermostat.

 

I decided to check this out and surely found this to be true. I purchased a probe thermometer and stuck it down the centre vent and put the aircon on max and surely there was a cycle of on and off - the temp would cool down to about 8 degrees and then following a click it would increase to about 12 degrees and then following a click it would cool again to about 8 degrees and the cycle would repeat at a constant rate.

 

As has been posted elsewhere on the site by gazza007, Seat also confirm that the output temperature is dependent on the ambient temperature (even on the manual versions) - surely this can only be regulated by such a mechanism!

 

.....Or maybe the VW expert was a fraud mechanic in disguise!!!!

[Guest guv]

Finally sorted the air conditioning problem. It turned out to be a duff compressor the Ford dealer instaled only last week.Begining to wonder whether it was a recon unit they installed rather than new. I made sure that the replacement was new.

 

Just wanted to thank all who offered advice

 

 

Guv