Clicking Aircon?

[Ketchup]

I know theres a thread on Aircon problems - gone through it (all 5 pages) no answer to my problem though.....

 

When I turn on the aircon in my 98' 2.3 GLX , a clicking sound comes from behind the heater/blower dials - aircon wont work whilst this clicking goes on. When it stops the aircon blows cold. Just had in for a re-gas and been told that it isnt necessary as the system is full.

 

any ideas?????

[Guest kev140766]

I have a 97 petrol with air con. Whilst it is on there is a clicking behind the dials also. It is like the air con is cutting in and out. It works ok but I am not convinced it is cold as it used to be. I though about a re gas also. How much is a re gas?

[Ketchup]

I have a 97 petrol with air con. Whilst it is on there is a clicking behind the dials also. It is like the air con is cutting in and out. It works ok but I am not convinced it is cold as it used to be. I though about a re gas also. How much is a re gas?

I have that clicking sound even though the car doesnt need re-gassing. Had it in yesterday and the Aircon guy said system was full?????

[Dally]

The clicking sound is from the 'thermostat' which is integral to the control panel.

Contrary to what many think, the aircon on the non ghia models is not completely manual it's semi automatic. The 'thermostat' regulates extremes of temperature and tries to maintain a certain amount of temperature stability. It also tries to reduce excessive use of the compressor to aid economy. The click sound is the 'thermostat' switching on and off and causing the magnetic clutch to engage and disengage the compressor.

 

I had a problem with my old 2002 model zetec where the 'thermostat' was faulty and kept clicking on and off too quickly and not letting the car cool down enough.

My Ford dealer was due to change this but I sold the car before I got round to it.

During the on cycle, the air got very cold but then would switch off too early.

[Ketchup]

The clicking sound is from the 'thermostat' which is integral to the control panel.

Contrary to what many think, the aircon on the non ghia models is not completely manual it's semi automatic. The 'thermostat' regulates extremes of temperature and tries to maintain a certain amount of temperature stability. It also tries to reduce excessive use of the compressor to aid economy. The click sound is the 'thermostat' switching on and off and causing the magnetic clutch to engage and disengage the compressor.

 

I had a problem with my old 2002 model zetec where the 'thermostat' was faulty and kept clicking on and off too quickly and not letting the car cool down enough.

My Ford dealer was due to change this but I sold the car before I got round to it.

During the on cycle, the air got very cold but then would switch off too early.

Thanx Dally

 

Control Panel I take it means the pc board etc behind the Heat and Blower controls?Integral would suggest a replacement of this pc board or "control panel"?

Or is it possible to just replace the thermostat?

 

That bit of plastic and electronics cost

[Guest fredt]

a clicking sound comes from behind the heater/blower dials................. the switches are electro pnuematic, it could be that the hose's are not sealing correctly and the clicking is the pnuematic switch cycling til it locks into place?

[Dally]

ketchup

 

Yes, I was told that the control panel contains all the electronics and is integral.

 

Fredt

What you say may be valid but I went to visit a local VW dealer from where my brother had just bought a new car and got to speak to their aircon speacialist - he seemed to know what he was talking about and took only minutes to conclude what I posted earlier (after playing about with the aircon) - it does make sense and what ketchup describes is very similar to what I was experiencing. He was sure that the ac control was cycling far too often and not allowing any cooling effect.

 

It was with the VW diagnosis that I managed to get the ford blokes on board.

[Guest fredt]

true, but thats if you have climate control, Ketchup has.... heater/blower dials......... which means standard AC and no thermostat to control the temp only a rotary dial

[Dally]

fredt

 

"That's the misunderstanding we all fall victim to" - so sayeth the man at VW.

 

The rotary manual dialed aircon is actually semi-automatic and is what I've been talking about. That's what I had on my zetec and that's what the top aircon bloke at the vw dealer told me - makes sense as to why my a/c was misbehaving. Shame I didn't keep it to see if the suggested cure would have worked.

[Guest fredt]

I have just gone through the wiring diags for the manual AC systems on all models and none of them show a thermostat to control or regulate the temperature, as far as I can see its a straight on off system where the only control over the air temperature you have is by letting hot engine coolant through the heater matrix or not as the case maybe!