Guest connor Posted July 21, 2005 Report Posted July 21, 2005 I've just had the call from the Ford dealer's air con "expert" - the change in the control module hasn't fixed the intermittent air con problem. His suggestion was that perhaps the pressure is low. I've pointed out that the air con expert topped up the fluid, plus dye, to 13.45 Kg to be precise after he changed the compressor. There's no leaks and when the compressor clutch engages, the pressures are ok and it works fine. Unfortunately it doesn't work all the time - in fact after the comressor was changed it didn't work again for a week!!!. So where do I go from here - change the car? The dealers latest suggestion is that maybe i'ts the pressure switch - does anyone have experience of pressure switch faults? Are they as intermittent as this. Quote
johnb80 Posted July 21, 2005 Report Posted July 21, 2005 Pressures in the system will change with ambient temperature, it's a straight forward job to see if the switches are opening so that *shouldn't* confuse a decent auto electrician or Ford Dealer. I had a similar problem on a Renault Escrap and it was a de-ice sensor on the evaporator, the aircon would work once every day and the first time the de-ice sensor tripped that was the end of it. Regards - John Quote
Guest connor Posted August 7, 2005 Report Posted August 7, 2005 Just to update the situation. The 22 July was the date I was leaving for holidays, so I told Ford to go ahead and do the pressure switch. It made no difference. I talked to the shame faced Ford auto electrician who said he couldn't trace the voltage feed which activated the system. He put on the worksheet that the fault was between ATC and PIN 41 of PCM. I was well p***ed off by this stage and told him what I thought of his diagnosis but he claimed that the manuals didn't show the wiring connections between these points in the system - to say the least I find this an amazing statement, but as I was due to head off on holiday at 12 and it was 3pm by then I didn't have the time to argue the fact with him!!. Ford didn't let this stop them charging me Quote
Nick Posted August 7, 2005 Report Posted August 7, 2005 I can well understand you being pissed off and having to pay almost Quote
Guest marcusheawood Posted August 7, 2005 Report Posted August 7, 2005 Mate, I know this is gonna sound silly, but do you have climatronic? Do you lose the display, or does the display sometimes say off and no amount of button pressing makes any difference? If this is so check your battery; module 7 (the aircon) is the first system that the master control unit disables when the battery voltage falls below a preset level. If you have a good battery swap it, otherwise remove yours and give it a really good charge up. Stop/start driving combined with the cars security systems means that the battery really gets a hammering. I have to do mine at least four times a year (I always have a fully charged spare because it happens so often!). Soon after I got the car this happened, I took it to Caffyns VW; and after having it for a while they had no idea what was wrong, they fixed some other stuff but couldn't get VAG-COM to talk to module 7.They phoned me to tell me they needed it for another (chargeable) day, but could not guarantee to find the fault.I refused, picked the car up and paid for what they'd done. IT WAS THE BATTERY ALL ALONG! So I fixed it myself.I've never been near a dealer since; they're USELESS! :lol: Quote
johnb80 Posted August 8, 2005 Report Posted August 8, 2005 Just to update the situation. The 22 July was the date I was leaving for holidays, so I told Ford to go ahead and do the pressure switch. It made no difference. I talked to the shame faced Ford auto electrician who said he couldn't trace the voltage feed which activated the system. He put on the worksheet that the fault was between ATC and PIN 41 of PCM. I was well p***ed off by this stage and told him what I thought of his diagnosis but he claimed that the manuals didn't show the wiring connections between these points in the system - to say the least I find this an amazing statement, but as I was due to head off on holiday at 12 and it was 3pm by then I didn't have the time to argue the fact with him!!. Ford didn't let this stop them charging me Quote
Guest connor Posted August 8, 2005 Report Posted August 8, 2005 Nick, When the compressor clutch kicks in it can work for anytime between 2 mins and 15 mins - there's no consistent working /non working scenario. On the way down to the south of France it didn't work once but driving around it worked some days and not others. On the way back, it worked for about half of the trip. Yes, I got my decimal point in the wrong place - I looked over the aircon guys shoulder while he reloaded the system. I don't know what normal is, but he assured me that the high and low pressures were both ok. Marcus,Yes, I've got climatronic but I've got no problems with the module - it comes on and stays on and appears to respond to all the relevant button clicking!. When the aircon is working, switching econ on/off has the compressor clutch engaging/disengaging as you'd expect. I suspect I've got some sort of wiring fault so I'm going to get a Ford TIS and see if I can trace it. Quote
HJT Posted August 8, 2005 Report Posted August 8, 2005 Forget Ford dealers, they don't know diddly about aircon. They will replace stuff on a trial and error basis and charge you for their incompetance. Go to a recommended specialist they have the kit and the know how and will save you a fortune. Howard Quote
Guest marcusheawood Posted August 8, 2005 Report Posted August 8, 2005 Wise words m8, could it be relay trouble (contact bounce)? Do the radiator fans come on when you engage the aircon? The system is not overly complex, the fault should be easy to find. Go to an aircon specialist. Forget main dealers forever :( (unless you have a warranty to maintain)! Quote
Masked Marauder Posted August 8, 2005 Report Posted August 8, 2005 After the system has stopped cooling, are the thick aircon pipes in the engine bay cool to touch or hot? Quote
Guest connor Posted August 9, 2005 Report Posted August 9, 2005 marcus,Not sure what comes first, the radiator fan or the compressor clutch, but when the compressor clutch works, the fans come on and the system works ok. I went first to an aircon specialist who topped the system up, checked the pressures and his autoelectrician came to the conclusion that it was a faulty electromagnetic switch on the compressor which meant the clutch failed to engage every time. After changing the compressor and finding it wasn't the problem he got a voltage meter on the clutch solenoid and could see that no voltage was getting through to engage the clutch. He was a genuine guy and immediately put back the original compressor - total cost approaching Quote
HJT Posted August 9, 2005 Report Posted August 9, 2005 Hmmmm.... An aircon specialist who can't fix aircon and then recommends a Ford Dealer.....sounds a bit of a cowboy to me. This means you've paid Quote
seatkid Posted August 9, 2005 Report Posted August 9, 2005 :( Crickey! I can't take this much longer....:( The TIS has COMPLETE WIRING INFO even though its a little cryptic. For your engine*, the 12V feed for the clutch comes from the Wide Open Throttle (WOT) Relay (K32 or K107), its job is to temporarily switch off the A/C when full throttle is demanded. This relay may be faulty or its control feed is your car manual or auto? *What is its exact build date? Quote
Guest connor Posted August 10, 2005 Report Posted August 10, 2005 Seatkid,It's a manual 2.3 ghia, 99 - done about 120k and this is the first problem i've had with it. The TIS hasn't arrived yet, but I'll check the relays you mentioned. If anyone could recommend a real expert on aircon, I'd use them. I was being ironic regarding the use of the word "expert" in my earlier posts!!. I'd gladly travel anywhere in the south - I live just off the M4 and spend most of my time travelling to and from Heathrow. Quote
seatkid Posted August 10, 2005 Report Posted August 10, 2005 I was being ironic regarding the use of the word "expert" I think you mean sarcastic...... I'm quick enough to pick that up, but it's useful to point that out to our slower members... :rolleyes: :P Quote
Ian in Northampton Posted August 10, 2005 Report Posted August 10, 2005 seatkid: ironic is the new sarcastic... :rolleyes: Quote
Guest marcusheawood Posted August 10, 2005 Report Posted August 10, 2005 ...only for those of our North American brethren who mistakenly believe that they understand irony, but also; equally mistakenly, think that they don't have a clue what sarcasm is but that it has something to do with irony! :rolleyes: English is English... Quote
MrT Posted August 11, 2005 Report Posted August 11, 2005 Do I have a problem or do the air direction flaps controlled by the climate control usually take ages to move? From when I press a button, it seems to take 10-20 seconds before the air stream changes. There never seems to be a large blast up the windscreen, just a slow stream, yet the air out the dashboard face vents is like sitting in a gale when they are the main source. Quote
HJT Posted August 11, 2005 Report Posted August 11, 2005 I think you have a problem, mine changes almost straight away. Howard Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.