Birty Dastards Jeep Club

Tech Forum => Workshop => Topic started by: TC on March 12, 2015, 05:41:58 PM

Title: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: TC on March 12, 2015, 05:41:58 PM
Just noticed my air con in the WG seems to have stopped working.
When I turn the temp right down to LO, I just get ambient temp air blowing through.
If I try to turn it to manual and push the air con button it flashes once and then stays off.
I had a new air con rad fitted last year, but it's been working fine up until now (admittedly, it doesn't come on much in the winter....)
Any ideas or things to check?
Title: Re: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: bgbazz on March 12, 2015, 06:48:27 PM
Not too sure if this will apply to your model, but I had a similar situation with my KJ. The LO setting was set at 14.5 degrees, so if I activated the aircon and the ambient temp was at or near this temp...nothing happened. (the compressor wouldn't engage). Only fresh air came through the vents.

If the ambient temp was 16 or 17 degrees, everything worked fine...and you could feel the difference.

On my Nissan, it makes no difference...the aircon will work, regardless of the ambient temp, which is fantastic for de-misting the windows because of the drying effect.

Might be a Jeep thing!
Title: Re: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: gazjeep on March 12, 2015, 07:53:05 PM
Standard advice is to use your aircon regularly, even on a warm setting so the gas lubricates the seals, if not use, the seals dry out & gas escapes.
I use the aircon all the time in the Toaureg regardless of what temperature its set at
Title: Re: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: tedthefed on March 12, 2015, 08:15:45 PM
Have the blend doors been checked .
Title: Re: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: bgbazz on March 12, 2015, 08:45:39 PM
Standard advice is to use your aircon regularly, even on a warm setting so the gas lubricates the seals, if not use, the seals dry out & gas escapes.
I use the aircon all the time in the Toaureg regardless of what temperature its set at

Quite agree with Gaz...the aircon in the Nissan gets exercised once a week or so, regardless of the temp. However, the Jeep version would only work if the temp was around 16 or 17 degrees, or higher and then it was fantastic...freeze ya balls off!!

Just let me add that I had that vehicle for just over 3 years and the aircon always performed without question...no re gassing was ever required.

And before anyone asks....our winter temps are usually around minus 20 degrees (C).. and summer temps up around 43 degrees.

Both vehicles performed well throughout that temp range....only the Jeep had that variation with the aircon.
Title: Re: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: TC on March 12, 2015, 09:02:41 PM
It's been on all over the winter, it's just not activated at all.
Sounds like the best thing is to wait until it's 15 degrees outside and see if it works  :017: :icon_biggrin:
Title: Re: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: Mike Pavelin on March 12, 2015, 10:00:07 PM
Nonsense. the AC should run as long as the evaporator temperature is just above freezing. You've probably lost your refrigerant again.
Title: Re: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: scrw on March 13, 2015, 12:31:26 AM
check the clutch is working on the front of the compressor when you turn the AC on
Title: Re: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: Dave69 on March 13, 2015, 07:21:00 AM
the system will naturally lose refrigerant over time so after 4yrs you most likely need a recharge
Title: Re: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: bgbazz on March 13, 2015, 07:56:46 AM
What the guys are saying about the gas level is very relevent...when I wrote the above posts, I was assuming that your system was charged to the correct level.
Title: Re: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: TC on March 13, 2015, 08:22:00 AM
It was and was working fine last time the temps were at a reasonable level.
Which is why I thought the ambien temperature theory might be correct.
I'll check the level anyway.
Title: Re: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: Jonny Jeep on March 13, 2015, 10:14:54 AM
PM sent that may help a bit.
Title: Re: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: TC on March 13, 2015, 01:22:29 PM
cheers for that.  :greggmo:
I'll download it tonight when I get home.
Title: Re: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: bgbazz on March 13, 2015, 01:25:34 PM
It was and was working fine last time the temps were at a reasonable level.
Which is why I thought the ambien temperature theory might be correct.
I'll check the level anyway.

Im not suggesting that your Jeeps aircon is set up like mine was, but both the KJ and climate control in my Pug 406 were set that way.

Good luck with it.  :icon_winkle:
Title: Re: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: TC on March 13, 2015, 06:18:34 PM
OK, sussed it.
Thanks to JJ (cheers for that !), I ran the diagnostics, no current errors, just a couple of historical ones to do with temperature doors.

But while I was fiddling around pressing buttons and twiddling knobs to get the diagnostics, I found the sequence to turn the air con on.

Basically you have to turn the fan switch to a manual setting and the mode control to a manual setting, then turn the a/c on.
Switch both back to auto and the a/c stays on.

If you want the a/c off while in auto mode, do the same again, turning the controls back to manual, turn the a/c off and switch back to auto..... :banghead:

Sheesh !
Title: Re: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: bgbazz on March 13, 2015, 07:28:43 PM
What ever happened to the system I am used to...select fan speed, select air vent direction, select desired temp...sit back, drive and enjoy. Mostly for me, its just turn fan speed to desired level and the system does the rest. I am comfy at around 18 degrees on a very hot (35 plus) day and it takes about 15 minutes to get the interior down to that...I watch my dogs, who are the furtherest from the fan...if they are panting, fan goes up a notch...if they curl into a ball, fan comes down.

Works for me.
Title: Re: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: TC on March 20, 2015, 05:06:16 PM
Not too sure if this will apply to your model, but I had a similar situation with my KJ. The LO setting was set at 14.5 degrees, so if I activated the aircon and the ambient temp was at or near this temp...nothing happened. (the compressor wouldn't engage). Only fresh air came through the vents.

If the ambient temp was 16 or 17 degrees, everything worked fine...and you could feel the difference.

On my Nissan, it makes no difference...the aircon will work, regardless of the ambient temp, which is fantastic for de-misting the windows because of the drying effect.

Might be a Jeep thing!

Give that man a cigar !   :icon_super:
Driving home today, noticed the air con had come on independently, the ambient temp on the display...... 15degrees  :ace:
Title: Re: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: bgbazz on March 20, 2015, 05:29:53 PM
Fingers crossed....good way to check is go out later on, when ambient temp drops significantly and try again. It shouldn't come on.
Check again tomorrow when the temp gets above 15 or so and if it works...sorted!  :icon_winkle:

I could only quote what my tame Bosch engineer told me about the aircon on the KJ...hope it stays true for your model.
Title: Re: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: TC on March 21, 2015, 03:19:19 PM
Check again tomorrow when the temp gets above 15 or so and if it works...sorted!  :icon_winkle:
I wish 1
Might have to wait a couple of weeks for it to hit 15 again...... :jpshakehead:
Title: Re: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: bgbazz on March 21, 2015, 03:27:33 PM
That's a bummer....we have 18 degrees on the patio at the moment. Yesterday we had snow falls...I can't keep up with this poxy weather.  :banghead:
Title: Re: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: TC on June 02, 2015, 09:36:55 PM
After the waiting for decent temps, it worked fine, then after a couple of weeks stopped working again.  :011:
This time it was blowing warm air when though the a/c light was on.
Turns out a stone had punted it 's way through the relatively new a/c rad.
Can't complain too much though, the mechanic's only charged £40 to fix it and it's nice and cold now  :greggmo:
Title: Re: Air con up the spout ?
Post by: bgbazz on June 03, 2015, 05:56:10 AM
 :icon_super: