A/C not working

I have a strange problem with the air conditioner unit in my car. For the last one year, I have noticed that my air conditioner unit does not turn on at times. Let me clarify, it is not that the air conditioner unit does not properly cool or heat the car, but instead it just does not turn on. Sometimes, it will not turn on for multiple days, then all of a sudden it will work just fine.

I took the car to the Honda dealer and they kept the car for two days and with my luck, the unit performed perfectly the time it was there. They were unable to replicate the problem.

So, here are things I have noticed, chances for air conditioner coming on are likely much greater when my car is not left out in direct sunlight. Mostly, it seems to work most mornings, but my rides in the afternoon are usually without air conditioning. At times, I have noticed that if I leave the air conditioner control knob in the ON position and reach high speeds of 60-70 mph, that the unit will begin working.

So, in conclusion, this is a sporadic problem in which air conditioner work at times and other times it does not.

I look forward to your feedback.

Wow, I thought I was the only one who was having this problem!

I took my car to the dealership and had the exact same thing happen to me.

They flushed the Freon and recharged the air conditioner, all to no avail.

My thermostat control panel flashes on and off when it is "working", does yours too?

The dealership told me that I would most likely have to get another control panel (from the junk yard, no less) because they could not get their hands on one themselves.

I surely hope someone responds to this thread soon, we are roasting in our cars!

I have a 4 cylinder, automatic transmission if that is what you are asking.

I asked a co-worker (who is thankfully more in the know about auto related issues than I am, being an ASE certified mechanic himself) to help me take a look at the fuses and relays to see if either of those might be the issue, and there appeared to be nothing wrong with either of those things.

As far as the cooling fans are concerned, yes, they still operate, but they act as if they are just venting from the outside and blowing whatever temperature of air that it is outdoors.

Also, the lights on the air conditioner control panel completely black out when it happens.

Sometimes the lights on the air conditioner control panel blink on and off just before the air conditioner cuts out, too.

However, when I took it to the dealership where I normally get the vehicle serviced, they could not reproduce the problem, nor did were they able to generate an error code from the computer.

Does this sound like an electrical issue to you, or could it be that something like an air conditioner filter or possibly the air conditioner drainage line being plugged up might be causing the problem?

Any ideas you might have would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Sorry, I could not provide timely a response as I was out of town. It seems like you have a lot more details than I do regarding the problem.

I really do not know if control panel lights are flashing as I do not know where it is. :) I am really a rookie here.

The only problem is that this car has been so good to me and still runs like a champ. I would hate to move onto another car due to this silly issue. It was a nightmare the other day when the unit did not work and I was unable to use the defrost.

To answer the question regarding cooling fans. They seem to work fine.

Any updates on this? My 2001 Accord is having these same problems.

I have the same problem, the LED lights blink then air conditioner shuts down. My compressor is fine and still blow the cool air when the light is back. I already changed air conditioner relay and low pressure switch but that is not working. If I adjust the temperature button to very low temperature. This problem can be fixed. My mechanic said my air conditioner thermostat may getting bad. Problem is where is air conditioner thermostat?

For almost as long as we've had our Honda we've had a problem with the air conditioning. I'm finally getting around to researching it.

The problem is that when the air conditioning is on but the engine is idling, the compressor doesn't seem to work and the air is semi-cool, and sometimes warm or even hot. As soon as you start to drive, the air turns ice-cold as it should be and stays that way--until you reach a red light and idle--then the air warms up again.

That being the case, the air conditioning works great on the highway but is not so great for city driving.

Is this a common problem?

Air conditioner problem. The mechanic cannot fix unless they can duplicate problem. The compressor is charged and has no leaks. It will either freeze you out, or it is warmer than air outside. Yesterday it was putting out hot air, so I lifted the hood and the compressor was turning. The mechanic showed me how to check. On the average it happens about once a week. I have tried turning air conditioner button on and off, turning off engine and starting again, switching all the selection buttons on air console. Drove it three times yesterday between 6:30 a.M. And 1:00 p.M. And it was freezing. Drove it three times between 4:00 pm and 9:00 p.M. Yesterday and got hot air. I drove it around midnight and it was freezing. What are the possibilities of things that could be wrong with the system?

Check the expansion valve as it may be malfunctioning. Also, check the engagement coil for the air-conditioner compressor clutch, as it may be weak and occasionally disengaging.

This guide can help us fix it

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-air-conditioner-not-working-or-is-weak

Please run down this guide and report back.

The A/C compressor does not turn on. Heater fan only turns on when temp control set to coldest and fan speed set to highest. Wife was playing with controls when A/C stoped working. All fuses seem good. Don't know about relays.

I just got this car. The climate control fan was not working so I replaced the cabin air filters and it blows good now. The problem I am having is the A/C is not getting cold. I had a can of r134, but when I go to charge it is showing in the red on the meter so I do not want to add anymore. I cannot find fuse box that should be on the inside only the one under the hood. There should be one inside correct? It is not on either side of the dash close to the doors or under the dash. Any advice on why the A/C will not get cold?

I own a 4 cylinder 2001 Honda Accord with 102,000 miles. Two years ago (Summer of 2005), the A/C stopped working, so I took it to a repair shop. The repair shop fixed the A/C and provided me with a bill that totaled close to $400.00. I didn't care though, the A/C worked!

Move forward one year to the Summer of 2006. I attempted to use the A/C for the first time that year only to discover the A/C was not working again. Furious that the epair shop didn't correct the problem (most likely a leak), I decided I would simply purchase a few cans of 134a and charge the system. My idea worked and I had A/C all summer.

Move forward again to the Spring of 2007. Once again, my A/C is not working. My Accord also reached 100,000 miles, so I decided to have both the timing belt and water pump replaced. (I did not allow the repair shop to touch the AC).

Once my vehicle was out of the shop, I drove the car home and charged the A/C system myself. The A/C appeared to be working fine while running in the driveway. However, I did not have the same success while driving it on the highway.

While operating my car on the road (A/C on), I noticed the car feels like it is slipping. At the same time, the cold air from the vents fades in and out. (Air force stays the same, only temperature is affected). When I turn my A/C off, the "slipping" stops. I checked the pressure of the A/C system and it appears to be within normal range.

In addition to this problem, the timing belt does not appear to be installed correctly. Every time I start my car, I hear a very quick but very loud screech coming from the engine. Is the timing belt loose or off track? Could an error with the timing belt contribute to the current A/C problems or should I be concerned with my compressor? Any help would be appreciated!

This sounds like you have an AC compressor that is locking up which would explain the leak and the belt screech and the engine holding back. Here is a guide to help you get the job done you can get a new compressor form Amazon for $185.00 (Denso)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001UCGHUY/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=2carprcom-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B001UCGHUY&linkId=2073f0b06abd1f5ee93a24ebba068b64

Here is how you change it out.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/replace-air-conditioner-compressor

Please let us know what happens.

Cheers

Our AC is strange.

When the car is cool, e.G, after being parked in the indoor garage, the AC works well. However, when the car is hot, e.G, after being parked outside under the sun, the AC does not works. The AC will blow hot air for 15-20 minutes before it finally blows cool air.

By the way, when we turn on the AC, a very noticeable noise will come out under the engine hood.