AC compressor cycles when heat is on

ANONYMOUS

MEMBER
2003 FORD FOCUS
65,000 MILES

When you turn on the heater it engages and dis-engages the air conditioner compressor in other words it clicks on and off and when it engages it makes the motor cut out bad and even when you turn on the air conditioner it makes the motor cut out.

Saturday, January 26th, 2013 AT 5:47 AM

7 Replies

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,916 POSTS

The AC compressor is supposed to run in the defrost mode to dry the humidity from the air before it gets blown onto the cold windshield where it would otherwise condense and cause fogging. But it sounds like the system is low on freon or the compressor is going out.

Lets try to see if its low please follow this guide.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/air-conditioner-how-to-add-freon

Please run down this guide and report back

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Saturday, January 26th, 2013 AT 6:00 AM

RANDY SHARP

MEMBER
165 POSTS

Ok what about when you turn on the heater it causes the compressor to engage and as long as you have the heater on the compressor will just kick in and kick off clicking sound and also it will make the motor cut out bad turn the heater off and the motor runs great. So I checked out this guide and replaced my compressor all fixed! Cost me $240.00 for everything.

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Saturday, January 26th, 2013 AT 7:18 AM

KEN L

MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
48,363 POSTS

Glad you could get it fixed, that kind of problem can be tough. Please use 2CarPros anytime we are here to help

Cheers, Ken

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Friday, May 26th, 2017 AT 9:52 PM

RANDY SHARP

MEMBER
165 POSTS
2003 FORD FOCUS
2.3L
4 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
88,000 MILES

The ac was not blowing cold air so I got some artic freeze so I started filling it and also compressor was cycling on and off every 30 seconds or maybe a little longer so I put some freon in it and it starts blowing cold air not real real cold but cold so I drive it to the store and then it quits blowing cold back to warm so then I add some more because I did not put that much in at first so the thing is cycling and it does not stop I can't get a reading because it will not quit cycling so I put alot in there like I say I can't get the gauge to stop at any place on the gauge. So what is the problem?

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Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 AT 1:17 PM (Merged)

WRENCHTECH

MECHANIC
20,761 POSTS

You can't just arbitrarily add refrigerant to the system, They are engineered to operate at a very specific "weighed" charge an either too much or too little can do very severe damage to your system. AC repairs are not very DIY friendly. I suggest you have a local shop that specializes in AC repairs completely evacuate the system and recharge it with the exact specified amount of refrigerant.