A/C Stops working after I shut car off and it sits.

J02WS6TRANSAM

MEMBER
2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER
2.0L
4 CYL
TURBO
FWD
AUTOMATIC
80,000 MILES

Hello. I have a 07 pt cruiser with a weird ac problem. When I first start the car weather idling or driving the a/c works great. The air come out of the vents at about 36 degrees. Nice and cold. I can drive the car as long as I want and the a/c will never stop working. But if I shut the car off and it sits for about 20 mins or so, when I restart the car and compressor will not turn back on. If I restart the car right away after driving it, I can hear the compressor engage the clutch and the air is cold, but if it sits for 20 mins or so and I start it back up, the compressor will not turn on and engage the clutch. The compressor was replaced a few months ago with a new unit, but I was having this problem before the compressor was replaced. The clutch on the compressor went, thats why I had it replaced. I just had the a/c system sucked down and recharged to proper levels to make sure the charge was good, but same problem. After the car sits for a few hours or is driven for awhile, then the a/c will turn back on.
Any thoughts?
Thank you very much for your help.
Jon

9 Replies

HMAC300

MECHANIC
48,601 POSTS

Have it scanned for codes the clutch control is done by the tpim module under the fuse box under hood and it may be screwing up. Also check fuse 15 under hood for corrosion as it may be that.

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Wednesday, July 22nd, 2015 AT 3:04 PM

J02WS6TRANSAM

MEMBER
34 POSTS

I checked the computer. It did have a stored code for a p1274. Act control circuit but I don't know how old the code might be. Could be from before h had the compressor replaced. Not sure.

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Wednesday, July 22nd, 2015 AT 6:52 PM

HMAC300

MECHANIC
48,601 POSTS

1274 is an open circuit to the a/c that is probably why it's not working. Test this so he can turn on ac in pcm with scanner to find short in system. You can check wires in pic if it's got 5.0 ohmsor below it's ok.

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Thursday, July 23rd, 2015 AT 5:46 AM

J02WS6TRANSAM

MEMBER
34 POSTS

Ok Here are a few more pieces to the puzzle. Lol I brought the car to a mechanic that has a scanner. He couldnt figure out the problem either. After the car ran for awhile and sat so the compressor wouldnt turn on. If the car was running he could not manually activate the clutch with the scanner. The scanner said all the conditions were not met. But if he just turn the key on with engine off, the clutch would activate but as soon as you start the car is would shut off. Very weird. I then drove the car about 15 minutes and the compressor finally turned back on, engine bay cooled down or something maybe? And then when I stopped and let the car sit running, it shut back off and wont turn back on probably until it cools down for a few hours. Weirdest part is. The first time I run the car from cold temp, I can run the car for hours and the ac will never shut off, but once the car sits off for 20 or so minutes it wont turn back on. I will attach screen shots of the live data he took of all the a/c data. This was with the car running after it sat and the a/c would not engage. The button in the car was light up to show I have it turned on but the clutch would not engage.

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