A/C will not turn on

Tiny
RSKTAKR
  • MEMBER
  • 2002 HONDA CIVIC
  • 1.7L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 189,000 MILES
The car was sitting for a little while and the brand new battery drained, so I replaced it. After that, the A/C doesn't blow cold. The A/C button lights up when pressed, I jumped the A/C evaporator temperature sensor in the drivers lower foot well and no change. I checked/swapped around the A/C relays under the hood on the passenger side, no change. I took the car to a local mechanic and he was able to jump some wires and get the compressor to come on and blow cold air. I let the car run and get to temperature until both fans came on by themselves so I know both are working correctly.I replaced the PCM the first time (had the immobilizer settings transferred over), still no change. I took the car to a local Honda dealer and they were able to jump things and the system to blow cold too. Then they were about to take the compressor out to replace it and the A/C system worked all by itself then stopped working so they didn't pull anything apart. They said they found a short in between the PCM and the original multiplex and wanted to replace the PCM again, I told them no and brought the car home. I replaced the multiplex with a new OEM Honda part, still no A/C change. Then I bought another brand new OEM Honda PCM, I just installed it and still no change. I am completely baffled here and so is the Honda dealer. They had the car for 4 days or so and said there is a short after the 1st replacement PCM but before the original multiplex. So to sum it up, I've put two new PCM's in the car and a new multiplex and still no A/C coming on.
Wednesday, July 22nd, 2020 AT 10:23 AM

20 Replies

Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Good afternoon,

You replaced the multiplex? What is that? That is how wiring is controlled.

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

I attached a wiring diagram for you to view. Do you have a test light or voltmeter to do some testing?

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-wiring

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-an-electrical-relay-and-wiring-control-circuit

Roy
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, July 22nd, 2020 AT 11:33 AM
Tiny
RSKTAKR
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
The multiplex is the entire interior fuse box that is on the drivers side under the steering column. I replaced that because the Honda dealer said the short was in between the PCM and the multiplex. I have a test light. The relays in the motor bay fuse box are working correctly. I switched them around with other relays that are the same and those things work fine afterwards. Also, the radiator fan and the condenser fan both come on when the car gets to temp. I have yet to get the compressor to come on, however the dealer was able to get it to come on.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, July 22nd, 2020 AT 11:50 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
They were able to get it on by jumping the clutch relay.

Can you go to the clutch relay and with the key on, can you verify 2 powers to the relay? One will be power for the load side and one for the control side.

How did you determine the relay was working correctly?

Roy
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, July 22nd, 2020 AT 12:13 PM
Tiny
RSKTAKR
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
Honda determined the relays were working and yes, with the key on there are 2 powers at the clutch relay. I found out that I have no voltage at the A/C pressure switch and I also have no voltage on the 14 pin heater control panel connection at the dash controls. I also ran the self diagnostic on the A/C system (hold the recirculate and rear defrost buttons then turn the key to on and the system will run a diagnostic and blink an error code with the re-circulation button light) and no errors came back. I thought about just running a new wire from the pin #4 of the 14 pin connector (Heater control panel connection at dash controls) and connecting it to the blue/white wire going to the A/C pressure switch but I'm kind of leary of doing that right now. The car is going back to Honda tomorrow but I wouldn't be upset to find the problem myself before that.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, July 23rd, 2020 AT 11:56 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
If you have no power, I would suspect the panel is the issue.

Did you or Honda replace that?

Roy
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, July 23rd, 2020 AT 4:11 PM
Tiny
RSKTAKR
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
I haven’t replaced any panels, all that I have replaced is the multiplex and the PCM (twice). If you’re talking about the switch panel, I’m not sure that’s the culprit just yet because when I run it through it’s self diagnostic, it shows zero errors. I’ve read of people having the same issue and running a jumper wire from the 14 pin #4 wire on the heater panel plug directly to the blue/white wire on the A/C switch and it fixes their problem. I just don’t want to take the chance of messing something up like the PCM I just replaced because the two wires aren’t the same color so I’m leary of going that route. But I see on that diagram you just posted that the #4 pin I’m testing that’s on the 14 pin plug is the compressor control.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, July 23rd, 2020 AT 5:36 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
The panel sends power to the switch. If it has not, the clutch will not operate.

Honda should have known this and addressed it with you.

Roy
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, July 23rd, 2020 AT 5:39 PM
Tiny
RSKTAKR
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
This is the test I did on the 14 pin heater control panel plug and had no voltage at pin #4 with the key on. See the "no" explanation after #9 at the top. I did just notice that these instructions say to only disconnect plug A (14 pin) and I had both plugs (the 22 pin plug) on the diagram unplugged. I will do this again in the morning with the 22 pin plug still plugged in and see what happens.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, July 23rd, 2020 AT 6:17 PM
Tiny
RSKTAKR
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
I left the 22 pin plug in and just unplugged the 14 pin plug and measured for voltage on pin #4 and still no voltage there with the key in the on position. If this problem was as simple and that entire 3 knob panel being swapped out, I would be ecstatic. Thanks for your help by the way.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, July 24th, 2020 AT 6:02 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Got it.

According to that flow chart, you should have power at the pressure switch.

Do you have power at the pressure switch?

Roy
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, July 24th, 2020 AT 6:24 AM
Tiny
RSKTAKR
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
No voltage at the blue/white AC pressure switch wire with the key to on position either. I tried to put a jumper on this plug previously and there was no change with the motor running and the AC turned on in the cabin.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, July 24th, 2020 AT 8:17 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
That wire originates from the thermal protection switch on top of the compressor.

Go to the diagram I sent in the beginning and check for power to the red wire and the blue wire.

Roy
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, July 24th, 2020 AT 10:11 AM
Tiny
RSKTAKR
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
Okay. Check both wires with just the key in the on position right?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, July 24th, 2020 AT 10:37 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Correct and with the A/C commanded on.

Roy
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, July 24th, 2020 AT 10:43 AM
Tiny
RSKTAKR
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
I pulled the plug off that is right above the thermal protection switch and with the key to just the on position (accessory), the fan on and the A/C button pushed, there was power to the blue with white stripe wire but nothing to the red wire. There are three wires at that plug, a red, a red with blue stripe and the blue with white stripe. I can't get to the wires that are right on top of the compressor which is the actual thermal protection switch.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, July 24th, 2020 AT 11:11 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
The one red wire comes from the Clutch relay.

The other red wire comes for the ECM.

The blue whit wire comes from the fuse block. That goes to the thermal switch red wire, then off to the pressure switch.

Did you check for power out of the multplex connector?

Roy
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Saturday, July 25th, 2020 AT 3:28 AM
Tiny
RSKTAKR
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
Yes, I believe so because if there is power at the blue/white wire at the 3 wire plug that connects to the 3 red wire plug that goes to the thermal protection switch. Wouldn’t that mean that the multiplex is providing that power at this connection? The car is at the dealer now but I imagine they will say the compressor/thermal protector needs replaced or possibly the heater control panel (the 3 interior control knobs). I have no idea at this point.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Saturday, July 25th, 2020 AT 11:38 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
It looks to be the thermal switch or wiring.

Roy
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Saturday, July 25th, 2020 AT 2:38 PM
Tiny
RSKTAKR
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
Thermal Protector was replaced and that was the problem.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, August 3rd, 2020 AT 6:27 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Good. That is what we came up with for the power to that pin.

Glad to hear it is fixed.

Roy
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, August 3rd, 2020 AT 6:31 AM

Please login or register to post a reply.

Sponsored links