A/C light blinks on and off

Tiny
SERENDIPITY
  • MEMBER
  • TOYOTA AVALON
2001 Toyota Avalon XLS - 93,600 miles - V6

I just had a new engine put in my car and also had a coolant flush. My A/C worked perfectly fine, but I just got my car back yesterday and now I am noticing that the AC will not stay on (no matter how high or low I run it). The light blinks, and then will turn off and sometimes turn back on. What could be causing this?
Sunday, June 10th, 2007 AT 1:59 PM

17 Replies

Tiny
ELLIS1220
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
Paid a high price just today for the same problem. There is the clutch relay in the Fuse and Relay box under the hood. When it's going bad, it will work and then not work and so on. It's very inexpensive to change, just you must get it at the dealer and it MIGHT be $25. I paid $170 today to get mine fixed @ Toyota and I hope this helps to save someone else some dollars.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+6
Tuesday, June 12th, 2007 AT 4:38 PM
Tiny
SECANDA
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
  • 2000 TOYOTA AVALON
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 151,300 MILES
Light came on until about a week ago. A/C blows but its warm air. A/C light has only come on twice in last 2 weeks. It used to even come on when I set HEAT to "Auto".

Called dealership and they mentioned it may be the relay. Where is the relay and is it labled?

I already checked and replaced the fuse (it was still a good fuse).
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, August 27th, 2019 AT 5:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,885 POSTS
Hi:
This could be the result of a couple things. First, when the AC works, is it cold? DO you hear the compressor cycling? As far as the relay, there is a relay block under the hood of the vehicle. It will be a black plastic box. As far as location, all of the relay locations should be listed on the underside of the lid covering the box.

Let me know if you find it and if that is the problem. Also note, if the AC is low on freon, it can cause a similar problem.

Let me know what you find, and I wish you a Happy Easter.
Joe
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Tuesday, August 27th, 2019 AT 5:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SECANDA
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Hello Joe. Thank you for you answer. I should have provided more information in my question. As far as I can tell I have 2 relay blocks under the hood and 1 fuse box in the cabin of the car. None of the relay blocks have anything on them that indicate A/C on the underside of the lid covering box. So when I ask where is the relay, I mean very specifically.

Did I mention when I called the dealership, they also mentioned it possibly being the relay. I would very much like to replace that 1st rather than take it somewhere.

Yes, the A/C was ice cold. Many times I would have to crack a window or sunroof when it ran.

I ran it most recently less than 45 days ago. It worked just fine then.

Hearing the compressor; I hear the same amount of noise now as I did when I ran the A/C previously. So I guess I hear it (shrugs) however, I do not feel the adjustment in how the vehicle runs when I cut it on. I used to feel it as if less power was in the performance of the vehicle.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Tuesday, August 27th, 2019 AT 5:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,885 POSTS
Not a problem. Actually, I was looking over wiring schematics for your exact car. It is located in the left front inner fender. The wires should be yellow, blue with black tracer (2 of them), and red with a white tracer.

Here is a picture of the schematic. I had to enlarge it to read it. Let me know if it helps.


https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/249084_aaaa_2.jpg



Joe

PS: Have a great Easter!
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Tuesday, August 27th, 2019 AT 5:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SECANDA
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Thanks. Hope you had a Happy Easter as well. No this did not help me at all. I print it, I cant see it, I blow it up, I cant see it. So am I to understand that I dont have a regular old A/C relay that I can pull out with some vice grips (yoink!) And pop a new one back in?

I did find some additional relays but they were for something else other than the A/C. Also according to a part that I googled which says its my A/C relay (as per a different site) the prongs were different. That site did not give the location where the relay should go either.

I just need to know specifically where the A/C relay goes. Unfortunately I live in the TAlanta are and the pollen count is 1600+ so I will have to take the car in to have someone look at the A/C by Wed of this week becasue I can not continue to have the windows down and ride without sever reprecussions to my respiratory function.

If you can, please advise. If not, I understand.

Thanks.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Tuesday, August 27th, 2019 AT 5:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SECANDA
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Thanks. Hope you had a Happy Easter as well. No this did not help me at all. I print it, I cant see it, I blow it up, I cant see it. So am I to understand that I dont have a regular old A/C relay that I can pull out with some vice grips (yoink!) And pop a new one back in?

I did find some additional relays but they were for something else other than the A/C. Also according to a part that I googled which says its my A/C relay (as per a different site) the prongs were different. That site did not give the location where the relay should go either.

I just need to know specifically where the A/C relay goes. Unfortunately I live in the TAlanta are and the pollen count is 1600+ so I will have to take the car in to have someone look at the A/C by Wed of this week becasue I can not continue to have the windows down and ride without sever reprecussions to my respiratory function.

If you can, please advise. If not, I understand.

Thanks.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, August 27th, 2019 AT 5:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,885 POSTS
Actually, according the schematic, it should be located on the left front inner fender. The wiring going to it should be the colors I described. As far as replacing it, all my information shows a relay (removeable) so you should be able to just unplug it and replace it.

Would it help if I tried to email the schematic to your personal email? Maybe then you could copy and paste it to paint book and enlarge it to actually see it. Also, when you look at the picture I sent, it is located at the top left.

Let me know if you can think of a way for me to send a better copy.

Joe
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Tuesday, August 27th, 2019 AT 5:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MBWILLIAMS
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1999 TOYOTA AVALON
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 80,000 MILES
The fan for the a/c stopped working
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, August 27th, 2019 AT 5:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DOCFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,828 POSTS
Hi
Is system Automatic or Manual control? Have you checked fuses? Does AC compressor engage as weel as cooling fan?
Let me know
Thanks for donate
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
-1
Tuesday, August 27th, 2019 AT 5:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SECANDA
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I dont think it will help. I dont even see the relays to which you are referring. Per the manual and all other sources I have checked there should be no additional relays. I have been informed that the relay that controls the A/C is the MG/CLT relay.

The vehicle will be taken to an A/C repair place this morning and I have my father's truck. Because of the extremely high pollen count (6000), I was going to soon have a respiratory issue.

Thank you for your replies but they had me no closer to a resolution than I was prior to posting the question.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
-1
Tuesday, August 27th, 2019 AT 5:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,885 POSTS
I'm sorry that didn't help. I was just reading from the schmematic. According to it, that is the relay. As far as the breathing problem, I understand.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, August 27th, 2019 AT 5:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MBROOKINS
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • TOYOTA AVALON
I have owned my 1997 Toyota Avalon for 10 years and it has 269,433 miles on its V6 engine. It runs great and only uses about a quart of oil every 5,000 miles.

My question or problem lies with the air conditioner. Recently it will only cool for about 3 hours (I make long runs between Houston & Dallas) and then blow hot air. I tried turning the thermostat to 75 deg. And keeping the blower on low and this seems to at least keep the car reansonably cool. If the thermostat is turned down lower and the blower set at mid-range or high then the air conditioner will blow hot air after only an hour. I then tried turning it back to 75 deg. But it still blew hot air. I've had the freon pressure checked and it was OK.

Any ideas?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, August 27th, 2019 AT 5:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Could be low on freon-have the pressure check
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, August 27th, 2019 AT 5:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ED ZIZZA
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1998 TOYOTA AVALON
  • 71,000 MILES
I have a 98 toyota avalon and the air conditioner has 4 speeds, but only low speed works and it only blows out warm air why? I also read that the high speed bypasses the resistor.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, August 27th, 2019 AT 5:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Try having the high and low pressures checked could be no/low freon in it-also check the blower motor resistor. At high speed the power comes from the relay bypassing the resistor to provide full battery voltage to the blower motor-
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, August 27th, 2019 AT 5:50 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
Does it work on high speed?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, August 27th, 2019 AT 5:50 PM (Merged)

Please login or register to post a reply.

Sponsored links