Anyone have this Air Conditioner problem?

[lee.spam]

Posting to see if anyone is having similar problem or have suggestions.

My AC works great, blows cold air and when the dealer did an AC performance test, it passed with flying colors.

The problem is that randomly, usually after 15 minutes of driving, it stops blowing cold air for about 2 minutes. After which, it will start blowing cold air again as if nothing happened. This cycle can repeat itself depending on how long my drive is. I've got it set on the AUTO setting, usually around 75 degrees.

My only guess is that the temperature sensors or control is getting confused or something. Its almost like it suddenly thinks the temperature in the cabin is colder than it really is so it starts telling the AC to stop blowing cold air.

Thought I get some feedback before I bring it back into the dealer.

[slightlycrazy]

If you have the vent blowing in your direction you will notice it cycle on and off. Also, the easier of a path you give the cooler air to the sensor the more it will cycle. What I do is face the vents away from me and I really don't have that problem anymore. It is best to face them toward the roof or windows. Facing them toward the windows is not a good idea when it is really humid outside though. When it is over 90 degrees I also switch the system to recirculate the air, it makes it easier to maintain constant temperature.

[lee.spam]

thanks for the response, but my prob is different. My AC fan will continue blowing, but it will blow warm air instead. So for 2 minutes, it will actually get uncomfortably warm (sweaty in texas) before it decides to start blowing cold again.

Anyway, your post gave me a thought on checking the temperature sensor. Anybody know where its located in the cabin?

[Road Odyssey]

the compressor may be turning off briefly for some reason. I had a car that had a short in the ignition switch and when you pressed downward hard on the steering wheel, the car and the fan would keep running but the compressor, along with the electronic clock and radio would turn off and warm air would blow out. As soon as it reconnected itself secods later, on would come the radio and clock and the air would get cold again. Something could be shorting out your compressor. Electrical problems are hard to solve sometimes.

[slightlycrazy]

Have you tried to lower the temperature after the A/C compressor turns off, say around 5 degrees? If it does it is just cycling on and off. If the compressor is off and not in recycle mode it will blow hot air. The only other thing it could be is not enough(not likely) or too much freon in the system. The system shuts down due to the low or high pressure.

[odyssey hawaii]

my salesguy recommended not using AUTO, he said it was less efficient (??) and warmer. I've noticed a difference, and do not use AUTO anymore. Have you tried that?

lynn

[mejmea]

Originally posted by lee.spam
thanks for the response, but my prob is different. My AC fan will continue blowing, but it will blow warm air instead. So for 2 minutes, it will actually get uncomfortably warm (sweaty in texas) before it decides to start blowing cold again.

Anyway, your post gave me a thought on checking the temperature sensor. Anybody know where its located in the cabin?

I just checked the service manual.


The interior temperature sensor is located in the driver's side dashboard lower panel (basically in front of your right knee. If you look you will see a little grid molded in to the panel. The sensor can be removed by removing the panel and then 2 screws. The service manual indicates that it is a resistance type device and you test it by measuring the resistance while subjecting it to different temperatures (one hot, one cold).

The system also uses the outside temperature sensor (located on the back of the front bumper beam) and the sunlight sensor is apparently also tied into the system (located on the dash, centered, near the front edge of the windshield).

A couple of thoughts:

1) Are you long legged where you might be blocking the sensor by your knee? I would tend to think that might have the opposite effect of what you describe but....

2) Do you have anything on the dash that might block the sunlight sensor? I haven't studied things to where I understand how it all works but again, just a random thought.

3) If it's pretty repeatable you could take it to the dealer and let them figure it out.


Hmmm - odd. In the midst of checking this I discovered that my service manual (the official Honda one) is missing some pages in the HVAC section!

[lee.spam]

Thanks for all the great replies. Just wanted to see if anybody else was experiencing this.

I've tried auto and manual. Tried setting recycle and outside air. Tried turning off the AC and engine. Even turned it all the way down till the display says "Lo". When it decides to blow warm (compressor off?), there's nothing I can do.

I'm gonna bring it into the dealer cuz it seems to be happening more frequently now, getting worse. That's a good thing cuz now I'll be able to reproduce it for the dealer! I'll have them check the sensors and AC.

[Norb]

That's BS that auto mode won't keep you cool. Don't listen to car salesmen.

Now to your problem. It sound like the classic case of an over filled a/c system. If the pressure is to high in you system, it actually will freeze the condenser and you won't get cold air, then it will thaw and you'll get cold air again. Take it in for service.

[JyRO]

Originally posted by odyssey hawaii
my salesguy recommended not using AUTO, he said it was less efficient (??) and warmer. I've noticed a difference, and do not use AUTO anymore. Have you tried that?

lynn

Norb - You beat me to it! Norb's right. This is a crock of bull! You know what the dead give away is? Dead give away --> This information came from a dealership!

Problem - Norb, you beat me again. You know what the dead give away is? Dead give away --> A dealership checked it and said it was OK.

Aren't I a stinker. If you think I have no confidence in anything from a dealership, you'd be right. The only thing they put any decent training into is how to take every last penny they can from a person

- JyRO

[ibdb]

Definitely something for the dealer to fix. Earlier this summer we took a long road trip. Morning temperatures were near 90 -- mid-day the van read 111 (don't know if that was the max, or if it was "only" 111) -- and 12 hours later temps were back "down" to the 90s. At no point during any of that did the A/C exhibit any of the symptoms you describe. It was always on auto, with three different temperatures selected (driver, passenger, and rear), and always worked flawlessly given the extreme conditions it was under.

[lee.spam]

Update - Dealer says I've got a bad compressor coil which is the part that tells the compressor to turn on. Apparently it was on its last legs so it was turning on and off the cold air randomly.

Everything is under warranty so hopefully this will fix it. Thanks for all the replies...

[nihatbayhan]

Did you find a solution for your AC problem? I have the same problem

[biggity007]

Also curious. I have this issue as well. My AC works well when I'm underway, but completely craps out during idling and/or very slow driving.

[JyRO]

You folks may not have noticed but you dredged up a very old thread. No worries, but that may be why you see limited responses. I'll add my $0.02 worth. At the auto plant I worked at just over a year ago, I was doing some A/C audits and learned a lot. I will say the with the Odyssey, I would state at least 3 things:

1) It has an enourmous amount of volume to cool off, so it will take more time and effort on the part of the A/C, the 2 units are most definitly needed.

2) A degredation in performance on the part of the compressor at idle speed is normal. The compressor is less efficient at low rpm. The compressor is designed to work most efficiently at the rpms where the engine will be used most of the time. So don't "sweat" the fact that it doesn't work as well at idle. It does not necessarily mean that there's a problem.

3) However, if at idle you are hearing the compressor turning off and on (you'll have to turn off the radio, and maybe turn the fan speed down), it is more than likely somewhat low on refrigerant. If the compressor is cycling on/off, you may be able to hear a faint click (from the engine area), accompanied with a slight change in engine rpm, and you may be able to hear a bit more rumble from the engine area due to the compressor running. It will still blow cold ... when the compressor is running. But when it is turning on / off, this leads to the average temp of the evaporator to go up, yielding less cool air overall. How you decided to deal with refrigerant being low is your own choice.