Driver side blows hot, passenger side cold

Craftydad · Jun 19, 2024

Hi, Long story short: 2014 Touring.
AC ran fine on both sides while driving, but blew warm on both sides when parked. Google said it may be pass side fan.
I took it to my local shop of 3 guys (the owner, his son, and a long time 3rd mechanic) for an estimate.
3rd mechanic said I needed a new compressor ($960). Said pressure on low side goes from 30 to 60.
Got home, opened hood, checked engine - pass side fan not turning. Antifreeze all around the radiator, and grease on the driver side door step plate. I’m was not happy.
Thru this forum (Thanks!) I tested everything, fan was dead, I installed a new fan.
I now have cold air blowing on pass side when parked, but driver side is warm. ???
I cannot see how I wud need a recharge since the pass side blows cold. ???
Can someone show me where the blend motor or actuators are? I saw a pic of driver side but not pass side (for comparison). Any fuses for this blend actuator?
Not sure how to proceed given this new problem.
Pete

WiiMaster · Jun 19, 2024

Craftydad said:
I cannot see how I wud need a recharge since the pass side blows cold. ???

The design of the evaporator means if refrigerant is low, the passenger side will get cool air but the refrigerant vaporizes before reaching the driver's side. See the attached ServiceNews for a full explanation.

You need to distinguish between hot and ambient air. If it feels hot like if you had the heater turned up, that would more likely be a blend door problem, but if it just feels like uncooled air from outside being pushed in, a refrigerant problem.

Craftydad · Jun 19, 2024

WiiMaster said:
The design of the evaporator means if refrigerant is low, the passenger side will get cool air but the refrigerant vaporizes before reaching the driver's side. See the attached ServiceNews for a full explanation.

You need to distinguish between hot and ambient air. If it feels hot like if you had the heater turned up, that would more likely be a blend door problem, but if it just feels like uncooled air from outside being pushed in, a refrigerant problem.

Thanks! I started the car, with windows closed n all ac on Lo with inside recycling.
Pass was cold, tough to tell driver as it was 92 today. I took it down the local highway up to 65mph… driver got cold - not as cold as passenger but pretty cold.
Back home, in park, passenger stayed cold while driver got ambient.
Im wondering why both sides were equally cold (while driving) prior to bringing it to my shop… that wud tell me it doesn’t need a recharge.
But let’s assume it needs a recharge - someone mentioned they did it themselves based on instructions from this group. Can you or someone point me to them? I’ll follow that and post the results.
Does it sound at all like it cud still be the blend door?
Pete

WiiMaster · Jun 19, 2024

Craftydad said:
But let’s assume it needs a recharge - someone mentioned they did it themselves based on instructions from this group. Can you or someone point me to them? I’ll follow that and post the results.

You can find it but I am not going to recommend a DIY recharge. It is not accurate.

Craftydad · Jun 19, 2024

WiiMaster said:
You can find it but I am not going to recommend a DIY recharge. It is not accurate.

I hear ya, but given my shop wanted me to pay $960 for a compressor I don’t need, and didn’t even check the fan, I’m not entirely trusting they’re any more accurate than I am. lol

WiiMaster · Jun 19, 2024

Craftydad said:
I hear ya, but given my shop wanted me to pay $960 for a compressor I don’t need, and didn’t even check the fan, I’m not entirely trusting they’re any more accurate than I am. lol

Well then find a better shop. Most DIY recharges are done based on gauge pressure, which is not an accurate way to charge refrigerant. A shop will have the proper equipment and knowledge to do it right.

kernel · Jun 19, 2024

Find a better shop. If you read the multitude of "passenger side cold/driver side hot" it's most often due to not enough refrigerant. You can't easily DIY it using cans and gauges. The proper way to fix this is to take it to a proper shop where they will evacuate the refrigerant, pull a vacuum to verify there are no leaks, and refill with the proper weight of refrigerant. Your old refrigerant gets reused and you only pay for the extra that was added and the service for doing this.

JoeWras · Jun 20, 2024

Craftydad said:
Thanks! I started the car, with windows closed n all ac on Lo with inside recycling.
Pass was cold, tough to tell driver as it was 92 today. I took it down the local highway up to 65mph… driver got cold - not as cold as passenger but pretty cold.
Back home, in park, passenger stayed cold while driver got ambient.
Im wondering why both sides were equally cold (while driving) prior to bringing it to my shop… that wud tell me it doesn’t need a recharge.
But let’s assume it needs a recharge - someone mentioned they did it themselves based on instructions from this group. Can you or someone point me to them? I’ll follow that and post the results.
Does it sound at all like it cud still be the blend door?
Pete

Mine does this. Every now and then both sides are cold, especially while highway driving. Then other times, it is this odd passenger side versus driver side differential. Perhaps a "slug" of coolant made its way through. Don't assume because it occasionally, works, it has to be the blend door. Ever watch the liquid come up in a straw when your kid is irritatingly sucking the bottom of the cup? It doesn't come out as a thin stream, it comes up in chunks and bubbles. I believe that happens with the refrigerant loop too. Just my running guess as to why it may briefly work well every now and then.

Like kernel said, you may think it is the blend door, but there's way too much evidence it is low refrigerant. Look at that bulletin posted above. It makes sense.

PS: I need to get mine checked but I've been too busy.

phattyduck · Jun 20, 2024

Craftydad said:
Does it sound at all like it cud still be the blend door?

Definitely not the blend door.

When you are driving on the highway, you are getting MUCH more cooling airflow through the condenser than you do with the fans at low speed. This extra cooling is allowing full heat rejection up front means the system can work at optimal efficiency and just keep up with the cooling needs up front. A recharge to the correct amount of refrigerant will get you working right again.

To do it right needs an evacuation and recharge to the specified amount of refrigerant.

-Charlie

yalcin · Apr 20, 2025

Long story short: I have a 2011 Odyssey with 170k miles, well maintained. The problem is that the driver-side vent doesn’t cool well, but the passenger-side vents work fine. If I drive faster, especially on the freeway with SYC on, the driver-side air gets colder. Based on this discussion , I don’t think it’s a blend door issue (even though I bought one, I’m guessing I shouldn’t replace it).

Any thoughts or suggestions?

JoeWras · Apr 20, 2025

yalcin said:
Long story short: I have a 2011 Odyssey with 170k miles, well maintained. The problem is that the driver-side vent doesn’t cool well, but the passenger-side vents work fine. If I drive faster, especially on the freeway with SYC on, the driver-side air gets colder. Based on this discussion , I don’t think it’s a blend door issue (even though I bought one, I’m guessing I shouldn’t replace it).

Any thoughts or suggestions?

With all due respect, please read the posts above. Your problem is very, very common, and the most likely cause is low refrigerant. The attachment in post #2 gives the answer why.

I have this problem and I'm living with it. But I drive alone and can handle a little heat.

John Clark · Apr 20, 2025

If you have this problem and are "living with it" you are likely damaging your compressor. When the refrigerant is low that means not as much oil is circulating to keep the compressor lubricated. Less oil for lubrication means more wear on the compressor. Trust me, you don't want catastrophic internal compressor failure. When that happens it sends metal throughout the entire system, requiring new compressor, condenser, expansion valves and full system flushes. It will get VERY expensive on a system with two evaporators like the Odyssey.

If you know your refrigerant is low, do yourself a favor and get it serviced. Your bank account will thank you.

JoeWras · Apr 21, 2025

John Clark said:
If you have this problem and are "living with it" you are likely damaging your compressor. When the refrigerant is low that means not as much oil is circulating to keep the compressor lubricated. Less oil for lubrication means more wear on the compressor. Trust me, you don't want catastrophic internal compressor failure. When that happens it sends metal throughout the entire system, requiring new compressor, condenser, expansion valves and full system flushes. It will get VERY expensive on a system with two evaporators like the Odyssey.

If you know your refrigerant is low, do yourself a favor and get it serviced. Your bank account will thank you.

You are right, of course. But like a smoker who has gotten away with decades and "still living," I've been living dangerously since I bought this thing 2 years ago. I thought of getting it looked at last year, but then found my favorite auto A/C shop went out of business.

I got to get it looked at. "I can quit anytime."

John Clark · Apr 21, 2025

When it starts making noise it's too late. Good luck!

Driver side blows hot, passenger side cold

Craftydad

WiiMaster

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