AC issues

[LindaD10553]

My 2005 expedition ac was working fine but as I was driving home it suddenly stopped cooling. It’s done this before, but after a few minutes started cooling again. I don’t know if it’s a vacuum leak or something else. Today it never started cooling again, even after 15 minutes driving it.

I’m a senior citizen woman, so I don’t want to get taken advantage of when I take it in. Do you think it might be something simple?

 

[SafariGoneWrong]

Do you have the automatic climate control or old school with individual fan and temperature dials?

 

[LindaD10553]

It’s individual controls for each side.

 

[SafariGoneWrong]

Let's begin with the basics. Start the engine, set ac controls to maximum cool, fan high. Make sure air flow in the cabin is from the dash vents. Under the hood, see if the compressor is turning, that is, the clutch is engaged. You might want a small flashlight and be aware of the engine fan and the belt. The ac compressor is located front of engine, bottom right as you sit in the vehicle. The compressor pulley rotates around a clutch, the front of which is normally a black, oddly shaped kind of thing with a nut in the center--if that's turning you know at least the compressor is getting a 12V signal. If it's not turning, that means the compressor isn't compressing and can be caused by many things. It could be the clutch itself, low refrigerant level/pressure, failure of one of the pressure switches, failure of the controller, etc. For example, my last ac failure was a high pressure switch in my 98 VW Passat. I've replaced many compressors, condensers, evaporators, sensors and this kind of work is rarely cheap. Let's hope the failure is an easy to access pressure switch...or similar.

 

[wr20]

When you turn your a/c on, can you control the fan speed? or is it stuck on one speed or not blowing at all? Which control panel looks like yours: the one on the left or on the right?

 

[LindaD10553]

I can adjust fan speed, it’s working fine. The ac was working fine. It stopped cooling as I was driving home the other day.

It did this once before, but after a few minutes it started cooling again. I’m pretty sure it’s done it other times. I thought maybe it was a vacuum leak causing it. I haven’t driven it since, so I don’t know if it will cool again. I was married to a mechanic for 25 years, so I picked up a tiny bit along the way

I’m a 70 yr old woman, so I’m unable to check anything under the hood. I just want to have some idea of what it might be, when and if I take it to a shop. Many mechanics take advantage of women, especially seniors.

 

[wr20]

Or does the control panel look like this;

 

[LindaD10553]

Yes that’s what mine looks like. The last one you posted.

 

[wr20]

What town do you live in? Maybe one of the members of this form can recommend an honest mechanic in your area or come by and do some under hood checks for you. If those suggestions don't work, and you have to find a mechanic on your own, tell the mechanic that the members of this form have ask you to report the mechanics diagnostics procedures and what he thinks is the problem. Maybe if he knows some of his peers in the business are looking over his shoulder, he will give you a an honest appraisal of what needs to be done. Like doing business with any company or individual, it is best to check them out (BBB, Angies List, etc.)

 

[LindaD10553]

I’m in Tigard, Oregon. Just outside of Portland.