Rear a/c leak

[08navigator]

Well, I have the new aluminum tubing in place. I'll be using the compression fittings this week to attach it. Last week my wife was at the store on a freezing cold day and upon starting the car in heat auto mode it made a super loud screeching sound that only stopped when she turned the heat off. Upon further inspection it appears my account compressor clutch is boned. So now I'm thinking even though my account lines have been empty all winter, the compressor was still activating in heat auto mode because auto turn on the windshield defrost. Am I correct in thinking that.

The compressor pull still spins ok but you can see the clutch material has pushed out of the front of the compressor pulley. My only thought is that the compressor I locked up. So instead of replacing the clutch assembly I'll probably pick up a used compressor and swap it in. We're selling the 2008 since we just picked up a 2015 but I don't want to sell it without a good working ac system. Any thoughts?

Also, it will start making the terrible noise at idle with the heat in auto mode. If it's making the noise I can change the blower to blow only through the front or foot vents and the noise stops.

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[TobyU]

The AC system has a low side pressure switch and the compressor should not come on what's the refrigerant level is low. I can't say for certain that a 2008 has this but I don't know why it wouldn't has all the previous ones did.
You just need to get under the hood and have someone move the controls to see if the clutch is engaging and the noise starts or if nothing changes on the compressor when you change the switches inside of a noise goes away. I would find it hard to believe that the compressor has been running.
I will not use the auto position because it uses a compressor way too much like all the time but that's only if the system has enough pressure to engage the switch.
Clutches do go bad also. So you can take the front should be a 10 mm or maybe 8 mm Bolt loose and slide the front of clutch off to inspect it.
Or better yet, and you have the front of the clutch off then start the car and go through the positions to see if you still hear the screeching. No way the clutch can engage and spin the actual compressor or even try to if that is off.
I just bought one that doesn't have the front on the compressor. I didn't find it laying in the glove box of the back so I'm not sure if it fell off which is possible but rare or if someone took it off because there's an obvious leak in one of the rubber crimp lines to the aluminum line. So maybe they just didn't want the compressor coming on and didn't know an easier way to disable it like pulling a pressure switch connector.