A/C freeze up?

[ECappleman]

On the way home on a 4 hour trip my A/C froze up. Turned the compressor off and it cleared up fairly quickly.

It was 88 degrees out, and I did have max cold on and rec. air on. But it has never done it before.

Is this normal or is a sensor going out?



Thanks.

 

[JApol]

have the freon serviced, that will clear your problem

 

[ECappleman]

have the freon serviced, that will clear your problem

What does that do?

I thought freon was the coolant. Does it get contaminated?

 

[JApol]

It doesn't get contaminated it just leaks out over time. Have it topped off and your a/c will start working right again

 

[Spooled-up]

I've had the same problem with mine. On a long road trip where you run the AC constantly, mine will ice up and stop blowing cold air. Turning it off for a while clears out the ice and it works fine after that. I'd rather it be like this than not cold enough.



I don't think you need your freon serviced if it's still blowing cold air after the ice clears.

 

[JApol]

The last apartment I lived had a freon leak in the a/c. It turned the coils inside the house into 3" of SOLID ice. Once the ice cleared it would blow REAL cold for about a day or two then freezon over again. Once the freon got serviced it worked like normal. I had the same thing happen on a previos truck, serviced the freon and again worked like it was supposed to.

 

[flyairam]

My 12 valve had this same problem. It was the high pressure switch on the evaporator. It failed closed, making the a/c compressor run all the time. This same switch has a low pressure side too, in order to protect the compressor if the refrigerant gets too low (the oil is in the refrigerant).



On that '94 truck the switch was mounted on the evaporator line just before it entered the cab. It was easy to get to and is made so that the system does not have to be "opened" to replace the switch. Unscrew old, screw on new.



I hope your '03 is the same design.



Randy

 

[DPKetchum]

Low charge. Many threads and posts on the subject.

 

[ECappleman]

Ok, did a search.

I will have a buddy of mine recharge the system.



Why does it blow so much harder on the drivers side two vents, than all the passanger vents. Is this normal?



Thanks

 

[ECappleman]

Back to the top

 

[Turbo1Ton]

Ok, did a search.

I will have a buddy of mine recharge the system.



Why does it blow so much harder on the drivers side two vents, than all the passanger vents. Is this normal?



Thanks

I have recently noticed this too. Anyone have any good information about this?



Jeff

 

[Jeremiah]

A/C freeze-up

These are common problems w/03s that have been discussed before on the forum. My dealer fixed it No Charge under warranty.

 

[ECappleman]

These are common problems w/03s that have been discussed before on the forum. My dealer fixed it No Charge under warranty.

I did several searches and read about the freeze up or cold issues, but not the difference in air volume.

 

[Jeremiah]

I did several searches and read about the freeze up or cold issues, but not the difference in air volume.

Personal experience: the volume of air blowing in the truck decreases significantly when the a/c freezes up. Turn off the a/c (snowflake button) and leave the blower on. In a few minutes the air will begin blowing again, first cold and then whatever the OAT is. Push the snowflake again and it will begin cooling for awhile before freezing up again. Pain in the butt.

 

[sled4fun]

Your problem is more than likely related to a failed compressor cycling switch or thermostatic switch which has a probe that contacts the evaporator fins. It is not properly cutting off the compressor when it senses that the evaporator is getting too cold. This is why it freezes up into a block of ice and air cannot flow through ice. Once you turn it off manually the ice melts (a lot of water drips from your firewall area onto the ground) and once you turn the a/c back on it works fine again until it freezes again. I doubt you have a low refrigerant condition or it would never get cold enough to freeze (unless you had very cool ambient air temps in a. m. ) I advise having a shop look at the thermostatic switch circuit for your problem.



Another thing is that our trucks use R134a refrigerant. Freon is a trade name by Dupont for R12 refrigerant. Most all cars and trucks from 1993/94 and up use the new R134a refrigerant and not R12 (Freon) Just a note to those that say you are low on freon.

 

[ECappleman]

Ok, Thanks.



But what about the difference in air volume from the passenger side to the driver's side? This happens as soon as you turn it on.

Not alot, but noticeable.

 

[DPKetchum]

Low charge can and will freeze. The fin temp is the switch controling this on 3rd generations. STAR issued a memo on all of the above issues. The LOW CHARGE first starts showing as pass. side not cooling as well and freezing after extended hiway driving with no air coming through any vents. Lots of threads and posts every summer since 03 on the subject. I have been on the road in the midwest and experianced this NUMEROUS times until I stopped and got system evacuated and recharged. Then here at home got the fin temp sensor relocated as per Star.

 

[Jeremiah]

Precisely!

Your problem is more than likely related to a failed compressor cycling switch or thermostatic switch which has a probe that contacts the evaporator fins. It is not properly cutting off the compressor when it senses that the evaporator is getting too cold. This is why it freezes up into a block of ice and air cannot flow through ice. Once you turn it off manually the ice melts (a lot of water drips from your firewall area onto the ground) and once you turn the a/c back on it works fine again until it freezes again. I doubt you have a low refrigerant condition or it would never get cold enough to freeze (unless you had very cool ambient air temps in a. m. ) I advise having a shop look at the thermostatic switch circuit for your problem.



Another thing is that our trucks use R134a refrigerant. Freon is a trade name by Dupont for R12 refrigerant. Most all cars and trucks from 1993/94 and up use the new R134a refrigerant and not R12 (Freon) Just a note to those that say you are low on freon.

Sled4fun, that is precisely what the dealer told me about my truck. Thanks for that because I'd forgotten. That's also probably why he fixed it under warranty. That ought to fix up the guy who's having problems! Or at least he will come off at the dealer like he knows what he's talking about.

 

[ECappleman]

What about the air?

 

[Patriot_RAM]

Mine worked fine for a while, but last summer it froze up a couple times -- both times on long trips. One time the outside temps were about 100 degrees. That sucked because I didn't know what was wrong at the time.



Now, it happens any time I drive with the a/c on for more than an hour or so, especially when it's humid outside. Looks like I might need to go see the dealer.