air conditioning problems 2004 2500

[kingkicker]

I have had my truck into the dealer several times about my a. c. blowing cool air, not cold. It also blows quite a bit warmer on the passenger side. Sometimes you can hear the fan blowing and nothing comes out of the vents. This happened this past weekend going from Phoenix to San Diego and back. The last time the dealer checked on this he said he could not find any problems. The dealer is trying to tell me that it is normal for the air conditioning to blow up to 12 degrees warmer on the passenger side compared to the drivers side. I have never heard of such a thing. I have another appt. on wed. to let them look at it again. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Ken

 

[Hercules130]

Do a search, i think this is a common problem, there is a temp. differential allowed, but i'm not sure what it was. i think a few guys had to have a temp sensor replaced.

 

[Axekicker]

Had the same problem on my 2004. 5 so I ran it down to my favorite auto a/c shop and they put it on "the machine"... The "high" side went to 500psi and was still rising when we shut it down (yeow!!!). His diagnosis... air in the system. He evacuated the system and put in new refrigerant. Noticed an immediate improvement. I used my non-contact temp-gun (I'm a building inspector and use one regularly to check home and commercial bldg. A/C temp-drops) and checked before-and-after temps. I went from 64-deg. to 47-degrees. Then he showed me a product that "advertises" itself as a "performance" enhancement for auto A/C systems and claimed an additional 10 degree temp-drop when installed. A bit spendy (about $59 for the can as I recall) but I had him put it in while I kept the temp-gun riveted on the dash A/C outlet farthest to the left. I watched the temps drop again... from 47 degrees to 39 degrees. I had this done in July when our average mid-day temps ran 119 degrees and I can tell you it made ALL-THE-DIFFERENCE. As an inspector who's in-and-out of my vehicle all day long... it really improved the in-cab comfort-factor.

 

[Tomeygun]

Had the same problem on my 2004. 5 so I ran it down to my favorite auto a/c shop and they put it on "the machine"... The "high" side went to 500psi and was still rising when we shut it down (yeow!!!). His diagnosis... air in the system. He evacuated the system and put in new refrigerant. Noticed an immediate improvement. I used my non-contact temp-gun (I'm a building inspector and use one regularly to check home and commercial bldg. A/C temp-drops) and checked before-and-after temps. I went from 64-deg. to 47-degrees. Then he showed me a product that "advertises" itself as a "performance" enhancement for auto A/C systems and claimed an additional 10 degree temp-drop when installed. A bit spendy (about $59 for the can as I recall) but I had him put it in while I kept the temp-gun riveted on the dash A/C outlet farthest to the left. I watched the temps drop again... from 47 degrees to 39 degrees. I had this done in July when our average mid-day temps ran 119 degrees and I can tell you it made ALL-THE-DIFFERENCE. As an inspector who's in-and-out of my vehicle all day long... it really improved the in-cab comfort-factor.

Me likey 39 degrees - Whats that "stuff" called???

 

[Axekicker]

I was just lookin' for the flyer and... can't find it. I'll scare up another copy at the office tomorrow and post it when I get home tomorrow night. I think it's similar to this stuff... http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/spinoff1999/ch3.htm



Stay tuned...

 

[MMeier]

Kingkicker, are you sure the evaporator just ain't freezing up on you in humid conditions?? Mine will do that any time the humidity gets above say 35-40% and I have the control in the normal mode, not the 2 max settings. It will also blow some steam out the vents too when this occurs, if I do not want the max A/C going I have to shut off the A/C till the ice melts off the evaporator. Able to tell this when the vents are flowing air correctly again.

 

[DPKetchum]

These systems SHOULD NOT freeze up no matter the humidity or settings. They have TWO problems. Main one is if even a little low on 134a the pass sides DON"T cool. I mean just a few ounces low. They also hae been replacing the fin temp sensors and relocating it to the further end corner of the evaporator case.

 

[Axekicker]

Ice 32

Me likey 39 degrees - Whats that "stuff" called???

Ok... I got it. It's "Ice32". Go to www.ice32.com and read up on it. All I can say is "it works for me". Man... does it ever!

 

[Task125]

My a/c sucks too,I run it on my 2 hour trips to PA and after an hour it stops blowing cold air. sounds like it is blocked off some where. going to the dealer next week can't wait to hear the BS about how it is fine. and my favorite letters CND. could not duplicate. :{

 

[DPKetchum]

Its freezing up same as the rest. Charge needs to be perferct and THEY need to call STAR on the skinny on FIN TEMP SENSOR.

 

[Crunch]

Its freezing up same as the rest. Charge needs to be perferct and THEY need to call STAR on the skinny on FIN TEMP SENSOR.

Hey DP, a couple of weeks ago you mentioned a procedure or product for cleaning and disinefecting the AC ducts. What is that, and is it something a dealer has to do? A friend of mine was talking about a product he saw on the news. You stick a hose down the dash side of a vent and fill the system with something that foams up, then drains out the drain hole.

 

[DPKetchum]

Theres a TSB out there on the procedure. Some D. C. parts dept carry the stuff or it can be ordered. Its a spray/tubethats inserted I think up the Ac drain. TSB explains about turning HEAT on high for so long,inserting tube/spraying/let run on high heat etc. I may have the order of stuff wrong but in essence its how it works. I use to sell that procedure customer pay a fair amount. Lots of WALLY wagons wih gals covered in fu fu juice and smokers/trash/rotton leaf parts etc. ,run system on recir all the time and systems smell RANK. The product worked and hung in there a while. Its a GENERAL D. C. TSB on heater/ac box odors. I would think anyone could follow the instructions. Nothing difficult about it. Product worked good. Bet most ALL manufactures have the same sorta thing product and procedure wise. Would NEED a dealer personal to look up TSB and print it and you could order product through parts etc.

 

[Elite1]

These systems SHOULD NOT freeze up no matter the humidity or settings. They have TWO problems. Main one is if even a little low on 134a the pass sides DON"T cool. I mean just a few ounces low. They also hae been replacing the fin temp sensors and relocating it to the further end corner of the evaporator case.

DPK, is there a TSB on this? Or is a star deal? I have my truck in for this problem and they can't duplicate it and can't find a TSB.

 

[radar doctor]

thanks for all the info. i'll check mine, im courious????

 

[DPKetchum]

No TSB but STAR is AWARE and will even tell the tech where to locate the fin temp sensor. If LOTS of these techs would make a LITTLE phone call on lots of these Could not duplicates they might actually repair something now and then. Thats what STAR is FOR. I use to have to FORCE techs to call them or I'd call and when I found out the skinny on a problem get the tech on the line with them. after a while I had techs coming to be saying I'm busy,can't find or duplicate this would you give THEM(Star)a call.

 

[BHanna]

Sounds like a low refrigerant problem to me. I had to take mine in with about 20K miles on it and the same problem. Apparently mine had a leaking schrader valve. They had it fixed and recharged in a couple hours. Even in 110 degree Las Vegas I have nice cool air so you must have something wrong.

 

[electraglide01]

Man I am glad I looked here. I have exactly the same problem on my 04. 5 2500 4x4.



Air blows pretty cool on the drivers side and much warmer (I'd guess 10 or 12 degrees) on the passenger side. Takes forever to cool off, if at all, in the South Texas heat! Darn thing just acts like it is a little low on 134, compressor cycles freq at idle. Thought the temp difference was just a stuck door or something.



My local dealer told me yesterday that I needed a new evaporator and this was a fairly common problem. I think we need to have another talk... ... That $1000. 00 ya'll probably just saved me ought to cover my TDR Membership for a while!!!!!!!!!!!!



Many Thanks!!!!!!!!

 

[Elite1]

No TSB but STAR is AWARE and will even tell the tech where to locate the fin temp sensor. If LOTS of these techs would make a LITTLE phone call on lots of these Could not duplicates they might actually repair something now and then. Thats what STAR is FOR. I use to have to FORCE techs to call them or I'd call and when I found out the skinny on a problem get the tech on the line with them. after a while I had techs coming to be saying I'm busy,can't find or duplicate this would you give THEM(Star)a call.

DPK, OK, the tech or service writer called Star & described what was happening... star told them to replace the sensor and to recharge the system.

OK are you ready for this..... cost, just over 1000. $$$ ! I said OK, no problem I have the extended warranty, which should cover this. I get a call back 2 hours later and the service writer says the extended warranty doesn't cover the sensor... I pull out my contract and every A/C part you can think of is included in the warranty except for the word sensor, I called the 3rd party warranty company and tried to figure out a way around this, but they won't budge plus they told me the sensor is only a $24. part. what is the refrigerant another 20 bucks or so? What is this dealer trying to pull, charging me over 950. just for labor??? :-{}

Any suggestions??? How hard is it to change the sensor myself?

 

[DPKetchum]

Labor is 5. 0 or less. Warranty probably pays in the 3. 5 range. It does NOT require evaporator removal. Dash has to be loosened and pulled back on the pass side to get access. Tech that did mine did TWO same day as well as some other MINOR repairs to both trucks. In fact he did the sensor,finished installing my Westach boost/egt combo gauge,changed the fliud in the nv5600 and transfer case and started and almost finished another fin tem on another diesel. Fair customer pay labor is WARRANTY flat rate TIMES a 120%. Thats CHILTON flat rate on every op in a CHILTON or MOTORS flat rate manual. I bet warranty pays 2. 8 to 3. 3 on a fin temp R&R. Have a SIT DOWN with the SERVICE MANAGER. That what HE"S there for. OR cal D. C. and opena file/claim which will pop out to HIM on his daily D. C. transactions. Ask D. C. for ASSISTANCE on a KNOWN problem. Start with you pay PARTS ask D. C. to help or pay for labor! The SERVICE manager at the dealer CAN do this on his own(usually,unless they screw up a lot)or by calling D. C. he just has MORE paper work to do!

 

[Task125]

My a/c sucks too,I run it on my 2 hour trips to PA and after an hour it stops blowing cold air. sounds like it is blocked off some where. going to the dealer next week can't wait to hear the BS about how it is fine. and my favorite letters CND. could not duplicate. :{

just got back from dealer,said that they could not duplicate my ac shutting off,I said of course not you did not run it for an hour.

and as far as my ducts not opening when you switch from defroster to vents they don't know what that is,said they will call dc,so nothing was fixed.