HELP! V8i Air Con Problems (turns off and on randomly...more off than on)

**mosman-disco** · 5th March 2011, 07:07 PM

I posted a while back about my air con troubles, after taking to a specialist and getting the compressor replaced (due to a leak) it fixed the air con not getting cold issue. Now there's another issue, it's hard to describe because there doesn't seem to be any 'trigger', the air con can be on a few seconds and then it'll just shut down, on for 10 mins and it'll shut down or sometimes more/less. To get it started again it may take just flicking the switch to off and then on again or it may take doing that several times.

Sometimes it starts working again if i switch to just recirculated (non air con) air and then back to air con but it generally takes switching off the unit altogether and then flicking back on several times.

It's looking like it's getting more touchy/worse as well.

I thought it was something to do with the engine thermostat because the temp reading was always low or really high and i read that can effect the air con. I replaced that today and now the temp guage goes to the middle nice and quickly and the air con is actually very noticably colder (even if it only turns on for a brief time)

I'm going to need to take it to a air con specialist i think, but would really appreciate if anyone has any tips, tricks or ideas of what could be going on!

Thanks once again all

PS. It's a 1993 Dicso 1 V8i

**Blknight.aus** · 5th March 2011, 07:31 PM

sounds like it may be the switch or the control module on the way out..

**trobbo** · 9th March 2011, 04:10 PM

another vote for a dodgy fan switch on the dash.

My air con used to switch itself off if I had it blowing on full (4). Wiggle the fan switch around a bit or put it onto 3 and it would work again.

**Wongdai** · 9th March 2011, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by trobbo

My air con used to switch itself off if I had it blowing on full (4). Wiggle the fan switch around a bit or put it onto 3 and it would work again.

Mine does exactly this also.

**bee utey** · 9th March 2011, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by Wongdai

Mine does exactly this also.

Falling apart switches, been there, done that. Remove, open up, clean contacts, reassemble. Do this before the switch melts and lets all the smoke out.

It'sNotWorthComplaining! · 9th March 2011, 07:28 PM

if it's not the switch, when mine stopped and it was the switch it would restart buy lightly tapping the switch and it came on ,indicating a dicky switch.
If you find it's not the switch, then remove the drivers kick panel. there are 2 relays ,ones for the compressor clutch and the other is the aircon logic relay, they are not easily visible , as they are on the second bank of relays. replace them with a known working relay.
What happened t mine was the relay contacts arc and build up a black burn mark on the contacts, the4n they eventually loose contact, this was the cause of my long time trying to solve problem.

**mosman-disco** · 10th March 2011, 12:59 PM

Awesome, thanks everyone for your input, i know what i'll be doing on the weekend.

I had a mechanic friend say it could be the resistor? but i don't know anything about that.

Will give your suggestions a try, thanks again.

**mosman-disco** · 14th March 2011, 04:05 PM

Just further to your post below, it's now completely not working when i switch to A/C or the one next to A/C, but works perfectly at all speed settings if i flick to the one with the white arrows (third from the left). So it think you could be right with your suggestion below. I've ordered a replacement relay that will hopefully do the trick as i gave up trying to get into clean the switches. It looks as though i'd need to remove the centre console, dash etc etc...

Will keep you all posted.

Originally Posted by It'sNotWorthComplaining!

if it's not the switch, when mine stopped and it was the switch it would restart buy lightly tapping the switch and it came on ,indicating a dicky switch.
If you find it's not the switch, then remove the drivers kick panel. there are 2 relays ,ones for the compressor clutch and the other is the aircon logic relay, they are not easily visible , as they are on the second bank of relays. replace them with a known working relay.
What happened t mine was the relay contacts arc and build up a black burn mark on the contacts, the4n they eventually loose contact, this was the cause of my long time trying to solve problem.

It'sNotWorthComplaining! · 20th March 2011, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by mosman-disco

Just further to your post below, it's now completely not working when i switch to A/C or the one next to A/C, but works perfectly at all speed settings if i flick to the one with the white arrows (third from the left). So it think you could be right with your suggestion below. I've ordered a replacement relay that will hopefully do the trick as i gave up trying to get into clean the switches. It looks as though i'd need to remove the centre console, dash etc etc...

Will keep you all posted.

There is no need to order the relays, they are common at any auto shop, repco, bursons, SCA, etc.

**Wongdai** · 28th March 2011, 02:41 PM

Right, mine gave up the ghost almost entirely on the weekend also. Very difficult to get the aircon to come at all.

So confirming, this is what I need to do: (???)

Remove A/c switch, clean, replace.
Remove fan switch, clean, replace.
If the above two items don't fix it, find the A/c relay, and replace with one from an auto shop

Have I got this correct?

Wongdai

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