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AC not working but Freon level full ¿

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Ed.R, Sep 12, 2015.

  1. Ed.R

    Ed.R New Member

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    First time poster !

    I have a 2010 with 96K miles. My wife drove the car to work and the AC was fine. Drove home, the AC was blowing warm air. I checked the Freon "sight window" and it was clear and full. (I tested it to make sure it wasn't empty it was so clear)

    The real issue is the windows are steaming up so we had to park the car. So my next question is should I pay the $150 fee the dealer wants to charge so he can "pay his tech to look at my car" or is there something else I can check on my own. He already warned that the repair fee can be over $1500. I'm not really into car repairs and I have never owned a Prius and I know these need special attention. I'm also afraid to bring it to those "free" AC check places. We don't have many Prius owners out here near the Motor City so we don't have many trained repair techs. Our Grand Blanc dealership is never any help and the people are somewhat condescending since they are a BMW/Mercedes dealership too..

    Ed
     
    #1 Ed.R, Sep 12, 2015
  2. Beachbummm

    Beachbummm Senior Member

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    is the compressor kicking on? check the cabin filter , if its like the gen 2's its behind the glove box..is the fan working on all speeds?
     
    #2 Beachbummm, Sep 12, 2015
  3. Ed.R

    Ed.R New Member

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    To tell you the truth I cant tell if if the compressor is kicking in ..where is it even. I don't hear the normal clicking like a standard car does.. The fan works just fine on all settings... I will check the cabin filter now. I didn't think that would effect the AC.

    Edit .. I found its location on google ..lower front right side ...I dont hear the normal clicking but since these are not belt driven do they still make that noise ?? how else would you know if its kicking in??

    The cabin filter is good. Come to think of it I had the dealer replace that a few oil changes back.
    I dont see any front end damage to the condenser.. when I tap the sight glass I can tell there is freon in the line..

    We'll, I just figured out I can run the AC without starting the car fully !! while doing this I can tell for sure the compressor isn't making any noises .. That cant be a good sign !!
     
    #3 Ed.R, Sep 12, 2015
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2015
  4. AzWxGuy

    AzWxGuy Weather Guy

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    What could be steaming up the windows?? With the A/C on, are your radiator fans cycling on and off while the car is in "Ready"? I hope you can find a reputable Toyota service center.
     
    #4 AzWxGuy, Sep 12, 2015
  5. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    The A/C system does report trouble codes to tell you what might be wrong with the system. I am not sure how you ask for them in Gen 3 (probably some easter-eggy way of tapping on the dash display), but if you don't find it in the forums here you will surely find it in the diagnostics volume of your service manual on techinfo.toyota.com.

    From what I'm reading, it doesn't sound like you've read out those codes yet. Other speculation may be premature....

    -Chap
     
    #5 ChapmanF, Sep 12, 2015
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    How did you test it? Pressure test somehow? I know any time I've looked at a sight glass, there'll be a few stray bubbles whizzing by. And when the compressor stops there's surge of bubbles. If it's dead clear, all the time, I do not know.
     
    #6 Mendel Leisk, Sep 12, 2015
  7. Ed.R

    Ed.R New Member

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    No, I didn't know there was a area to check for codes or a service manual even. I will check out your link for sure. I really only drove this car a few times. I know nothing about it over all . It took me a few minutes to figure out I can run the AC without the car running !!

    as far as my "test" Im using that term very loosely ! if you know what I mean ..
     
    #7 Ed.R, Sep 12, 2015
  8. Beachbummm

    Beachbummm Senior Member

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    find your ac relay in the fuse box and tap it with something, might be stuck in the open position, when the ac kicks in it sounds like a jet turbine..the ac is the biggest draw of power on the battery so it could be the first sign of your pack going bad, has your MPG dropped?
     
    #8 Beachbummm, Sep 12, 2015
  9. AzWxGuy

    AzWxGuy Weather Guy

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    You might want to check out my recent troubles with the A/C system. Included in the thread is the "chicken dance" keystrokes that should display a code and help you narrow down the problem. If it turns out to be compressor lock (one of four symptoms of code 76), I was quoted a new replacement compressor price of $1800 plus labor. In the same breath my service writer suggested a used part, got on the phone, and immediately found a replacement from a 2011 Prius with 47K on the odometer. Price with shipping $650. Excellent, I said.
     
    #9 AzWxGuy, Sep 12, 2015
  10. OMAR SAYEED

    OMAR SAYEED Junior Member

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    bleed some of the coolant out. you might have put too much in.

    edit: replaced freon with coolant.
     
    #10 OMAR SAYEED, Sep 30, 2015
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