Aircon Warm Air!

My air conditioning constantly blows out warm air - even if I set it to the lowest temperature ("LO").

How can I get around this?

Many thanks

 

Unsure - I have some tests that I need to carry out for now, which have been provided to me by another very kind PriusChat member (John BritPrius).

They are as follows:

The electric radiator fans are difficult to see, but with the A/C operating at full cold they should be running. Listen by the front grill you should hear the fans running over the noise of the A/C compressor, or put your hand down between the engine and the radiators you should feel air movement from the rads towards the engine. (nothing to bite you down there)
While your there there is a metal pipe (about 1/2 inch dia aluminium) coming up from the compressor that joins a rubber pipe. (center front of the engine) Feel that pipe to see if it is cold.

When you turn the A/C off you should see some foaming of the liquid in the sight glass for a few seconds.

 

Hi John

I just found abit of time this evening to carry out your checks, and whilst I was getting the car ready for them - I noticed that a cable was loose, and so I thought that I should ask you about this before I turned the car on.

I tested the car alarm earlier but I don't think this is related to it.

There's a cable - looks like an earthing cable which I found wasn't attached to anything - had a loop on the end of it. Whilst I had the bonnet open - I took more photos of the car for you to see if everything else looks okay. There's alot of black tape everywhere but unsure if this is normal.

I'm attaching all of the pictures I took, including the cable and where it was coming from.

your thoughts, as always are welcome

thanks again

 

Okay - could you email me a contact number for you please?

So atleast we can discuss parts, last minute, if needed.

If it's safe for me to do the testing with this cable loose, I'll do it, but just confirm for me.

cheers

P.S. images 1 and 2 show the end of the cable and also where it comes from. It looked like it came direct from the engine. Unsure if the image highlights this well enough.

 

theres a big fan infront of the grill and this wasn't moving at all when i switched the aircon on

i couldnt get my hand down to the pipe either - it was too much of a tight fit for my forearms...

i'm alittle concerned - especially with that undone earthing cable

 

RE: the earthing cable - I spotted a local cab driver who had the same Prius as mine and so I approached him to see if I could look at where that cable is connected. It looked as though it went straight to a nut under the black plastic rim/covering towards the front grill of the car, under the bonnet, on the driver's side. So I got home, pulled that section up, spotted a small size 10 nut, un-did it and connected the earthing cable underneath that. I think this sorted it.

I then did another check on the air con and it seemed to blow a cool-ish breeze but still not really cold. I couldn't see any bubbles/froth, etc in that small glass that you mentioned.....and as far as fans go - I could only see the large one infront of the front grill and this wasn't moving.

Is it worth checking the air con coolant levels - if there's such a thing?

 

Good morning

I've just tested the aircon and it seems to be blowing out cool air! Yipeee!



I think it was to do with that earthing cable. Since screwing it to a bolt, the aircon now seems to be working fine. I tested it only for about 30 seconds and it seemed to blow out cool air. That silver pipe that you referred too was also very cold. I removed the black cover near the front grill and I still couldn't see those 2 fans but I guess it all works so all is well. That round glass also seemed to have abit of wetness and small bubble condensation on the actual round glass.

I think it's mission accomplished on this for now

I will now be inspecting any more loose cabling on the car just to make sure everything is as it should be. There's alot of black tape on cables and some bits I am unsure of, so i will post some pictures in a new thread, as and when I come across any areas that I am unsure of.

thanks again

 

Ah! Warm air again!

I left it running for a while and it started blowing warm air again!

Could somebody post a picture of where the aircon fans are please? Struggling to spot them

Thanks

 

Ok thanks John, take your time.

I tried calling a few minutes ago but couldn't connect.

I just can't see anything except the main fan infront of the grill. I can hear a sound coming from near where that silver hybrid synergy drive box is, whilst the aircon is on.

I'll see if I can do that driving test. Only problem in this area is that as soon as I leave my parking space, I'll probably lose it and then struggle to get my car parked up near my house again for today, and so I'll try this driving aircon test over the weekend.

Thanks again John

 

thank you for the airbag plugs John.

You're my hero


right - okay - well the inverter is all that I can hear when the aircon is on.....the fans must be asleep. I just can't see them no matter how hard I look underneath that front black cover. I've been googling around and I can't see any images with the fans in them.


Oh by the way - as you're on Pay As You Go, feel free to just leave me a missed call and I would call you straight back. I tried calling earlier but couldn't connect. I had the bonnet up and thought maybe you could talk me through where the fans were, whilst infront of the car.


thanks again

 

damn you're so clever!

yep, you were right - it's the fans that are playing up. I went for a quick local spin and the aircon worked well, and so I'm assuming the air through the radiator enabled the fans to work and off they went!

What's the next step Captain?