I have an '07 TL-S, now that is getting warm I noticed the AC is not working at all. It seems the compressor is not kicking on.
I have checked all of the fuses (as recommended by owners manual) under the dashboard and they are all good. Under the hood too, the fuses were all good.
There are 2 non-standard fuses under the hood that I believe to be for the AC.
The schematic on the fuse box cover depicts a snow flake in the location where these fuses are found? Could one or both of these fuses be for the compressor?It is not possible to visibly determine if these fuses are blown.
I dont believe this is a refrigerant issue as the AC blew ice cycles last season.
Does anybody have any suggestions?

 

Welcome to the site Kenny!

Maybe one of the hoses got damaged and the refrigerant leaked out? If I were you, I would take it to my dealer, pay 80 bucks for a diagnostic so that they tell me exactly what's wrong, and repair it myself.

Obviously you have already checked the easy stuff and it sounds like you are pretty handy! Have a read on these items and perhaps you can eliminate a few other possibilities, or even uncover the root cause!

http://www.wikihow.com/Fix-Your-Car%27s-Air-Conditioner

http://www.wikihow.com/Diagnose-a-No...oning-in-a-Car

 

Welcome bro. I suggest you save yourself allot of time trying to figure this out, and simply take it to a decent garage for an A/C diagnostic-charge. You can find coupons for this that are cheap. 95% of the time when the compressor doesn't run, the system is just a bit short on R32 refrigerant.

 

^ this. If there isn't enough pressure, the sensor won't allow the system to run. Some instant oil change places do this, and Autozone near my town used to actually help people Check and install refrigerant.

When adding refrigerant, A/C Mode should be on with fan on high, and actually once the systems starts drawing in the R134A; you should hear the A/C clutch kick on.

 

systems are not designed to be "a bit short on charge" one must have a huge leak for the sensor not to engage the compressor. I hope youre not the type of people who assumes it just needs a light charge, things will get expansive and isnt good for the environement.

op- check the relays located in the under hood fuse box. try tapping them. usually they tend to stick open.
if that doesnt work, (on a cold morning, place your hand on the compressor clutch and spin it acouple turns both clock/counterclock wise. if it doesnt bind your compressor is locked up.
on second thought, that these all may seem a bit to much. all depends on how well inclinded you are and if you even want to use your time like this.
good luck and keep us updated

 

eg5; It's actually more common than you think. The O-Rings/Seals in every A/C system gets worn out and therefore some freon leaks. Obviously, this is no bueno. I live in Boston and haven't used my A/C for 6 months or more? Technically speaking, this is enough time for whatever charge the system does have to seep out, or at least enough for enough to leak out and cause it to not trigger the A/C clutch. Keep in mind that not everyone recharges/inspects their system very often at all.

To follow up on what you said though, OP: the same places I mentioned in my above post offer products or services that can check for leaks & like dannyz mentioned,the shop will/should check a/c system pressure before doing anything. Relays are also a good place to check, although that method isn't always fool proof. Relays may "CLICK" but not make the required contact the component needs to function.
Good luck man!

 

Hmmm, really... So why is there a billion-dollar industry dedicated to recharging auto air conditioning systems that are "a bit short on charge?"

Cars A/C systems are recharged by the millions each year in the US. I hope you're not one of those people who assumes you know anything about this topic...

 

I put a can of 134a refrigerant in it and the compressor kicked on after about half of the can was added. It took the whole can. Its blowing ice cycles! I guess now I will wait a cpl days and put the gage to it and see if and how fast its leaking?

 

True!

Not True. It is a closed system and designed not to leak any gas, similar to a refrigerator or home A/C unit, so can’t imagine every car needing a charge every 6 months. Only problem where leaks become a concern is when the R-12 systems were converted to use the R134 and the gas would seep out of the hoses as they were not constructed to retain the R134 gas as the molecules are smaller.

The only time a system needs to be charged or topped off is when there is a leak. One of our cars in 24 years old and has never needed any gas, still as new.

By the way, Freon is a DuPont trademark, not a catchall for refrigerant.

 

I'm not sure what you're getting at because you're contradicting yourself.Also, My car is a 2004. 9 years old and driven thru and thru New England winters.As is many of the members of the 3G TL forum. Maybe I should have explained further. What i meant to say was, If i had "recharged" my A/C system last summer, by now; if any leak was present,the system would have had enough time to leak out any Refrigerant.
Hope this clarified for OP and any other forum member:

Bottom line OP; it IS possible for your 3G TL to have a leak in the A/C System given the age. But, glad you have it worked out with a recharge! Definitely check for Leaks!

 

Don't know how I'm contradicting myself as I believe I made it clear that an A/C system is sealed and should never need refrigerant unless there is a leak.
I do agree that if there were a leak and the system was topped off without correcting the problem, the system will need additional refrigerant in the future. Time wise it would be dependent on the size of the leak, but something like an evap rotted out, it will leak immediately.

Hope this clear it up.