My A/C isn't working. I know the switch is shot 'cuz it only blows on high. However, now neither the condenser fan nor compressor kick on at all. It only blows hot air. I've searched the forum and followed the troubleshooting flowchart in the shop manual to no avail.

The fuses appear to be good, and the relays check out. I'm reading 6V on both the condenser fan and compressor. I've jumpered the white and blue/yellow terminals for the condenser fan, and the white and red wire terminals for the compressor. No luck on either.

Any suggestions? What should I check next?

Oh, and THANKS in advance. This board never fails me!!

 

Do you mean the blower motor only blows on setting #4? If so, the blower motor resistor is probably bad.

Do you mean 12V on both the compressor fan (blu/yel wire to ground) and the compressor (red wire to ground)?

Does the radiator fan turn on when you turn on the a/c?

 

Yep, I have a replacement resistor; just haven't had time to put it in yet.

It should be 12V, but last time I checked I was reading 6V, which is odd... I'll double check the voltage tomorrow. Dunno if it was a bad contact or what.

The radiator fan turns on, but the compressor fan doesn't.

 

You didn't mention whether this just started, or never worked. There is a sensor that will keep the AC off, if low freon. It may as simple as adding some R-134a. But if there is a leak, you'll be wasting your money. Check by pushing on a Shrader valve, looks like a bicycle stem; push it a little, should show pressure and a little freon will come out. If you think the freon is OK, then start looking for a blown fuse or relay.

I have hot wired (from the batt.) 12v to the compressor to test them. Sounds like Low Voltage is your problem. Let us know...

 

Use you voltmeter to test the voltage on the battery terminals to be sure that your volt meter is working properly.

 

AC worked fine until recently, with the exception of the blower motor resistor. I tried adding a can of freon since the AC stopped working with no luck. Haven't tried to hot wire it straight from the battery, though. Never hot wired anything before, so it'll be a first LOL

I wondered if the volt meter may not be working properly. I'll see if I have a spare, and I'll check it against a circuit I know to be good.

 

Hopefully, you didn't add too much.

To properly figure out if you are low on R134a, you need a manifold to read both the high and low side pressures. You also need a thermometer to measure the temperature at the vents.

Blindly adding R134a can overcharge the system and create a dangerous situation. The a/c system is under high pressure and adding to much R134a can cause a blowout.

I would not hot wire anything. Check that your volt meter is working properly.

If the red compressor wire gets 12V, then there is something up with the clutch, and you will have to test further.

If the condenser fan blu/yel wire has 12V, then the fan needs replaced. I had to replace it on my car.

 

Okay. Update. I finally found my Craftsman volt meter, and just tested the compressor and condenser fan... and I'm completely lost

On the compressor, the red and red/black wires show no voltage, the black/yellow shows 12V, and here's the odd thing - the white reads 5V.

On the condeser fan, the blue/yellow shows no voltage, the white/yellow and green show 12V, and again, the white reads 5V.

 

All sounds about right, except that both white wires read 5V. They should read 12V.

Both of those wires are protected by fuse #8 (7.5 amp under the driver's dash). See pic.

The fuse could be loose or the terminals corroded. Check that one of the two pins has 12V with the key in the II position.

 

I thought the white wire to the condensor fan got 12v through fuse 17 (30 amp). Should be hot at tall times. I just looked at the wire diagram from the spooner link. I think, means not sure, it is located in the underhood fuse block.