Soooo my A/C was last charged in 2010 when the condenser and pipes were replaced. For the past couple of months, the compressor kicks on and off quite a lot.

I've noticed that late at night with outside ambient temperatures at 76F, the compressor would run for about 5-10 seconds, stop for another 5 seconds, and kick back on while idling. It would do so less when moving. It does blow cold, but not as cold as it once did.

Should I go to Autozone and buy a recharge kit, go get it looked at elsewhere for other problems, or what?

I have an 07 Honda Accord LX 4 cylinder if that matters...

Any advice is appreciated.

 

sounds like the charge is low which means you have a leak somewhere. since you had work done a couple of years ago, i'd go back to that shop and have them check it (not that any warranty will apply) ***** nilly dumping freon in is never a good idea without a complete diagnosis of the problem...my .02

 

Have the pressures tested on the high and low side. If you go to the common diy thread on top of the gen tech help forum, there is a link to checking HVAC codes for the 03-07 accords. Maybe this will help identify a problem.

 

Thanks for the input y'all.

Question, would it be bad for me to try and refill it on my own? I'm tempted to buy the kit with the gauge.

The reason I would consider trying this option is to spend only $30 rather than $150 or so.

 

it's been my experience that when DIY'ers get tempted they usually pay twice to get the job done right once. overfilling these systems can cause damage and more money down the road.

 

For a 07 I would take it to a shop, specially if your in a warmer climate and really want air conditioning.

I have charged mine there is nothing complex about it but I don't trust the gauges and feel I'm blindly doing it. But I only added a can on a empty system so I could not overfill it with that amount. I also did it when my car was 12 years old and figured if it works it works if I break something who cares. It worked for a couple years after that then the compressor clutch got messed up ( again ).

 

The gauge on the can only reads the low side pressure and it is not too accurate. So you could be blindly adding R134a to a system that is fully charged.

Some auto parts stores may have a manifold as a loaner tool that you could use. I can't hurt to call and ask.

Harbor Freight sell an a/c manifold for ~$60, and it may be on sale.

Either way, you should read the high and low side pressures and compare them to what honda recommends.

If the system is low on charge, then you should find the leak. An a/c system should not leak after two years of being repaired.

 

Should I go to Honda to have this done?

I contacted two mechanics about recharging the system. One shop wants $55 which is $15 more than a kit to do it myself. Another wants $108.

Any recommendations on how to find which place to seek and what to ask them to do? I'm new to this area (Miami) and don't have contacts here to find a good shop. I'm very much concerned with being stiffed.

 

Does your car have climate control?

 

No climate control. Just the one blue to red ****...