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YACT: am i fscked?

Z

Zugzwang152

Lifer
'96 honda civic lx...

my air conditioner has 5 settings: off, and 1-4. the AC doesn't turn on when moved to 1 or 2, but blows at the correct speed at 3-4. 😕

i've heard AC repairs cost some major $$$$. am i fscked?
 
It does cost money..

You also might have the old type. which means you have to convert..

Drive with your windows open.

Problem solved..
 
Apparently this is probably caused by a faulty solenoid or some such. What this means in real terms is a fairly cheap part and a fairly easy replacement...that assumes I've diagnosed it properly, and that diagnosis is in line with something roger mentioned over a year ago.
 
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Apparently this is probably caused by a faulty solenoid or some such. What this means in real terms is a fairly cheap part and a fairly easy replacement...that assumes I've diagnosed it properly, and that diagnosis is in line with something roger mentioned over a year ago.
Click to expand...

what's a solenoid 😕
 
Originally posted by: dnuggett
Lets see..... yep.


Who the F knows? Go take the POS to a mechanic if you want the right answer.
Click to expand...

i want opinions from knowledgable (obviously not you) ATOT members before paying a mechanic to tell me the same thing. :roll:
 
Originally posted by: Zugzwang152
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Apparently this is probably caused by a faulty solenoid or some such. What this means in real terms is a fairly cheap part and a fairly easy replacement...that assumes I've diagnosed it properly, and that diagnosis is in line with something roger mentioned over a year ago.
Click to expand...

what's a solenoid 😕
Click to expand...
A solenoid is something that uses an electric current to make a magnet, which in turn can move switches back and forth (I read howstuffworks.com). From what I recall in this situation there should be a box which hooks up to your fans to determine which settings go on and off. If what you said was true, your AC is perfectly fine. It's not the problem--your car's fan system is, with the AC compressor working properly.
 
This just happened to my Jeep. It was a little set of resistors that had given out. At high blower speed, the resistors are bypassed as they only slow down the fan.
 
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Originally posted by: Zugzwang152
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Apparently this is probably caused by a faulty solenoid or some such. What this means in real terms is a fairly cheap part and a fairly easy replacement...that assumes I've diagnosed it properly, and that diagnosis is in line with something roger mentioned over a year ago.
Click to expand...

what's a solenoid 😕
Click to expand...
A solenoid is something that uses an electric current to make a magnet, which in turn can move switches back and forth (I read howstuffworks.com). From what I recall in this situation there should be a box which hooks up to your fans to determine which settings go on and off. If what you said was true, your AC is perfectly fine. It's not the problem--your car's fan system is, with the AC compressor working properly.
Click to expand...

sweet. thanks. :thumbsup:
 
Originally posted by: Zugzwang152
'96 honda civic lx...

my air conditioner has 5 settings: off, and 1-4. the AC doesn't turn on when moved to 1 or 2, but blows at the correct speed at 3-4. 😕

i've heard AC repairs cost some major $$$$. am i fscked?
Click to expand...

Replace your fan, not the compressor...
Does your car seem slugish when the AC is turned on at speed 1? It should as the compressor takes horsepower to turn...

Get going down the road at about 50MPH and crank on the AC, if your car kind of jerks or slugs up for a second, you are engaging your AC...your fan needs replaced...

If you car never changes, your compressor clutch maybe slipping or not engaging at all...I dunno

If it blows cold air at higher speeds, but not at 1/2, then the compressor isn't at fault, check the fan blower and replace as necessary...
 
Originally posted by: Zugzwang152
'96 honda civic lx...

my air conditioner has 5 settings: off, and 1-4. the AC doesn't turn on when moved to 1 or 2, but blows at the correct speed at 3-4. 😕

i've heard AC repairs cost some major $$$$. am i fscked?
Click to expand...

Same thing happened to my mom's van a couple years back. A/C wouldn't blow at any speed except high. Turned out to be a bad blower motor switch. Not hard to fix, and wasn't too expensive either.

Good luck.
 
Amusingly enough, this exact same problem just happened to my girlfriend's 97 civic.

As others have said - this is not an expensive A/C problem, it is a fan speed control problem.

I haven't had a chance to troubleshoot exactly what is wrong - but it will be either:

1) A seperate resistor pack as someone mentioned
2) Part of the fan control unit that may or may not be independantly replaced
3) Part of the blower motor that may or may not be independantly replaced

I'm sure if you do some google searches or check honda forums you'll be able to find the answer. I had a similar problem in my Dodge Durango a few weeks back and it was an $11 part. I doubt it would possibly cost you over $100, and shouldn't be too complicated to DIY.

Let me know what you find out...
 
Originally posted by: flot
Amusingly enough, this exact same problem just happened to my girlfriend's 97 civic.

As others have said - this is not an expensive A/C problem, it is a fan speed control problem.

I haven't had a chance to troubleshoot exactly what is wrong - but it will be either:

1) A seperate resistor pack as someone mentioned
2) Part of the fan control unit that may or may not be independantly replaced
3) Part of the blower motor that may or may not be independantly replaced

I'm sure if you do some google searches or check honda forums you'll be able to find the answer. I had a similar problem in my Dodge Durango a few weeks back and it was an $11 part. I doubt it would possibly cost you over $100, and shouldn't be too complicated to DIY.

Let me know what you find out...
Click to expand...

$100? 🙁

I have to go in today to replace all 4 of my tires because i drove it too long with fscked up tire alignment or something. $320 for parts + labor. 🙁 Plus I have my insurance still due on it, and now this. I think i'll just leave it on setting 3 all the time for a while, could that harm it further? From what skoorb said, it shouldn't though.
 
Originally posted by: Zugzwang152

$100? 🙁

I have to go in today to replace all 4 of my tires because i drove it too long with fscked up tire alignment or something. $320 for parts + labor. 🙁 Plus I have my insurance still due on it, and now this. I think i'll just leave it on setting 3 all the time for a while, could that harm it further? From what skoorb said, it shouldn't though.
Click to expand...

Ok, if you think $100 is an expensive A/C repair then you clearly aren't qualified to own a car with A/C. 🙂 Her last A/C problem ran about $550.

Without being an expert on Civic A/C systems, I suspect you will be fine leaving it on 3 or 4. I did some quick google searches and found that speeds 1+2 going out is a common problem, but could not immediately find what the part you need to replace was.

If I get into it I'll update the post with info, but probably won't be for a week or so.
 
YACT: am i fscked?
Click to expand...

Bend over! 😛

Those resistors burn out if the fan is used on LOW all the time because the airflow is the lowest and the resistance is the highest. Kind of dumb that they still use 1950's technology in cars today eh?
 
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