1995 Toyota Corolla Automotive AC will not stay on

1995 TOYOTA COROLLA
190,000 MILES • 4 CYL • FWD • AUTOMATIC
Avatar
THEQUIETSHADOW
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
My AC in the car will work fine for about 30 seconds, then will get warm. An employee at an auto parts shop checked my fluid level. It read normal for a short time, then read low. He filled it for me, but it didn't solve the problem, just made it a little quieter.
So on a normal day, I will tun it on and it will work, then about 30 seconds later it starts to make a grinding like noise and it warms back up. We check the pipes and it seems that the pipes are getting cool, just not the air in the car.

Also, I don't know if it's related to the problem electrically, but when I'm at a red light and my turn signal is on, the car's idle fluctuates. only when the turn signal is on.
Jul 10, 2010 at 5:08 PM
Advertisement
Avatar
KHLOW2008
  • CERTIFIED EXPERT
  • 41,814 POSTS
Hi TheQuietShadow,

Thank you for the donation.

When the air started gfetting hot, did you check if the compressor and cooling fans were working then?

Where is the grinding noise coming from?
Jul 11, 2010 at 3:50 AM
Avatar
THEQUIETSHADOW
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
I did check them. The noise is comeing from the compressor. It only makes the sound when the a/c switch is on, but it is more of a whiring sound.
Jul 11, 2010 at 11:45 AM
Advertisement
Avatar
KHLOW2008
  • CERTIFIED EXPERT
  • 41,814 POSTS
This indiactes the compressor is failing. Check if the noise is only from the compressor clutch.
Jul 11, 2010 at 2:19 PM
Avatar
THEQUIETSHADOW
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
I have and it is. Also note that when the parts salesman was filling the gas for me, when he tipped the can upside down it seemed to silence the sound, untill he tilted the can upright again. I'm thinking that I want to take it in to have it refilled, but I don't want to pay another $100 and not have the problem solved. Do you have any suggestions on this or anything else?
Jul 11, 2010 at 6:09 PM
Avatar
KHLOW2008
  • CERTIFIED EXPERT
  • 41,814 POSTS
Insufficient freon would not cause any noise from the compressor. I am not sure why the noise disappears while refilling.

I would suggest getting a pressure test done for both the high and low pressure lines to understand the state of freon levle in the system before proceeding further.

Unless we understand what is causing the problem, otherwise it would be a waste of money to be moving around without any clear idea of what we are doing.
Jul 12, 2010 at 12:22 PM