[SaneOp]

I had exactly same problem with my Honda city 2005, AC stop working but continued to draw power as rpm meter will crank up. Moreover when you pressed clutch u figured out that car has more power to push forward.
For me the problem started last summer. I was suggested that I should get AC serviced. i.e gas top-up, cleaning etc. got that done but that did not help. Then winter set in and I could post pone worrying about it and then this summer it bothered me again.

Issue was due to coil in compressor which had gone bad. It took almost a year to zero on that issue as the AC would work just fine at dealership, even when it was run for extended period of time. This summer again i showed it to dealership they said all is well. Anyway it conked off and stopped cooling that's when my neighborhood garage helped me zero in the problem at compressor coil. Had I gone to dealership at this stage they would have also figured out but I was bummed on why couldn't they figure out earlier.

Some one on this forum had suggested failure of compressor coil as the origination of this problem. I even told A.S.S folks to look into it, but since it worked there it worked fine for them.

[Jaggu]

Either its the icing issue, which has been mentioned earlier. Basically the cooling is not transferred enough and freezes up the system. Obvious thing to get checked/fixed are the grill (if its clean) and the fan/air flow. Once this is ruled out, then it is related to the compressor assembly. Do a step by step diagnosis. First step being a complete clean up service if the AC system.

[IndigoXLGrandDi]

Originally Posted by R2D2

That would mean circulating cool air thru other ducts to help cool the car faster.

The cool air comes out from all four vents on the dashboard irrespective of the Lo Power or Hi Power Switch is ON.
Or I might not be getting your question correctly.

Originally Posted by R2D2

Assuming everything is ok and has checked out fine including the evaporator/compressor/etc has the system been checked for leaks recently by a competent technician?

I will get it checked from another technician.

Originally Posted by R2D2

If everything HAS checked out ok that would imply the AC system is probably operating at normal parameters..unfortunately they don't meet your expectations.

The AC is not behaving as it was when the car was new. i.e., the AC should have been cooling the cabin even on Lo Power in the hot afternoon.
But now I am forced to use Hi Power in the hot afternoons.
As mentioned before, when there more than 3-4 passengers, I am forced to use Hi Power in the hot afternoons though in the evenings I can use Lo Power (more than 3-4 passengers).

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by IndigoXLGrandDi

The AC is not behaving as it was when the car was new. i.e., the AC should have been cooling the cabin even on Lo Power in the hot afternoon.
But now I am forced to use Hi Power in the hot afternoons.
As mentioned before, when there more than 3-4 passengers, I am forced to use Hi Power in the hot afternoons though in the evenings I can use Lo Power (more than 3-4 passengers).

if there's been a noticeable drop in cooling from the time the car was new, I think a complete AC system check is required.

Best to take it to 2 technicians, 1 of whom can be the auth. S.C., as most of these guys have varying opinions about what is the root cause.

[vigsom]

Originally Posted by dhanushs

vigsom, I think the load is same irrespective of the temperature.

What I meant by "load" was the time the compressor stays on - it stays on for longer when the temperature setting is low and cuts off fast when the temperature setting is high.

at lower settings the compressor on time is high and off time is less - so the coil needs to work more - a weak coil would thus throw in a towel fast in such a case.

[arjithin]

I had the car checked at firestone. By the time I got it checked, ac will never blow cool air

Firestone people say that the a/c compressor relay is the culprit. They say the gas pressure is fine. They asked me to replace the relay, but the OEM relay was not in stock anywhere.

According to honda dealer
1. for US made vehicles the relay make is Omron, it costs $11
2. for Japan made vehicles, the relay is Mitsuba ( this one is in my CRV), it costs $32

My VIN starts with JHL, so I assume its Japan made.

Why there is so much price difference between two OEM relays and Can I use the Omron relay in my CRV to save few bucks and a week of procurement time?

[SirAlec]

Originally Posted by arjithin

I had the car checked at firestone. By the time I got it checked, ac will never blow cool air

Firestone people say that the a/c compressor relay is the culprit. They say the gas pressure is fine. They asked me to replace the relay, but the OEM relay was not in stock anywhere.

According to honda dealer
1. for US made vehicles the relay make is Omron, it costs $11
2. for Japan made vehicles, the relay is Mitsuba ( this one is in my CRV), it costs $32

My VIN starts with JHL, so I assume its Japan made.

Why there is so much price difference between two OEM relays and Can I use the Omron relay in my CRV to save few bucks and a week of procurement time?

meaning your compressor is never coming in action.? relay is nothing but an electro magnetic switch. If the mechanic is smart. there can be a Juggad with pins.

[IndigoXLGrandDi]

One more thing I noticed in our Xylo E8 ABS is (Original part of query is one Page 1--
When I turn off Compressor by turning off the AC button for 5-10 mins and again turned on, the AC cools even on Lo Power mode nicely. Is it due to Low Gas quantity in the compressor?

I showed the problem to a known garage, the person told me that the system should have to be flushed with Nitrogen and fresh AC gas filled in. Then the AC Cooling will improve. Charges-- Nitrogen Flush-Rs.500/- AC Gas Fill-1650/-.

I have read somewhere that if the quanity of AC Gas is less, the compressor will not operate after sometime (when it senses low gas quantity) until the compressor is not turned off manually for some duration and turned back on. How true is this?

[arjithin]

Changed the relay with the Japan made OEM and AC is working without any problem. AC was in service for more than an hour non stop last weekend, and it never stopped cooling.

[pramodpk]

I faced similar issue in my 2010 Fiesta yesterday at around 12:30 PM. The outside temperature was really high. The AC cooling reduced (it was still cooling). I could notice a change in blower sound and the quantity of air was less. Stopped for lunch for 45 minutes and after that the cooling was normal. Faced this in May 2011 at the same place but did not face the issue later. I thought it was because of high outside temperature. What could be the issue?

[Jaggu]

Get the blower end cleaned, so that the grill transfers the cooling effectively. If not the AC gas can freeze up and cause this issue. What fan speed were you at before the issue cropped up?

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Get the blower end cleaned, so that the grill transfers the cooling effectively. If not the AC gas can freeze up and cause this issue. What fan speed were you at before the issue cropped up?

Thanks for the inputs.
The issue does not happen in 1 & 2. Happens only in 3 and 4. Faced this only twice when the outside temperature was high ( 37 - 40 ).

Where can I get the blower end cleaned? Where is it located?

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

Thanks for the inputs.
The issue does not happen in 1 & 2. Happens only in 3 and 4. Faced this only twice when the outside temperature was high ( 37 - 40 ).

Where can I get the blower end cleaned? Where is it located?

Thats pretty unusual, it should be the other way around. As in low speeds icing should happen. Start with GAS level check, then check for blower clean up. Any service center or reputed AC shop can do clean up.

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Thats pretty unusual, it should be the other way around. As in low speeds icing should happen. Start with GAS level check, then check for blower clean up. Any service center or reputed AC shop can do clean up.

I very rarely use speeds 3 & 4. Speed 2 usually suffices. The cooling is good otherwise. The outside temperature was very high and I had to wait in signals also. Maybe this caused the issue.

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

I very rarely use speeds 3 & 4. Speed 2 usually suffices. The cooling is good otherwise. The outside temperature was very high and I had to wait in signals also. Maybe this caused the issue.

ohh! check if your AC radiator grill fan is working? Switch ON ac and open bonnet and check if the fan is running or not? Am not sure if your car has separate fans or its the same fan. But whatever it is, the fan should be running. Do it when engine is cold to rule out the radiator circuit coming ON.

ps: It can cut off automatically once the cabin is cooled and then will kick in after sometimes, thats normal. But if there is no turning of fan, then check for the fuse and connectors first.