[Somu2009]

Hello team

For the last few days I have started noticing a problem in the Air Conditioner of my Accent, which has done 23,500 Kms. When it's idle and i'm sitting inside the car the AC doesn't switch on, I have to rev the engine a little bit to get it started. While the car is moving its fine, the problem arises only when the car is idle. Its a 10 month old car and so quickly the AC shouldn't give me trouble that's why I am concerned.

These are the following I have already done to rectify the problem but it still exists:
1. Gas topped up
2. condenser pressure washed
3. Some throttle thing cleaned by Hyundai people. I don't know what the part is called but its on top of the engine a little black colored part.
4. AC filter inside the cabin cleaned.

Hyundai people are asking me to get the AC serviced and spend about 2-3K . I don't know if its justified to spend that much so soon. That's why I am starting this thread to consult members before I go ahead and do anything else.

Please Help

Thank You

[esteem_lover]

Do you hear the compressor's click when you switch on the AC while idling ?

Never heard of such a problem in any car so far. If the AC is working fine on the move, it should ideally work fine while you idle too.

[Somu2009]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

Do you hear the compressor's click when you switch on the AC while idling ?

Never heard of such a problem in any car so far. If the AC is working fine on the move, it should ideally work fine while you idle too.

On idle if i'm just sitting in the car with the AC switched on, I get to hear the compressor's click only if i rev the engine a little bit. other wise its just air coming out of the blowers and after sometime even that feels warm because compressor is not working. It's strange for me too because this is the first time i'm getting such a problem. I am ready to pay 2-3k for the AC service as recommended by Hyundai people, but I am just not sure of two things:

1. If AC's need service this soon
2. If this is just a rip off by Hyundai
3. if the AC needs service then how come its working perfectly when the car is on the move.

I'm so confused right now and don't know what to do.

[varun911]

The issue might be with your Radiator.
At lower rpm's/idle lesser coolant is flowed through the radiator and hence if there are any blockages it would overheat. Since the AC condensor sits right in front the radiator , the extra heat from it could keep it from cooling it efficiently. At higher rpm's extra flow is induced through the radiator and thus the AC cools efficienty. Check for any restrictions/blockages through the flow pipes and also the thermostat settings.

Alternatively check if any dirt, mud or debris is stuck up between the radiator and AC condensor when would restrict the airflow at idle. But when you get moving again and a flow of air from the front of the car moves through it , enough to cool the condensor and drop the pressure the and compressor kicks back on.

[leadf00t]

as esteem_lover said check if you hear a click once the ac is switched on.

I also feel this could be a problem with the the a/c clutch. possibly the clutch is not engaging when the car is in idle.
when you idle it the a/c clutch get engaged and the ac starts working.

[esteem_lover]

Could it be a problem with the idler bearing ?

[WanderNomad]

Are you sure the compressor is not getting switched on when the car is idling.

In my accent the compressor is on but whenever the car is not in motion (red lights etc.) the cooling drops drastically (temp of the air from from the vents goes up). I am facing the same problem in mine as well as wife's accent. Incidentally have observed the same in one more accent and a few Santros. Hyundai owners pls comment.

[Somu2009]

Originally Posted by leadf00t

as esteem_lover said check if you hear a click once the ac is switched on.

I also feel this could be a problem with the the a/c clutch. possibly the clutch is not engaging when the car is in idle.
when you idle it the a/c clutch get engaged and the ac starts working.

So that AC clutch thing that you are mentioning can that be solved by getting the AC completely serviced or do I have to get it repaired separately?

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

Could it be a problem with the idler bearing ?

I actually don't know what is that and how does it function. Help Please.

Originally Posted by WanderNomad

Are you sure the compressor is not getting switched on when the car is idling.

In my accent the compressor is on but whenever the car is not in motion (red lights etc.) the cooling drops drastically (temp of the air from from the vents goes up). I am facing the same problem in mine as well as wife's accent. Incidentally have observed the same in one more accent and a few Santros. Hyundai owners pls comment.

Yes, I'm pretty sure the compressor is not getting started because when the compressor starts you can hear a very clear click sound from the engine bay (Thanks to Accent not being so well insulated ). So I don't hear that unless I press the accelerator and take the rpm to 2k and then leave the accelerator. Before this problem started even when the car used to be idle the compressor used to start up on its own.

Even my car's cooling drops when I'm at red lights or in a traffic jam. It never used to happen before but has started now and I noticed it couple of days ago. I took it to the Samara Hyundai workshop in Okhla, New Delhi and the guy over there told me that the AC needs to be serviced and after that it should be fine. He told me it normally happens if there is dust in the condenser and something else that I don't even remember.

He also mentioned that it could happen because of low gas level, but in my case I have already gotten it topped up and still the same thing happens. He's told me that they need to take out my car's dashboard and service everything remotely related to the AC and after that this problem should be gone.

[GTO]

I get to hear the compressor's click only if i rev the engine a little bit.

Most probably : the compressor, it's clutch or relay. You mention that the Accent is only 10 months old? Your dealer MUST repair / replace free of cost, as your car is within its warranty period. Write to Hyundai and watch your dealer tremble.

[Jaggu]

Seems like at idle the controller is not getting triggered, consult another workshop and get an opinion if required.

Twist dealers arms, as much as possible and get it covered under warranty!

[ankitahuja]

Exactly same issue with my friend's Accent. The A/C stops working when the car is idle. The compressor does not engage. As soon as the engine is revved, the compressor comes on and A/C starts working, ONLY till the thermostat cuts it off at certain interval. The A/C does not engage on it's own again.

Also, the temperature slowly starts rising when the A/C is not working. As soon as you rev to engage the compressor, the temperature needle starts falling and comes back to normal.

It's very strange to hear about the same issue from Somu and WanderNomad. I'm reading closely.

[Somu2009]

Originally Posted by WanderNomad

Are you sure the compressor is not getting switched on when the car is idling.

In my accent the compressor is on but whenever the car is not in motion (red lights etc.) the cooling drops drastically (temp of the air from from the vents goes up). I am facing the same problem in mine as well as wife's accent. Incidentally have observed the same in one more accent and a few Santros. Hyundai owners pls comment.

Originally Posted by ankitahuja

Exactly same issue with my friend's Accent. The A/C stops working when the car is idle. The compressor does not engage. As soon as the engine is revved, the compressor comes on and A/C starts working, ONLY till the thermostat cuts it off at certain interval. The A/C does not engage on it's own again.

Also, the temperature slowly starts rising when the A/C is not working. As soon as you rev to engage the compressor, the temperature needle starts falling and comes back to normal.

It's very strange to hear about the same issue from Somu and WanderNomad. I'm reading closely.

Actually my AC started working properly now, I don't know what happened exactly but its working perfectly now. This is what happened. Last night I was driving back from IFFCO Chowk in Gurgaon towards Delhi and as I was about to get on NH8 I noticed that my AC stopped working completely. Now till today the AC was troubling only on idle but now even when the car was running it was completely off.

Now I got worried and stopped the car and niticed that even the temperature gauge was on complete heat. I opened the bonnet to check coolant and noticed that the coolant was just fine. So I waited for sometime for the radiator to cool down so as to open the cap. In the meantime I ran down to the nearby petrol pump to buy water and coolant. When I returned and opened the radiator cap, I noticed that the radiator was completely dry inspite of the fact that coolant was there in the coolant box to the appropriate level.

Anyway so I filled up the radiator with coolant along with water to the top. And then when I started the car everything was working fine. The AC problem I started this thread for was also fixed. Temperature gauge was fine and even AC was working amazingly well even when the car was idle. I still don't understand a few things:

1. What happened when I filled up the radiator that AC started working even on Idle.

2. Why was the radiator empty even though there was coolant in the box.

I even got the radiator checked today morning for any kind of leak, but found nothing. I'm happy and confused. Any suggestion members ?

PS: WanderNomad and ankitahuja can you guys please try the same thing and see if anything happens to the AC.