Hey everybody, I've been a lurker for a bit and it's been invaluable in diagnosing problems on Hondas that come through our shop, but I'm bashing my head against the wall on this one and am pleading for some help.

Got a 1996 Accord LX v6 with a broken A/C. When you press the button, the green light comes on, but neither the condenser fan nor compressor clutch run. The relays are good, the system is charged, the low pressure switch is working, and the compressor/fan both work (tested with power probe) so I took a test light and started at the console switch and moved down. With the A/C switch on, the test light lit up at the A/C thermostat and the pressure switch. I consulted with the local mechanic and decided that the ECU was the most likely suspect, since that's the next step down the line from the low pressure switch AND it has control over both condenser and compressor operation.

So today I switched out the ECU and still have nothing. My ideas are getting wilder and wilder (next thing I was going to blame was the Radiator Fan control module) but I can't afford to just throw parts at this, and when I get into computer modules I get a bit shaky in my troubleshooting. So I'm begging for a sanity check. Hope my diagnosis process makes sense to you guys, if not I'm glad to clarify. Thanks a million in advance.

 

Check the fuse for the Clutch and Condensor Fan. I believe they may share the same fuse. You could have an intermittent short circuit or overloaded circuit from an internally shorted fan or clutch coil ( intermittent ).

 

 

im having the same problem,only both of my fans are working..I understand the relay works off of a ground signal from ecu ,im not getting that signal to compressor relay..I dont understand because when i press the ac button the fan does come on, but the compressor dont. i can jumper the wire "red w/bluestripe to ground and compressor comes on. if you can help let me know please.

 

Which wire are you grounding?

 

the red w/ blue stripe

 

its the red with blue stripe at the relay

 

I guess it would have been productive to mention that I did check all the fuses, as well. I was hoping for it to be something that easy...Also, when I ran the clutch and fan with the power probe, I let them run for a couple minutes, and no short became apparent even after they heated up.

 

you fail to mention the the evap temp swicth it is the last in line from the ecm and being a 96 its verry EZ to accdently kick and snag the wires and disconnet it or to leave unpluged when changing your hepa filter and just in case fyi the engine must be running to test some a/c parts as the ecm KNOWS if the engine running (IE ecm must see ckp changes)