Hey guys, I am new here, and am having some trouble with my air conditioning. I have a 95 Civic EX that I bought from a friend last summer. The a/c wouldnt work in it so I took it to a cheap place and had them check it out. They said it was a little low on freon, and recharged it, but they said that the biggest issue was that the a/c compressor wasnt actually turning on. The light up button on the dash would say it was on, but pressing it wouldnt actually turn it on. They said the switch was malfunctioning and you would have to take apart the entire dash to replace it, but after hitting the button a few times they got it to kick on and so they didnt do anthing else. Now I cant get it to turn on at all so I am looking for some advice. Anyone have any problems like this? Could I take apart the dash by myself to replace the switch? Let me know. Thanks

 

Sounds like the heater control panel is the problem, but some basic tests are needed to confirm or refute.

When you press the A/C button with the blower running, does the condenser fan run even though the compressor clutch does not engage?

 

Finally got time to check it out today. Yes the fan will kick on when I press the A/C button. When the A/C button is off, the fan does not run

 

This^ finding rules out a problem with the heater control panel. The pressure switch has two wires. What color are the wires in yours? In the unplugged pressure switch, ground either the Blu/Red or Blu/Wht wire, idle the engine, and turn the A/C on. Does the compressor clutch now engage?

 

What exactly is the pressure switch and where is it located?

 

The condenser sits next to the radiator. Part #15 is the dual pressure switch:

 

Finally got around to checking this out today. But yes, when I ground the wire then the compressor clutch engaged. It still wouldnt blow cold though.

 

Correct me if i'm wrong, but it sounds to me like everything is functioning properly. Except for the fact that you have a freon leak somewhere. Low pressure in the system will cause the compressor not to engage. Freon leaks can usually be the hardest thing to track down.

If that is the case, then you have a couple options. (1) Running the dye test - Never had great results with this. (2) Take your car to a reputable shop, that specializes in Automotive AC repairs. They should have a very expensive "sniffer" device that can detect leaks that would take years and years to deplete the system.

Good luck.

-Keith

 

If everything is fine then how come after I got it filled with freon it still wouldnt work?

 

I'm sorry bro, I guess thats what I get for skimming. I thought you said that was last year.

How sure are you that it is full? Do you have access to a Manifold Gauge set?

 

Thats ok. When I grounded the wires on the dual pressure switch, the compressor would engage, but then it would stop as soon as I ungrounded the wires. Is this what it is supposed to do?

 

Basically all you were doing was bypassing the pressure switch, causing the system to run regardless of the pressure. You should not do this for long, as it could cause damage to the system.

Disconnect the pressure switch wire connector from the receiver/drier or from the high pressure line.
Start the vehicle and turn the air conditioner ON.
Hook up a set of manifold gauges.
Check for 12 volts at the pressure switch wire connector.
If there is no voltage at either terminal of wire connector, check the air conditioner relay.
Connect a jumper wire between the two terminals.
Check that the compressor clutch engages.
If the compressor magnetic clutch fails to operate check the magnetic clutch and the wiring.
Check for continuity through the switch using an ohmmeter.
At system normal operating pressures and the high side pressure between 33-340 psi (228-2345kpa), there should be continuity through the switch.