Aircon Problem Hilux SSRG

[Nijoe]

I have a 1998 Hilux 3.0 TD SSRG which I have owned for the last six and a half years..and 63,000 miles..but I'm no mechanic...I leave that to the garage!

The airconditioning has stopped working. Had it regassed a couple of days ago which cost me £70 but it's still not working. The green light comes on the aircon switch.....steady..not flashing....but the magnetic clutch on the compressor is not engaging when the switch is turned on.
Could it be a fuse...one in the fuse box under the steering wheel or one in the main fuse box? Or is it not engaging because it is out of gas again?

Any ideas ?

[Albannach]

Could be many things, but no gas is the most likely. £70 is steep too. KwikFit do it for £50 and guarantee it.

[charliemuttley]

Seems unlikely to be out of gas that quick. When it is filled they have to pull and hold a vacuum in the system, normally for about 45 mins, so if there are any leaks the vacuum wouldn't hold.
I'd take it back to them, specially as you paid £70!!!

[Nijoe]

Aircon Problem Hilux SSRG

Thanks for your replies..the garage is having it back in next week.

[steved]

They may have just overfilled it if the pressure is to high the compressor will not cut in.

[Nijoe]

Thanks Steved I will ask them to check it

[Nijoe]

Had a couple of hours to spare today, so ran a wire from the battery to the magnetic clutch on the compressor.The clutch works fine and when I tried it with the enginine running the comprsseor turned fine and the pipe ran cold. The viewing panel in changed from clear to green colour...so I guess there is some gas and it's going round the system.
The green light on the airconditioning switch is on and doesn't flash, the a.c. fuse in the main fuseboard is OK....(luckily a friend who spent nine years working in Japan last night can round and put me right...acc is not air conditioning control but accessories!)
So the problem is electric...between the airconditioning switch and the magnetic clutch.

[wishbone]

Most likely a relay then (if there is one - I'm assuming there will be)

[Nijoe]

Thanks Wishbone...that's what I reckon...there is supposed to be a relay behind the glove box

[Nijoe]

1998 Hilux Surf SSRG Aircon Problem

Took the car back to the garage...I told them I thought there was an electrical fault...as I had run a wire to the magnetic clutch which worked and the comprssor pipe ran cold when I ran the engine for a few seconds. They didn't listen... they rechecked the gas found nothing wrong with it and rang me to say there is an electrical fault ...and their electrician is on holiday.

Todat I took out the relay on a printed circuit board situated on the cooling unit behind the dash board,my friend tested it and it works fine...which was lucky as I don't think I would be able to get another one.

Tested the heater relay, that works fine.

Tested the thermistor,that works fine.

Tested the wire from the relay to the magnetic clutch, that works fine.

Starting to run out of ideas...a problem with the aircon switch? The light comes on when pressed and doesn't blink. A problem with the wire between the air con switch and the relay? Or a problem with the aircon amplifier...and we don't know exactly what that does.

The aircon controls and the a/c amplifier look a real pain to get at

There also looks like there may be a couple of other sensors an A/C ambient temperature sensor and an A/C room temp sensor ...anyone ever had a problem with these?

[Nijoe]

This morning took the ambient temperature sensor out covered in dust so I cleaned it. Previously the blower ran flat out on auto now it adjusts the fan speed acording to temperature so I reckon that is working OK now.

[Nijoe]

Just got it back from the garage with the aircon fixed....a broken wire under the drivers dash

[legendgamesmaster]

This morning took the ambient temperature sensor out covered in dust so I cleaned it. Previously the blower ran flat out on auto now it adjusts the fan speed acording to temperature so I reckon that is working OK now.

ooh. interesting - mine does that, i'll give it a check asap.