98 GC AC Malfunctioning
 

We have a 98 GC 5.9 Lmtd. with 65,000 miles on it. We use the Climate
Control, setting the temp at 72, and rarely changing it, summer or winter.
This year since the weather has warmed up and we're needing cooling, the
system is only working correctly intermittantly. I would say about 30 - 40
percent of the time it is cooling appropriately. The rest of the time it
either blows air approximating the outdoor temp or sometimes even heated hot
air.

If I turn the climate control knob off and then back to auto several times,
I can usually get it to blow cold air again.

My sister who also has a 98 GC (80,000 miles) is having the same problem and
so far the mechanics have recharged her freon and replaced the compressor
and she's still having the problem.

I would love to avoid getting all these expensive repairs done unnecessarily
and am hoping that somebody here has experienced this as well and can point
to a solution that isn't so "hit and miss" as my sister has experienced.

Thanks for any help you can give!

BEK

Re: 98 GC AC Malfunctioning
 

"BEK" <greywingsnospamplease@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:iD_zc.40961$2i5.22653@attbi_s52...
> We have a 98 GC 5.9 Lmtd. with 65,000 miles on it. We use the Climate
> Control, setting the temp at 72, and rarely changing it, summer or winter.
> This year since the weather has warmed up and we're needing cooling, the
> system is only working correctly intermittantly. I would say about 30 -
40
> percent of the time it is cooling appropriately. The rest of the time it
> either blows air approximating the outdoor temp or sometimes even heated
hot
> air.
>
> If I turn the climate control knob off and then back to auto several
times,
> I can usually get it to blow cold air again.
>
> My sister who also has a 98 GC (80,000 miles) is having the same problem
and
> so far the mechanics have recharged her freon and replaced the compressor
> and she's still having the problem.
>
> I would love to avoid getting all these expensive repairs done
unnecessarily
> and am hoping that somebody here has experienced this as well and can
point
> to a solution that isn't so "hit and miss" as my sister has experienced.
>
> Thanks for any help you can give!
>
> BEK
>
>
>
Well, you said the key word you turned it off and then back on and it cools.
If it was a low charge or a compressor issue it would not cool. It is in
you climate control switching and associated sensor and damper control. It
is usually caused by a diaphragm failure of the air box. Which is located in
your dash behind everything. Allow some times the switch gets dirt on the
contacts and needs to be removed and cleaned with a good contact cleaner.
You need to purchase a vacuum hand pump to test the diaphragms. Make sure
the hoses are tight and draw about 5hg if the needle drops the diaphragm is
bad replace it also, there usually 1 or more under the dash test them all.
It is not a hard job just time consuming usually an 8 hour labor charge at
the local dealer hence the high cost.

--
HarryS
JAFGBR
JAFTJO

Re: 98 GC AC Malfunctioning
 

"BEK" <greywingsnospamplease@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:iD_zc.40961$2i5.22653@attbi_s52...
> We have a 98 GC 5.9 Lmtd. with 65,000 miles on it. We use the Climate
> Control, setting the temp at 72, and rarely changing it, summer or winter.
> This year since the weather has warmed up and we're needing cooling, the
> system is only working correctly intermittantly. I would say about 30 -
40
> percent of the time it is cooling appropriately. The rest of the time it
> either blows air approximating the outdoor temp or sometimes even heated
hot
> air.
>
> If I turn the climate control knob off and then back to auto several
times,
> I can usually get it to blow cold air again.
>
> My sister who also has a 98 GC (80,000 miles) is having the same problem
and
> so far the mechanics have recharged her freon and replaced the compressor
> and she's still having the problem.
>
> I would love to avoid getting all these expensive repairs done
unnecessarily
> and am hoping that somebody here has experienced this as well and can
point
> to a solution that isn't so "hit and miss" as my sister has experienced.
>
> Thanks for any help you can give!
>
> BEK
>
>
>
Well, you said the key word you turned it off and then back on and it cools.
If it was a low charge or a compressor issue it would not cool. It is in
you climate control switching and associated sensor and damper control. It
is usually caused by a diaphragm failure of the air box. Which is located in
your dash behind everything. Allow some times the switch gets dirt on the
contacts and needs to be removed and cleaned with a good contact cleaner.
You need to purchase a vacuum hand pump to test the diaphragms. Make sure
the hoses are tight and draw about 5hg if the needle drops the diaphragm is
bad replace it also, there usually 1 or more under the dash test them all.
It is not a hard job just time consuming usually an 8 hour labor charge at
the local dealer hence the high cost.

--
HarryS
JAFGBR
JAFTJO

Re: 98 GC AC Malfunctioning
 

"BEK" <greywingsnospamplease@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:iD_zc.40961$2i5.22653@attbi_s52...
> We have a 98 GC 5.9 Lmtd. with 65,000 miles on it. We use the Climate
> Control, setting the temp at 72, and rarely changing it, summer or winter.
> This year since the weather has warmed up and we're needing cooling, the
> system is only working correctly intermittantly. I would say about 30 -
40
> percent of the time it is cooling appropriately. The rest of the time it
> either blows air approximating the outdoor temp or sometimes even heated
hot
> air.
>
> If I turn the climate control knob off and then back to auto several
times,
> I can usually get it to blow cold air again.
>
> My sister who also has a 98 GC (80,000 miles) is having the same problem
and
> so far the mechanics have recharged her freon and replaced the compressor
> and she's still having the problem.
>
> I would love to avoid getting all these expensive repairs done
unnecessarily
> and am hoping that somebody here has experienced this as well and can
point
> to a solution that isn't so "hit and miss" as my sister has experienced.
>
> Thanks for any help you can give!
>
> BEK
>
>
>
Well, you said the key word you turned it off and then back on and it cools.
If it was a low charge or a compressor issue it would not cool. It is in
you climate control switching and associated sensor and damper control. It
is usually caused by a diaphragm failure of the air box. Which is located in
your dash behind everything. Allow some times the switch gets dirt on the
contacts and needs to be removed and cleaned with a good contact cleaner.
You need to purchase a vacuum hand pump to test the diaphragms. Make sure
the hoses are tight and draw about 5hg if the needle drops the diaphragm is
bad replace it also, there usually 1 or more under the dash test them all.
It is not a hard job just time consuming usually an 8 hour labor charge at
the local dealer hence the high cost.

--
HarryS
JAFGBR
JAFTJO

Re: 98 GC AC Malfunctioning
 

"BEK" <greywingsnospamplease@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:iD_zc.40961$2i5.22653@attbi_s52...
> We have a 98 GC 5.9 Lmtd. with 65,000 miles on it. We use the Climate
> Control, setting the temp at 72, and rarely changing it, summer or winter.
> This year since the weather has warmed up and we're needing cooling, the
> system is only working correctly intermittantly. I would say about 30 -
40
> percent of the time it is cooling appropriately. The rest of the time it
> either blows air approximating the outdoor temp or sometimes even heated
hot
> air.
>
> If I turn the climate control knob off and then back to auto several
times,
> I can usually get it to blow cold air again.
>
> My sister who also has a 98 GC (80,000 miles) is having the same problem
and
> so far the mechanics have recharged her freon and replaced the compressor
> and she's still having the problem.
>
> I would love to avoid getting all these expensive repairs done
unnecessarily
> and am hoping that somebody here has experienced this as well and can
point
> to a solution that isn't so "hit and miss" as my sister has experienced.
>
> Thanks for any help you can give!
>
> BEK
>
>
>
Well, you said the key word you turned it off and then back on and it cools.
If it was a low charge or a compressor issue it would not cool. It is in
you climate control switching and associated sensor and damper control. It
is usually caused by a diaphragm failure of the air box. Which is located in
your dash behind everything. Allow some times the switch gets dirt on the
contacts and needs to be removed and cleaned with a good contact cleaner.
You need to purchase a vacuum hand pump to test the diaphragms. Make sure
the hoses are tight and draw about 5hg if the needle drops the diaphragm is
bad replace it also, there usually 1 or more under the dash test them all.
It is not a hard job just time consuming usually an 8 hour labor charge at
the local dealer hence the high cost.

--
HarryS
JAFGBR
JAFTJO

Re: 98 GC AC Malfunctioning
 

evap. coils are well known for leakage and are located inside the hvac housing

BEK wrote:

> We have a 98 GC 5.9 Lmtd. with 65,000 miles on it. We use the Climate
> Control, setting the temp at 72, and rarely changing it, summer or winter.
> This year since the weather has warmed up and we're needing cooling, the
> system is only working correctly intermittantly. I would say about 30 - 40
> percent of the time it is cooling appropriately. The rest of the time it
> either blows air approximating the outdoor temp or sometimes even heated hot
> air.
>
> If I turn the climate control knob off and then back to auto several times,
> I can usually get it to blow cold air again.
>
> My sister who also has a 98 GC (80,000 miles) is having the same problem and
> so far the mechanics have recharged her freon and replaced the compressor
> and she's still having the problem.
>
> I would love to avoid getting all these expensive repairs done unnecessarily
> and am hoping that somebody here has experienced this as well and can point
> to a solution that isn't so "hit and miss" as my sister has experienced.
>
> Thanks for any help you can give!
>
> BEK

Re: 98 GC AC Malfunctioning
 

evap. coils are well known for leakage and are located inside the hvac housing

BEK wrote:

> We have a 98 GC 5.9 Lmtd. with 65,000 miles on it. We use the Climate
> Control, setting the temp at 72, and rarely changing it, summer or winter.
> This year since the weather has warmed up and we're needing cooling, the
> system is only working correctly intermittantly. I would say about 30 - 40
> percent of the time it is cooling appropriately. The rest of the time it
> either blows air approximating the outdoor temp or sometimes even heated hot
> air.
>
> If I turn the climate control knob off and then back to auto several times,
> I can usually get it to blow cold air again.
>
> My sister who also has a 98 GC (80,000 miles) is having the same problem and
> so far the mechanics have recharged her freon and replaced the compressor
> and she's still having the problem.
>
> I would love to avoid getting all these expensive repairs done unnecessarily
> and am hoping that somebody here has experienced this as well and can point
> to a solution that isn't so "hit and miss" as my sister has experienced.
>
> Thanks for any help you can give!
>
> BEK

Re: 98 GC AC Malfunctioning
 

evap. coils are well known for leakage and are located inside the hvac housing

BEK wrote:

> We have a 98 GC 5.9 Lmtd. with 65,000 miles on it. We use the Climate
> Control, setting the temp at 72, and rarely changing it, summer or winter.
> This year since the weather has warmed up and we're needing cooling, the
> system is only working correctly intermittantly. I would say about 30 - 40
> percent of the time it is cooling appropriately. The rest of the time it
> either blows air approximating the outdoor temp or sometimes even heated hot
> air.
>
> If I turn the climate control knob off and then back to auto several times,
> I can usually get it to blow cold air again.
>
> My sister who also has a 98 GC (80,000 miles) is having the same problem and
> so far the mechanics have recharged her freon and replaced the compressor
> and she's still having the problem.
>
> I would love to avoid getting all these expensive repairs done unnecessarily
> and am hoping that somebody here has experienced this as well and can point
> to a solution that isn't so "hit and miss" as my sister has experienced.
>
> Thanks for any help you can give!
>
> BEK

Re: 98 GC AC Malfunctioning
 

evap. coils are well known for leakage and are located inside the hvac housing

BEK wrote:

> We have a 98 GC 5.9 Lmtd. with 65,000 miles on it. We use the Climate
> Control, setting the temp at 72, and rarely changing it, summer or winter.
> This year since the weather has warmed up and we're needing cooling, the
> system is only working correctly intermittantly. I would say about 30 - 40
> percent of the time it is cooling appropriately. The rest of the time it
> either blows air approximating the outdoor temp or sometimes even heated hot
> air.
>
> If I turn the climate control knob off and then back to auto several times,
> I can usually get it to blow cold air again.
>
> My sister who also has a 98 GC (80,000 miles) is having the same problem and
> so far the mechanics have recharged her freon and replaced the compressor
> and she's still having the problem.
>
> I would love to avoid getting all these expensive repairs done unnecessarily
> and am hoping that somebody here has experienced this as well and can point
> to a solution that isn't so "hit and miss" as my sister has experienced.
>
> Thanks for any help you can give!
>
> BEK

Re: 98 GC AC Malfunctioning
 

BEK wrote:
> We have a 98 GC 5.9 Lmtd. with 65,000 miles on it. We use the Climate
> Control, setting the temp at 72, and rarely changing it, summer or winter.
> This year since the weather has warmed up and we're needing cooling, the
> system is only working correctly intermittantly. I would say about 30 - 40
> percent of the time it is cooling appropriately. The rest of the time it
> either blows air approximating the outdoor temp or sometimes even heated hot
> air.
>
> If I turn the climate control knob off and then back to auto several times,
> I can usually get it to blow cold air again.
>
> My sister who also has a 98 GC (80,000 miles) is having the same problem and
> so far the mechanics have recharged her freon and replaced the compressor
> and she's still having the problem.
>
> I would love to avoid getting all these expensive repairs done unnecessarily
> and am hoping that somebody here has experienced this as well and can point
> to a solution that isn't so "hit and miss" as my sister has experienced.
>
> Thanks for any help you can give!

It might be worth while pulling any diag codes from the system that
might quickly point out busted components.

For a simple test, turn the thing all the way down to the coldest temp
and then open the doors and run it for about 10 minutes. You should
be getting somewhere near 40 degrees at the vent next to the controls.

Problems with the auto A/C can range from simple loss of charge to
simple stuff like the internal temp sensor [or the fan that drives it]
being messed up.

...and can cost as much to fix as an engine repair.