Technical Aircon glitch

[babbo_umbro]

Setting off (Thursday 1 September) for our autumn stay in Umbria we'd almost got to the Channel Tunnel when it became clear that the aircon (not climate control variety) wasn't doing the biz - output seemed to be down and temperature wasn't as low as it should be - just what we needed to go to Italy. After we'd stopped for an hour or so for our delayed crossing and arrived in France the problem seems to have gone away. Low gas? I've never had an aircon issue so would welcome info/advice. My 100HP went 5 years with climate control on continuously with no problems.

 

[Al D]

I tested my air con with a fridge thermometer (temp of the air coming out). Car was 32 degrees in the sun. My TA 4x4 is a 63 plate, no idea of what use it had before I got. After 10 minutes flat out on cold it said 5 degrees (limit around 7 degrees from what I can gather so presumed not short of pressure). I'm not mechanically minded at all, I've had a fan fault years ago on something else, the air con itself was fine. Can only suggest running it cold flat out. And see how you get on for now.

 

[varesecrazy]

Setting off (Thursday 1 September) for our autumn stay in Umbria we'd almost got to the Channel Tunnel when it became clear that the aircon (not climate control variety) wasn't doing the biz - output seemed to be down and temperature wasn't as low as it should be - just what we needed to go to Italy. After we'd stopped for an hour or so for our delayed crossing and arrived in France the problem seems to have gone away. Low gas? .

No sunshine sensor to obscure..?

Did you mean the airflow seemed restricted too.
That would be weird if only temporary...

Unless the air intake became covered with debris.

 

[Squadrone Rosso]

No sunshine sensor to obscure..?

Did you mean the airflow seemed restricted too.
That would be weird if only temporary...

Unless the air intake became covered with debris.

Or blocked pollen filter?

 

[Al D]

Pollen filter change has improved my air con actually. I thought telling the difference in summer would be tricky. Winter is obvious, and it doesn't have to be that cold either. Service book suggests annual change. Whether my TA had ever had it done I'm not sure. OEM part stupidly cheap that gave to dealer to fit despite free service agreed when I bought. It just made sense to be sure it got done.

 

[babbo_umbro]

Thanks for all the useful input.

No debris and the last service, in mid-March, allegedly included a pollen filter change. I'm sure the airflow was down, though the fan was making all the right noises. I could also hear the clutch engaging when I switched the aircon on so it all appears very strange.

Driving down through Belgium, Luxembourg, France today, and into Italy, where temp is 32 degrees, all seems to be well, with the condenser piddling water as expected. I'll have things checked by the local man in Spoleto next week.

 

[babbo_umbro]

Seems to be working with no problems now Italy. The throughput is up slightly and I'm assuming that's because the vents in the rear panel are no longer blocked by soft bags in the boot. Still intrigued by what happened on the way to Folkstone last Thursday.