hi

i neglected to keep the aircon ticking over regularly during the winter and now i must pay the price

i have a panda 100hp with climate control. when i press the aircon button i get the orange on-off indicator light but nothing happens, revs don't drop as aircon kicks in as expected and air temperature stays the same.

normal heater works, temperature goes hot and cold and fan speeds up and down, just aircon not kicking in. last time i used it (couple of months ago) it was ice cold so didn't occur to me it would need a regas though i've since learned the gas includes lubes for the seals.

have checked fuses and swapped relays over but nothing.

is it likely the seals have dried up and a simple regas isn't going to cure this?

is an aircon compressor designed to simply not engage if there's no gas?

thanks, kristian

Yes. When the pressure is too low (or too high) the compressor will not kick in for selfprotection.
But WHY would you switch off the AC in winter in a car with Climate Control?

gr J

first car with climate. when i've just had aircon in the past it's been in cars where you notice the drop in power when the aircon kicks in. plus i've always been happy just using the heater for warmth and cooling. maybe not so much if i need to fork out for new parts

Hi,
as A3jeroen says the compressor won't engage if the pressure is low. Get it cleaned (vacuumed down) and refilled (gas and lubricant) by a specialist and see how you get on. The seals can recover when re-exposed to lubricant. It's worth leaving the AC on with climate control in winter as it act as a de-humidifier and reduces misting.

Robert G8RPI.