Technical air con?

[apsbasketcase]

Stilo 1.6 dynamic 3 door........16" alloys...........need 17"

Any of you learned people out there know how to check the air con is working. It's currently about -1 deg C outside so turning it on has no affect and my warranty is up in a few months.

I've tried turning the heating on to max and turning on the air con on, no noticable temperature change.

Thanks to all

Dawn and Ash

 

[wolfracepunto]

Air con only chills air doesnt it? The heat comes from the engine and that has to warm up first.......

Edit- Just re-read and I think ive got the wrong end of the stick- sorry

 

[Neil Barker]

Stilo 1.6 dynamic 3 door........16" alloys...........need 17"

Any of you learned people out there know how to check the air con is working. It's currently about -1 deg C outside so turning it on has no affect and my warranty is up in a few months.

Your fundamental problem is going to be one of external temperature - the compressor will not engage below about 4C, as otherwise the system would freeze the condensor/evaporator. Somehow, you need to get the car to a warmer environment - got a garage anywhere you can borrow ?

Oh and stating the obvious, but don't run the engine in a closed space with you in it....

 

[apsbasketcase]

Does anybody know where the sight glass is to check if the refridgerant is flowing?

Ta

Ash

 

[SLOVAC]

Your fundamental problem is going to be one of external temperature - the compressor will not engage below about 4C, as otherwise the system would freeze the condensor/evaporator. Somehow, you need to get the car to a warmer environment - got a garage anywhere you can borrow ?

You guys should move to a warmer climate! Not to make you jealous, but the temp in Cape Town today is a warm and sunny 28C...

 

[Stu DemonD]

Good idea about checking it before warranty up, although if no gas left in it, I doubt it would get changed under warranty.

As for running it, it is best to at least switch it on occassionally over the winter months, otherwise the seals go.

Luckily I have climate control, so all this is controlled automatically

 

[muttleysdad]

Hi Ash , its Chris N.

You and your missus get the car all steamy inside , then turn on the AC, regardless to the outside temp i'll still de-humidify the air, if the screen de-mists pretty much instantly the ac's ok.

PS mines going in on the 5th of march to have the "tappit" noise looked at, According to JCS fiat know about the faulty engines (worrying) and theres some tests they can do to confirm, watch this space. :

 

[pjp]

Hi Ash , its Chris N.

You and your missus get the car all steamy inside , then turn on the AC, regardless to the outside temp i'll still de-humidify the air, if the screen de-mists pretty much instantly the ac's ok.

Sorry - I disagree - if external temperature is less than 3C the Aircon won't operate, and you will find the snow flake on the climate control display vanishes to indicate as much.

 

[muttleysdad]

Yes i agree on climate control that is true because its an auto matic system, however us low lifes only have an on/off button it works or it doesn't, I use the air con all the time to de-mist the screen rapidly when i've been walking the dog in the rain regardless of the outside temp. Also good for mixing de-humidified air in and keeping the screen clear when you have a car full.

PS nice wheels - just like mine.

 

[pjp]

Yes i agree on climate control that is true because its an auto matic system, however us low lifes only have an on/off button it works or it doesn't, I use the air con all the time to de-mist the screen rapidly when i've been walking the dog in the rain regardless of the outside temp. Also good for mixing de-humidified air in and keeping the screen clear when you have a car full.

PS nice wheels - just like mine.

I was under the impression that the non activation below 3C was a low level safety function on the air conditioning unit - if its not, that's a design screw up!

 

[Neil Barker]

I was under the impression that the non activation below 3C was a low level safety function on the air conditioning unit - if its not, that's a design screw up!

It is and you are correct. You can turn the air-con on manually all you like, but if it's too cold outside, the clutch won't engage to turn the compressor.

 

[dropthepuck]

Well, since we had a warmer day today, I thought I would turn on my A/C after my car had been sitting in the sun all day. It did not work. The light came on and I could hear something click under the dash, but the compressor did not click on. I presume that there is a leak in the system and that there is no refridgerant. Refridgerant should not leak, and should never need topping up, unless there is a leak in the system, as far as I know. My 52 only has 8,000 miles on it. It was brand new when I bought it last May (cheap!), and had apparently been sitting in a field for almost two years, along with a whole bunch of other Stilos, so I would hope that this would be fixed under warranty? I did check the compressor fuse and it was fine.

 

[cmc]

my air con packed in on my 02 1.6 dynamic. turns out a pipe at the front ruptured and it wasn't covered under the 3rd year warranty - £220 to fix. Get it in while you are still in year 2 of the warranty as seeminlgy this is not uncommon.

cmc

 

[dropthepuck]

my air con packed in on my 02 1.6 dynamic. turns out a pipe at the front ruptured and it wasn't covered under the 3rd year warranty - £220 to fix. Get it in while you are still in year 2 of the warranty as seeminlgy this is not uncommon.

cmc

I cannot understand why that is not covered by warranty. I would have contested it, but that's just me. I am now in my third year, plus I have a Fiat extended warranty for a further 2 years that says it covers all air conditioning parts.

 

[Fiat-Tech]

stilos are infamous for air-con not working after system hasnt been used for a few weeks, most cases it just needs a squirt of gas into the car to get things working again, apparently the trinary switch sticks if system isnt used for a while and a squirt of pressure into the system sorts it out. trouble is you wont find a garage that will give you a squirt of gas, they will tell you it needs a full evac and re-charge, which to be honest is the best thing you can do anyway to get 100% efficiency outta it.
summer is coming, and the stilos are already pouring through the door for air-con re-charges.
oh and if any1 decides to get a re-gas, ask if they can also clean the system, this is where a chemical (gas) is added in through the heater re-circ flap, it kills all those nasty bugs and smells that have gotton onto the evaporator inside the heater box and all the internal piping from the heater box to your vents, its added cost but trust me its worth every penny, smells crisp n clear after and keeps the system healthy from bugs.

 

[dropthepuck]

Just curious. I understand that even in the winter months you should turn on your a/c to keep the seals from drying up. However, all cars I have had before (in the U.S. anyway!) with a/c have utilised the a/c system when the defrost is turned on to avoid seal probs in the winter. Is this not the case with the Stilo?

Thanks.

 

[lardarse]

my air con packed in on my 02 1.6 dynamic. turns out a pipe at the front ruptured and it wasn't covered under the 3rd year warranty - £220 to fix. Get it in while you are still in year 2 of the warranty as seeminlgy this is not uncommon.

cmc

Same ehre, fixed for free inside 2 years. The pipe which snapped was metal - chap showed me.

It had to go into the dealer to replace the pipe then a week later another chap came round to the house to fill with refrig.

HTH

Steev

 

[HornetUK]

My 2000 Punto had a metal pipe snap three times, just a very poor design, the dealer said, replaced twice under warranty then third year didn't cover. Had on going argument with Fiat UK who in the end offered to pay 25% towards fix, didn't bother as it would have only broke again!

Surely the metal pipe just goes brittle and busts....as happened to me 3 times!

This puts me right of paying the extra £300 for an Active aircon when I replace my Punto this year!

 

[cmc]

pipes, couplings and connectiors are all excluded in the 3rd year. seemingly there is a weak aircon pipe that keeps fracturing. Fiat have never really got to grips with aircon.

 

[dropthepuck]

I just booked it in this morning for 4/4/05 (the soonest they could look at it). They told me if it was a pipe that the third year warranty would cover it, but would not cover a refridgerant charge.