Anyone have AC compressor fail at 2 yrs/45k?

Congratulations!! another dealer working with Toyota & doing the right thing.
This should make the rest of your vacation a little more enjoyable - yeaa!!

 

I think Toyotas and the Toyota Company are great. I just bought my 5th new Toyota. They sure took care of you. That had to be a big relief for you.

 

Thank you Toyota, this is what I have come to expect from the #1 car company in the world. This is why I have owned a Celica, MR2, Yaris, Lexus and Prius! All great cars. Toyota customer service is becoming Lexus customer service, no one compares to Lexus!

 

Excellent news.

 

I am curious, did your AC start making any weird noises that you noticed? I, too, am at almost 2 years and am at 46k miles. My AC is making a noise like there are marbles in the compressor. However, it is still working. I was just wondering if you heard this noise also (more noticeable from outside the car).

 

Hope the same things happen for me. The AC on our 2012 just went out. No check engine or any other light is on.

 

Good luck! If you leaked out the refrigerant then the system just won't come on. Remember, only electrical problems set codes. That is, any item directly or indirectly related to wiring. The ac comp is an electric motor so if it were to lock up, I think it would sense current and set a code.

 

I find two warning signs common to a failing A/C system.

1. Ineffective cooling. For safety, you should have an A/C system checked every 2 years or so by someone who can just "top off" the system if it reads low. ALL A/C SYSTEMS LOOSE REFRIGERANT OVER TIME. It should be over 5 years before any measurable deficiency is found, but if you are losing refrigerant too much in a short time, there is a leak somewhere. So long as your system doesn't run low/dry, you should have no compressor wear. Low refrigerant makes the compressor work harder to do the job, and THAT is what makes it burn out over time. You will see this easily in any A/C system too small to do the job it's tasked with. The on/off cycle of the system allows the compressor to release excess heat that builds up inside of it. Constant running overheats the component.

2. Noise that wasn't there from day one. A compressor is a relatively silent part of the A/C system. You hear it running, but there is not mechanical sound (grinding, pinging, clanking, etc.) associated with it. If a sound emerges, SOMETHING IS WRONG. If you are lucky, it's just a squeaky belt, but if it makes noise when the clutch engages the compressor (belt driven compressors) or it otherwise engages (not idle), and it didn't make this noise from the day you bought the car new, it is suffering from an internal flaw that WILL cause failure in time.

 

The Prius compressor is quite noisy when you are outside the car. If you are concerned then get it checked by the dealer.

 

This is true however the new compressor seems quieter than the fans now, which the normal hum was much louder before. It seems like it's not working as hard now.

 

No belt or clutch on the Prius a/c. Compressor is driven by a variable speed electric motor IIRC.

 

The OP's predicament seem akin to the situation where you're threatened with something catastrophic, then it's deescilated, and you're expected to be greatful. Six grand for AC repair smacks of poor engineering AND gouging.

 

True, but the rule is the same. If you hear noise when it's running that wasn't there from day one (and even then, it's not that noisy), it's an indicator of trouble.

 

No A/C problems with 60k on my 2010.