I've searched, but didn't see this issue. My Prius has 198K, runs great and has been trouble free. This week it started acting up. The AC will run for a few minutes, blowing very cold, then will blow warm air for a period of time, perhaps 10 minutes, then will blow cold again for a few minutes. It will repeat this several times, then will blow cold until the end of the trip, about another 30 minutes. Anyone know how to troubleshoot - fix this?
My blower went out a couple months ago in my 05. The A/C would not turn on when I start the car. When I run over a rut in the road, it jolted the blower back into place and started blowing cold air again. I had to replace it. I think the fuse was also messed up. $300 in all
The first question is whether the A/C computer is trying to tell you what the problem is. Here is how to read the trouble codes, if any. You don't need any kind of special tool to read the A/C codes, it's just a matter of holding the right buttons. The codes can be looked up in the repair manual. If you post them here, someone may have the information at hand. -Chap
Thanks for the info and the link. I checked my AC codes and saw 00 flashing in the top right corner of the display. Anyone know what the code is?
I took the car out for a half hour drive, and the AC blew cold the entire trip. I rechecked the AC codes at the end of the trip and have a flashing 21. Anyone know what that is?
Probably it was dark at the end of your trip when you checked the codes? I think 21 refers to a low signal from the ambient light sensor. In dim light, it is normal to see that code. If you have it in bright sunlight, that would mean a problem involving the sensor. I'm saying this from memory ... checking me with the manual is never a bad idea. -Chap
The system probably has a tiny bit of moisture in it which is freezing in the expansion valve orifice, preventing AC operation. Once the moisture melts, then the system can function until it freezes up again. If this is the case, the remedy is to replace the cooler dryer, then apply vacuum to the system, then recharge the system with refrigerant.
