AC issues

Was it working last year I would think it would still be working this year sounds like to me you may be having trouble with the clock spring if partial buttons don't work on the steering wheel I don't know but that could have something to do with your air because there's buttons on the steering wheel for the climate control so before I would run and jump to start doing something with the compressor I'd want to find out if maybe it's getting signal and voltage It sounds like it's just not coming on because something over at the steering wheel isn't making a loop or whatever it needs to do I have had very little trouble with these electric air conditioning compressors in the Prius generation 2 and 3 I have gas units up that have been off and on gas for years because the people were an air conditioning types of folks you know the ones so they didn't soon as I get the car it's gassed up before I get to the gas station practically with freon in the air gas can wait far as fuel I will have my air conditioning and everything I drive farm implements and all of it

 

A good scan tool will work. A code like B14xy on the scan tool means the same as code xy you would see on the screen if your buttons worked.

 

That's the key right there everything was working last season That's not even been a complete year so more than likely the new event like the buttons on the steering wheel not working are probably having something to do with your issue That's why I say before I start doing a bunch of electrical work on an electric compressor. Which happened to be very reliable actually until you run them low on gas and have them spinning at 8,000 RPMs for a month and they burn up That's not the compressor's fault. If it makes you feel any better people are blowing up inverter compressors the little square air conditioning units at everybody's using now the ones that are real quiet you can sit right next to it and talk on the phone..

 

You can get a compatible scantool to check codes and data from the HVAC control ecu.

There can be a number of faults that prevent the compressor from engaging.

My first thought is, how low was (is?) the system pressures? Green on the disposable gauge doesn't tell me much. A few times I have seen evaporator leaks on a Gen2 that would dump refrigerant out in a few minutes.

https://priuschat.com/index.php?posts/3290690

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Yes sir I've seen leaks that dump the gas out in a few seconds actually..but you close can . And stop dumping in . See what you need to replace do that or don't use the gas somewhere else if you have to.

 

The pressure switch is probably what's keeping the air conditioner from coming on The code for the pressure switch I don't know exactly what that means I haven't looked it up but I'm assuming it means it's not detecting any pressure in the system or something along those lines try unplugging it The plug at the pressure switch to junction block It's the air comes on I doubt it I can't remember exactly how it works when it's closed or open.

 

Yeah, it's a dual pressure switch, so you'll get that code if the pressure is either too high or too low. But one of those happens more commonly than the other.

 

Seen so many posts on here where the ac does not work the posters buy a can of fix a flat for your ac and surprise it does not work. Waste of time and money.

Don't take the car to the dealer for an AC issue. Many good ac shops in your area the G2 Prius is a very common car now. They are all aware the compressor is 3 phase electric.Take it to a place that just works on car ac systems.

Don't need to go to the dealer to learn you have a leak. Most common place for an ac leak on a G2 is the evap coil under the dash. Including mine. So don't be shocked if they tell you that save the shock for the price of e coil replacement.

Using the search forums link up top here's some posts about an ac leak in there Prius:

https://priuschat.com/search/437226779/?q=ac+leak&t=post&o=relevance

 

Whatever happened with the clock spring issue If the clock spring is not correct I think that will wreak havoc on the AC system not positive of that but I think so I know in my car when the clock spring was intermittent and acting up the air conditioning was the same when I replaced the clock spring everything was restored I didn't do anything to my air conditioning system I have a generation two '09 base with ice cold air conditioning when I got the car all I did was top it off It wasn't very low but I wanted it to be where it's supposed to be making exactly the cold I needed to make like my other Toyota's here I make that happen the low side and the high side look reasonable it is very cold everything is good. When my clock spring started acting up the air conditioning started acting up I took a clock spring out of my '05 or '06 put it in my '09 after lining up the marks and everything was back to normal. So then I just left it alone and drove the car

 

It's also possible you ended up overcharging the system, so it is probably for the best you had the evacuation and regas done properly with the correct weight of refrigerant. Whatever price you paid, pales into insignificance when compared with having to replace the compressor.