Why doesnt my Civic's A/C work?

Question

AIr blows out, but its not cold. Any ideas?

Whats freeon? Can you give me a site to look up info about it?

Answer 1

This is a really easy fix. I'm hoping that your car is post-1995(?)..cause otherwise you need to visit a shop that handles R12 freon. But if its newer, you can just go to any auto parts store and buy a recharge kit - maybe $30 max, with a can of Freon.

To use it. Look under your hood (shut the engine off you moron...don't hurt yourself...and read these instructions twice...and get help if you get confused...) and find the air conditioner compressor. It's a big silver pump connected to the fan belt. It has to have a belt running it or it's not your A/C pump. Ok. Now follow the hoses or pipes that run into and out of the pump.

One of these hoses or pipes will have a valve budding out of it with a tiny plastic screw on cap on it. Spin the cap off and take a look. You'll see something like a tire valve, only bigger. That's where the freon goes.

So take that freon recharge kit from the auto parts store, hook it up to that valve. If it doesn't fit like perfectly - then you are trying the wrong valve or something stupid. Take a look again and think. It's like you are pumping up a tire (only you are pumping it with compressed gas from the freon can, rather than compressed air from a tank). Just push the fill connector down on that valve (which is called a Shrader valve - just so you know) and let the freon gas fill up your system.

Once the can is empty, you're done. Now run the A/C. Nice huh?

That should last a year or two, so you may need to do it again.

If it stops working - but the fan is still running - then you have a leak and you probably need a mechanic unless the leak is obviously a hose or something easy. There is leak patch, depending how funky your car is, but that's a whole nuther question.

(That ASE tech is really tripping...this ain't that kind of party. Hondas run out of freon all the time...save some money. Mechanics love this repair...it's really easy and people never complain cause it always works.)

Answer 2

It may not be the compressor, however it can be that the compressor has no freon. Freon does evaporate, however slowly, it does and needs to be recharged about every 3 to 5 years. There are 2 types of automotive freon. R-12 and R134A. You can look under the hood and see which type yours takes. R-12 is no longer being produced so it is very expensive (about $40 per 12 oz.) R-134A is very cheap. It averages about $5 per 12 oz.

I would go in and have the system checked by a mechanic. Have him check for leaks in the hoses and the compressor to see if it turns on and if the system is charged or not. The average cost to recharge a R-134A system is about $70. For R-12 it is about $200.

Answer 3

Wow! right on Andy. R-12 and HFC134-A do not evaporate at all in a normal working a/c system. They are not designed to and they don't unless you have a leak. Car manufacturers would never get this by all the enviromental mentals as r-12 contains chloroflourocarbons. 134 does not but it now requires a reclaimer to be properly recovered from a system. The enviromental goofballs would never let them build something thats pukes out ozone depleting bad things. The ase guy is right although a little edgy maybe. Yes, there are many things to go wrong, especially on a Honda. The final answer if you are playing the odds is it is probably out of refrigerant due to a leak. Take it to a shop and have it checked properly. You can go to Wal-Mart and get a do it yourself kit (if it is 134-A) and do it again a few months down the road or spend the money to fix it right one time.

Answer 4

Already,you have recived a lot of uninformed answers.An a/c system is a lot more complex than most people think.You will have to spend a little money with a reputable tech.to diagnose the problem.It could be as simple as a blown fuse,or catastrophic as a blown compressor or a rock thru the condenser.It could be a faulty high pressure switch.Maybe the blend doors in the dash unit are not oppening.SEE! I just got started! Find a good Technician to look at it for you.

Answer 5

If its blowing yet no longer blowing cool it may should be recharged and upload slightly refridgerant. in case you do this and day after today its doing a similar component then there may be a leak someplace. yet spend the replace on a refridgerant and do the attempt your self and then convey it to the restore shop and SAY I actual have a leak in my a/c how plenty could it value on the 'ninety six honda civic. do no longer hear at that ya-ya bout oh its gonna value such and such money as a results of fact the mechanic has to make specific thats the concern 1st. tell them you seen yet another mechanic and thats the diagnosis. So now they be conscious of you're no longer determining to purchase any misc. attempt that they could sense the could desire to run.

Answer 6

It could be just as simple as the compressor belt isnt attached. check under the engine, not the alternator belt or power steering belt, make sure your belt is good for the compressor. If it is still there and in good condition its probably just the freeon that needs to be filled again... Thats super cheap to have done, most shops and even refridgerator places have it.

Answer 7

you need freon.I had a civic where when the air went I either had to pay a real expensive price for freon-or switch to the new air system for just as much but a lower price for freon...I replaced the old with the new and it was 120 I think and just getting the freon was going to be 80

Answer 8

Freon doesn't just go away, so you probably have a leak somewhere. Your mechanic can recharge the freon and add a dye to locate the leak. Generally it's an expensive repair.

Answer 9

Take it to a mechanic. You probably need a refill of whatever chemical cools the car. I thought freon was illegal now but I have no idea.

Answer 10

The unit may be low on freon. See haloalkane at Wikipedia.haloalkane