A/C blows ambient air on drivers side

[tyndallcbr]

My A/C blows ambient on the drivers side and blows cold on the passenger side. I have a 2011 GT with a 5,200 miles. I am running the Steeda tune for their CAI and other minor mods. I tried pulling SJB fuse 15 to reset the blend doors per this thread... http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/2011-2014-mustangs-354/916280-c-blend-door-motor.html but it did not fix the issue. I am taking the car to a Ford dealer tomorrow. My question is this. In the event they want to or need to flash the ECU to the current version. Should I put the ECU back to stock at the dealer or let them do it with my SCT tuner so they can update the ECU. Once it is updated I can reload the Steeda tune before I leave the dealer. Does anyone have any advice on this? Thanks, Sean

 

[momstmg]

Freon is most likely low

 

[tyndallcbr]

I see your point but the passenger side blows cold. I forgot to mention the car has the Electronics Package that includes dual climate controls. I am thinking the drive side blend door is not running through its full range of motion. That is why it blows ambient on the passenger side.

 

[kevinp]

Its a messed up LH blend door actuator most likely, dealer shouldnt have to flash the pcm to fix it but I would put it back to stock if you just have minor mods. Sometimes if they are slow they may look for updates and if your car needs a PCM update they may do it.

 

[tyndallcbr]

Update... car at dealer

Took my car in today to have Ford look at it. They called at noon and said the A/C compressor needs to be replaced... I agree it sounds like a blend door issue. I asked the service writer to talk to the technician and they called back and the technician said it was not the blend door but the hose from the compressor comes in on the passenger side and that is why the A/C was still cool on that side but not the drivers side? Thoughts?

 

[kevinp]

Its hard to argue when its under warranty. Worst case scenario is you get a new AC compressor/belt, and if that doesnt fix it a blend door motor.

 

[tyndallcbr]

This is true... I only have 5k on the car and I hate to have it worked on because the chances of having the techs screw something else up (in my opinion) increases. I have had bad luck in the past with service departments dinging doors, damaging interiors, and not connecting or generally screwing everything back together after work is complete. The car runs and drives perfect and if it was not for living in Florida I might have lived with the A/C issue.

 

[2012 Boss 302]

2011 with only 5000 miles. It's low on Freon from lack of use.

FYI, the spelling and grammar Nazi can't help this. The correct spelling is DUAL A/C, not duel, unless it's pistols at dawn with your A/C.

There is a place, "over there" for example. Their is a possessive plural pronoun, "that is their book"

 

[kevinp]

This is true... I only have 5k on the car and I hate to have it worked on because the chances of having the techs screw something else up (in my opinion) increases. I have had bad luck in the past with service departments dinging doors, damaging interiors, and not connecting or generally screwing everything back together after work is complete. The car runs and drives perfect and if it was not for living in Florida I might have lived with the A/C issue.

I understand, unless its something pretty severe I never let them touch it. They tend to screw up more things then they fix, there are some decent techs out there but they never seem to be the ones that work on my cars lol. Luckily I know a couple dealers well and they trust me enough to give me the parts and they get to charge Ford the labor under warranty.

If it were me I'd pull off the actuator and manually move the blend door and see what happens. When you did the recalibration you did leave the fuse out with the key on? If you watch the actuator during the calibration you should see it move from one end to the other with the fuse out and key on.

I had the same problem on 2010 GT500 and if I remember you could see the center of the actuator move when going from hot to cold. The fuse/recalibration worked for me.

 

[Black Thunder 715]

That's illogical. If the compressor wasn't working you wouldn't have cold air coming out of any vent. I wouldn't let them touch the car if I were you. Try to get a second opinion from another dealer.

 

[2012 Boss 302]

Took my car in today to have Ford look at it. They called at noon and said the A/C compressor needs to be replaced... I agree it sounds like a blend door issue. I asked the service writer to talk to the technician and they called back and the technician said it was not the blend door but the hose from the compressor comes in on the passenger side and that is why the A/C was still cool on that side but not the drivers side? Thoughts?

That's a load. With that logic, the fuel filler door is on the left side so the right side of the engine runs leaner. Physics and chemistry are the same for Freon gas as it is for methane gas, which the dealer is full of.

 

[tyndallcbr]

2011 with only 5000 miles. It's low on Freon from lack of use.

FYI, the spelling and grammar Nazi can't help this. The correct spelling is DUAL A/C, not duel, unless it's pistols at dawn with your A/C.

There is a place, "over there" for example. Their is a possessive plural pronoun, "that is their book"

Thanks spelling and grammar Nazi for you highly useful tips. I have corrected the mistakes and I will also try to start driving my car more. Additionally I will talk to the technician today and ask him to not replace the compressor but instead check and add Freon if needed. If he has any questions I will have him contact you.

 

[D.T.R]

2011 with only 5000 miles. It's low on Freon from lack of use.

FYI, the spelling and grammar Nazi can't help this. The correct spelling is DUAL A/C, not duel, unless it's pistols at dawn with your A/C.

There is a place, "over there" for example. Their is a possessive plural pronoun, "that is their book"

dat grammar nazi



Good luck fixing your car OP.

 

[2012 Boss 302]

Thanks spelling and grammar Nazi for you highly useful tips. I have corrected the mistakes and I will also try to start driving my car more. Additionally I will talk to the technician today and ask him to not replace the compressor but instead check and add Freon if needed. If he has any questions I will have him contact you.

Sorry to step on your toes, just having some fun.

Seriously, I am a 23 year Auto Tech. ASE Master and L1 certified. I have a little experience in this.

Usually a blend air door will make a popping noise, like stripped plastic gears. You did not describe such a thing so I kind of rule that out. A broken blend air door would not change temperature at all. Again rule that out.

The way a dual air system works is like this. One evaporator, two blend doors, one for the driver and one for the passenger. Freon comes into the evaporator as a liquid. If the freon level is low, all the freon stays at the bottom. Depending on the car that could be driver or passenger side. This means one side cools and one side doesn't.

With that said, all the fancy environmental o-rings and hoses will not stop freon from leaking. Everything is an atom and is free to pass around and through each other. My guess, and it is only a guess, you are getting a compressor because warranty doesn't pay poop for toping off a system.

I need to get back to work....

 

[Chameleon76]

dat grammar nazi

I just like his Avi :rolling:

 

[tyndallcbr]

Sorry to step on your toes, just having some fun.

Seriously, I am a 23 year Auto Tech. ASE Master and L1 certified. I have a little experience in this.

Usually a blend air door will make a popping noise, like stripped plastic gears. You did not describe such a thing so I kind of rule that out. A broken blend air door would not change temperature at all. Again rule that out.

The way a dual air system works is like this. One evaporator, two blend doors, one for the driver and one for the passenger. Freon comes into the evaporator as a liquid. If the freon level is low, all the freon stays at the bottom. Depending on the car that could be driver or passenger side. This means one side cools and one side doesn't.

With that said, all the fancy environmental o-rings and hoses will not stop freon from leaking. Everything is an atom and is free to pass around and through each other. My guess, and it is only a guess, you are getting a compressor because warranty doesn't pay poop for toping off a system.

I need to get back to work....

I picked up the car tonight. The technician replaced the AC compressor. He determined it was leaking by conducting a black light test. The technician also replaced the AC belt because the compressor leaked oil onto the belt causing it to squeak. The AC blows cold now on both sides. Sounds like your theory about the freon being low which only allows it to cool one side is correct. Thanks again for the grammar tips.

 

[Black Thunder 715]

I picked up the car tonight. The technician replaced the AC compressor. He determined it was leaking by conducting a black light test. The technician also replaced the AC belt because the compressor leaked oil onto the belt causing it to squeak. The AC blows cold now on both sides. Sounds like your theory about the freon being low which only allows it to cool one side is correct. Thanks again for the grammar tips.

I'm happy for you. I live in FL too and we can't live without A/C in our cars.:rockon:

 

[momstmg]

Your welcome