[SaulGoodman]

Hello everybody, New to the forum..

13’ Altima 2.5 SL

My A/C blows “cool” in 75-89 weather temp. Once it gets to 90+ my A/C struggles to keep “cool.”... it actually blows warm/hot and won’t blow cool at all at temps of 100+. In the past I’ve taken my Altima to a mechanic to recharge the system. When the mechanic was trying to charge the system he said it wouldn’t “fully charge.” He then told me the issue was an expansion valve. I’ve been searching on here for other A/C threads and don’t find much that compares to my issue. I would appreciate any help as the weather is starting to climb here in Southern California .

Do you think it could be a pressure switch? Ambient sensor? Ecv sensor? Expansion valve ? Possibly something else ?

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

 

[Throckmorton]

Hello everybody, New to the forum..

13’ Altima 2.5 SL

My A/C blows “cool” in 75-89 weather temp. Once it gets to 90+ my A/C struggles to keep “cool.”... it actually blows warm/hot and won’t blow cool at all at temps of 100+. In the past I’ve taken my Altima to a mechanic to recharge the system. When the mechanic was trying to charge the system he said it wouldn’t “fully charge.” He then told me the issue was an expansion valve. I’ve been searching on here for other A/C threads and don’t find much that compares to my issue. I would appreciate any help as the weather is starting to climb here in Southern California .

Do you think it could be a pressure switch? YES or NO. Ambient sensor? YES or NO. Ecv sensor? YES or NO. Expansion valve? YES or NO. Possibly something else? YES. Expansion valve? YES.

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

My advice? Since you don't trust the mechanic you took your car too for A/C repair, replace all the parts listed.

Let us know how much $$$ you spent blindly replacing parts that did not need to be replaced. Sooner or later you are bound to get it working properly.

Good luck, and don't forget to post pictures, as we here @nissanclub love pictures.

 

[SaulGoodman]

It’s not that I don’t trust him but I’ve always been told to get a 2nd or 3rd opinion and not going by what one mechanic says.

 

[Throckmorton]

It’s not that I don’t trust him but I’ve always been told to get a 2nd or 3rd opinion and not going by what one mechanic says.

Ok, take your car to another shop and get a 2nd opinion as to what is malfuncting.

Internet key board mechanics can and will give you varied opinions as to what MAY be wrong with your A/C system. Do you want to trust our over the internet diognosis of your problem? I would not.

 

[SaulGoodman]

What’s the point of a specific car forum then? Figured I’d ask the ones with the same vehicle as me as they might know a thing or two about my AC SYSTEM. In the past car forums have saved me $$$ with other vehicles ..

 

[d0ugmac1]

Throck's point is that a trained mechanic with eyes on access to the problem is going to be way more accurate than one guy on a forum making a guess based in equal parts of intuition, experience and deciphering which bits of info the poster chooses to share/thinks are important. Most people are smart enough not to mess with their AC systems and so the 'community knowledge' for it is far less than for things like alternators or bearings or whatever.

Your system is behaving like one with a refrigerant leak which can also behave like one with faulty compressor or one with a clogged expansion valve...none of which are easily or safely accessible to the average person. Of the above the 'leaky' hose is the cheapest to fix...if your expansion valve is clogged...it's probably because there are contaminants in the system, which means your compressor is likely dying too...which means you need a whole system flush and probably to replace the drier/condensor unit too.

 

[SaulGoodman]

Throck's point is that a trained mechanic with eyes on access to the problem is going to be way more accurate than one guy on a forum making a guess based in equal parts of intuition, experience and deciphering which bits of info the poster chooses to share/thinks are important. Most people are smart enough not to mess with their AC systems and so the 'community knowledge' for it is far less than for things like alternators or bearings or whatever.

Your system is behaving like one with a refrigerant leak which can also behave like one with faulty compressor or one with a clogged expansion valve...none of which are easily or safely accessible to the average person. Of the above the 'leaky' hose is the cheapest to fix...if your expansion valve is clogged...it's probably because there are contaminants in the system, which means your compressor is likely dying too...which means you need a whole system flush and probably to replace the drier/condensor unit too.

Yeah you guys are right , well that explains it better. Thanks for the info I’ll be taking it in today to get it checked out

 

[amc49]

I would go to someone other than the guy who simply says the system will not fill up. That is a mark of either incompetence or subterfuge to keep you in the dark to bump charges up.

Past that is the 500 page book, most people who comment online don't know squat about mobile a/c yet they will talk you into spending hundreds for nothing as you aren't any smarter.

I work on all a/c on my cars and will not let anybody else touch them, the repairs are often under $10 or zero but then I know a/c.

Likely a leak there like said and at the least somebody again has to run the pressures to find out exactly where you are at and to indicate direction.

If they say compressor is bad then go elsewhere, the compressor is the most blamed part in a/c (to get the biggest repair charges), and often they do worse after the compressor is changed, nobody can do that work correctly for spit. Not even many of the shops do it right. Like automatic trans, they know the world knows nothing about them and they got you. Why I only repair my ATX too. Most of the compressors I took back as cores in parts had nothing wrong with them other than an idiot or thief diagnosed the condition.

I have only changed one compressor in 40+ years on a long stream of cars and that one was while learning a/c, I damaged mine through lack of knowledge. Haven't ever needed one since then, too many other ways to get them freezing cold. And cheaper.

Most of the time it's simple leaks, the modern use-no-tool-to-install a/c uses lines that no longer positively bolt together. They snap together using o-rings for sealing and the fittings and o-rings either don't leak or leak regularly even on new cars, it's luck of the draw there. I've had a couple cars last 20 years with no leaks but the norm is they begin to leak and you either tear everything apart to redo rings (megabucks) or simply keep charging them up every 1-3 years depending on the leak rate. Past that the charging kits create lots of additional issues as they were never meant to be used by the incompetents that commonly use them now. Most people inject lots of air in using them and that is the primary reason for problems like the OP talks about, as in, it won't fill up and it gets cool but not cold.

It's the incompetence, not the parts, that break you there. Just like ATX repair, there is no excuse for a rebuilt automatic trans to not last 10+ more years, mine last 20 if anything, I've never worn the rebuilt ones out. Same with a/c.

 

[SaulGoodman]

I would go to someone other than the guy who simply says the system will not fill up. That is a mark of either incompetence or subterfuge to keep you in the dark to bump charges up.

Past that is the 500 page book, most people who comment online don't know squat about mobile a/c yet they will talk you into spending hundreds for nothing as you aren't any smarter.

I work on all a/c on my cars and will not let anybody else touch them, the repairs are often under $10 or zero but then I know a/c.

Likely a leak there like said and at the least somebody again has to run the pressures to find out exactly where you are at and to indicate direction.

If they say compressor is bad then go elsewhere, the compressor is the most blamed part in a/c (to get the biggest repair charges), and often they do worse after the compressor is changed, nobody can do that work correctly for spit. Not even many of the shops do it right. Like automatic trans, they know the world knows nothing about them and they got you. Why I only repair my ATX too. Most of the compressors I took back as cores in parts had nothing wrong with them other than an idiot or thief diagnosed the condition.

I have only changed one compressor in 40+ years on a long stream of cars and that one was while learning a/c, I damaged mine through lack of knowledge. Haven't ever needed one since then, too many other ways to get them freezing cold. And cheaper.

Most of the time it's simple leaks, the modern use-no-tool-to-install a/c uses lines that no longer positively bolt together. They snap together using o-rings for sealing and the fittings and o-rings either don't leak or leak regularly even on new cars, it's luck of the draw there. I've had a couple cars last 20 years with no leaks but the norm is they begin to leak and you either tear everything apart to redo rings (megabucks) or simply keep charging them up every 1-3 years depending on the leak rate. Past that the charging kits create lots of additional issues as they were never meant to be used by the incompetents that commonly use them now. Most people inject lots of air in using them and that is the primary reason for problems like the OP talks about, as in, it won't fill up and it gets cool but not cold.

It's the incompetence, not the parts, that break you there. Just like ATX repair, there is no excuse for a rebuilt automatic trans to not last 10+ more years, mine last 20 if anything, I've never worn the rebuilt ones out. Same with a/c.

Very useful , I will keep all of this in mind when I’m getting quotes on repairs either today or tomorrow . Way too hot to leave the house at the moment .

 

[amc49]

I wish it was not that way but we have to deal with the world we are in.

 

[SaulGoodman]

I wish it was not that way but we have to deal with the world we are in.

No doubt ! It’s already in the 105’s where I am

 

[amc49]

It got pretty hot here last week and turned mine on after sitting all winter, still getting cold. That one had quit locking the a/c clutch up, I fixed the bearing only and rebuilt the clutch and working fine since. Cost was $10 for junkyard parts, I pulled the bearing side seal and regreased it to be like new as it was still good and tight with no wobble in race. Some 3 years ago.

 

[SaulGoodman]

So... 800 dollars later my AC is working as of today . Needed new compressor , dryer , and expansion valve smh...

 

[amc49]

Around here that much work is well over a thousand.

Remember what I said about compressor needing change? They just can't leave them alone, it bumps the bill up higher and why they do it.

Compressors are the most changed when not needed part there is.

 

[SaulGoodman]

I know.. I was already annoyed when they mentioned the compressor needed to be changed, I was thinking “ yeah right , you just wanna make some money “

they tried changing the expansion valve only and then said it still wasn’t taking full charge so then he said it was 99.9% the compressor, which I’m still questioning but I’m just happy that it’s finally fixed after a couple years of driving around with it working poorly , having leather seats makes it way worse too LOL

 

[amc49]

Well, I hope it stays working long enough to be worth it. When I did parts the biggest problem I saw was the requisite detail work needed with a compressor change was never done correctly or at all and then the new compressor tears up in short order. Hoping not of course.

Glad I learned on my own, I haven't spent $800 total on a/c work in all of 45+ years and an endless stream of cars. That first compressor blowup I did at the start before my learning I fixed for only maybe $50, I happened to have a spare compressor laying around. A Ford one that went on an AMC car and worked for many years after that.

It must really suck to have them automatically tell you like a recording that they need to change the compressor, similar to all ATX repairs have to have a new transmission. I've fixed ATX often for as little as $25 to go on for years more but just try to get shop to do that. No way.