a/c issues

[96chev]

I am a new owner of a 96 Tahoe. i cannot get my ac to work. i got it checked for free at place and they drained the whole system. told me to put in 4 bottles of freon. it wouldn't take any. i checked all fuses and the relay but everything was OK, put new fuses and relays in just in case, also a new heater control. nothing worked, i took the relay out and used a wire as a fuse and kicked the compressor right on. plz help me, me my wife and daughter are hot. its 106 here in Kansas city i need help

 

[clkelley]

Welcome to the neighborhood!

If the system is working and just blowing hot air you probably have a bad mode actuator in the heating/cooling under the dash. If it is blowing hot on the driver side then it would be the mode actuator on the side of the heater "box" under the dash. check the video below for more info on those. the video is for a 98, but it should be the same.

http://youtu.be/Ow0OOfIFtlU

If that is not the case, I highly recommend taking the truck to a licensed shop for a full A/C service. I am kind of surprised that the place you took it to "drained" the system without performing the recharge, but there are specific steps to getting it properly charged to keep it operating correctly and not ruining the compressor. It will cost a bit, but it is well worth it. keep in mind, any shop that will drain the system for free and then just recommend that you "put four bottles of freon in it" and send you on your way is probably not the best place to have it serviced.

 

[96chev]

why is the compressor only turning on when i use a wire to jump it??? also the button for the a/c has a light but it will not come on. i thought it was a bad heater control but the light on that one didn't work either

 

[clkelley]

When you straight wired the compressor you kind of forced it to come on, if the freon and pressure inside the system isn't right or if it lacks lubrication just enough, this can keep the compressor from kicking on and doing it's job.

I am not exactly sure about the light on the button, but it may not be coming on because the system senses that it is not operating properly and as a result it is not coming on. I would definitely have a full service done first to make sure the system is properly charged in the first place, if it is not you can ruin the compressor and have a mush more expensive repair on your hands.

 

[lesterl]

IF it is not taking "ANY" freon, then you probably have a poor connection with the service port and may have to mess with that so it will take on freon. I recommend it being sucked down, I am assuming that the shop did that, with that it should take a full can in no time...... the next few will take longer and require that the compressor be able to cycle.