AC Problem - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

c21guy · 07-01-2008, 04:35 PM

I searched the threads and haven't seen my specific problem. All electrical and buttons appear to work. I just don't get cold air. It blows barely cool air on a hot day. On a cool day it blows fairly cold. I added refrigerant, last fall. Didn't seem to make a difference. Is there a bleeding that needs to take place while adding refrigerant?
'99 Avalon
TIA
Jim

skynet1988 · 07-01-2008, 04:51 PM

do you hear the clutch on the compressor engage when you turn on the A/C?

c21guy · 07-01-2008, 07:28 PM

Not sure. I can hear the engine seem to work a little harder as the load from the AC kicks in. I will check it more closely.

c21guy · 07-01-2008, 09:49 PM

I could hear the compressor click on. This evening with the temps around 70, it was blowing cooler air. Tomorrow when the temp hits 80 it won't be as cool.
As I asked before, wouldn't there have to be a bleeder somewhere in the system to let air escape while adding new refrigerant? Maybe it isn't that simple.
What can I check next?

c21guy · 07-08-2008, 08:51 PM

Anybody???

Qslim · 07-08-2008, 09:36 PM

If the clutch is engaging and the system is still not performing well, the next step would be to do a good visual inspection of the whole system to check for leaks, check the condenser for blockage, and look in the sight glass for air bubbles. Rather than just adding refrigerant, the proper thing to do in this case would be hook it up to machine, evacuate the refrigerant and weigh it so you can determine if it is low on charge, and then draw a vacuum on the system and see if it holds.
If that all checks out, recharge the system according to whatever the weight specification is and add fluorescent dye to the system to make future leak detection easier.

And there is no bleeder valve to let air escape when you add refrigerant.

sseaman · 07-09-2008, 08:46 AM

I would also do some Preventive Maintenance on the cooling system, it may be time to flush the radiator and refill, this seems to help all Toyotas

Elad · 08-02-2008, 04:06 AM

May be nothing wrong with your AC. What about your air dam control?
Servo not operation fully closed and allowing warm air in?
Check your AC pipes coming out of firewall and if there cold, then its air venting problem....
On my car, its either cold or hot - no inbetween as servo is going full on or off for heat...