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2010 Toyota Corolla AC randomly stops getting cold until I switch the AC button off and on

11K views 28 replies 9 participants last post by  galelauk 
#1 ·
Hello buddies, I noticed that my 2010 Toyota Corolla AC randomly stops getting cold until I switch the AC button off and on. This usually happen when the car slows down or in idle. Whenever this happened, I could still hear the sound of compressor running but never gets cold until I switch the AC button off and on. What could be wrong guys?
 
#3 ·
Have you ever had the freon refilled since owning the car?

Any odd smells like mold? If you do, check the AC discharge hose under the car. It might be clogged.
 
#4 ·
If switching the system on and off gets it to work then my guess is an electrical problem. Check your relays to see if they’re working. You can swap similar ones. But since it seems to work while driving then stop when slowing down I think it’s the electronic control valve in the compressor.

The compressor is variable displacement and runs constantly, no cycling. The control valve handles refrigerant output in place of the cycling. When you’re driving the clutch is spinning fast and works more efficiently. At idle it has to work harder for similar output. The control valve should ramp up output at idle to compensate. In your case it’s not doing that. My guess would be turning it off and on resets it and it operates correctly.
 
#8 ·
Hehe. What I took for AC relay is not it at all but an head lamp relay(H-LP relay). Please where is AC relay located in 2010-2013 Toyota Corolla? I was told that the compressor in this model of Toyota Corolla is a clutchless compressor controlled by a electromagnetic solenoid. Does it mean 2010-2013 Toyota Corolla has no AC relay. Please help me out Toyota gurus.
 
#10 ·
Check your cooling fan.... that’s how I figured out I had an issue, when my ac quit at idle, and my car was running warm, I’m guessing when coolant temps get above a certain point it shuts down the compressor save the car (or try to) from overheating


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#11 ·
  • Guys, this is my observation so far. I noticed that I no longer hear the usual cycling on and off clicking sound from the compressor . This means that the compressor is running almost all the time without the cycling on/off clicking sound. So the cooling is epileptic. Cool very well at some point and bad most times. Checked the Freon, the gauge shows fully charged with freon. But the big question is 'how come I no more hear the clicking sound from the compressor since this problem began?' What makes the cycling on/off clicking sound in the compressor? Please anyone with a clue to this problem should help me out...
 
#22 ·
(( From Post #11))
Checked the Freon, the gauge shows fully charged with freon.
Wait... exactly what gauge ??
A pressure gauge --or-- a sight glass ??
If a pressure gauge, what is the high and low while running at about 1200 rpm
If a sight glass.. what exactly does it look like when you say it shows fully charged?
  • Bubbles and/or foam flowing past the glass,
  • What looks like fluid flowing past the glass,
  • Or, something else??
Unless you tell us what is going on, you're spinning your tires and ours.
 
#12 ·
According to an earlier post, the compressor on this car is "clutchless" so the compressor DOES NOT cycle on and off. So you can't hear what isn't happening.
As far as poor cooling, have a suspicion there's a clog in the A/C lines, given that the system is full of "freon", and the compressor is running. Take it to a pro ??
 
#13 ·
According to an earlier post, the compressor on this car is "clutchless" so the compressor DOES NOT cycle on and off. So you can't hear what isn't happening.
As far as poor cooling, have a suspicion there's a clog in the A/C lines, given that the system is full of "freon", and the compressor is running. Take it to a pro ??
Yes agree, the compressor is a clutchless one but I guess the solenoid control valve in the compressor is the component that used to make the clicking sound while my AC was working perfectly before now. I guess my solenoid control valve has gone bad and that's why I no longer hear the clicking sound anymore during this time I'm experiencing epileptic cooling.
 
#14 ·
That my car has a clutchless compressor does mean compressor should be working 24hrs to pump refrigerant all around the ac system. No. I believe the solenoid control valve is what cycles the compressor on and off in a clutcless compressor just like what AC relay does to the clutch type compressor. I'm open to be corrected.
 
#16 ·
Hello buddies, my new observation and discoveries so far about my AC issue is as follows:

AC performs poorly when my car is in idle until I rev up the engine with gear in park or neutral. So guys, what could be causing AC not to blow cold when car is in idle until acceleration pedal is pressed to rev up the engine? Please your solution to this will be highly to appreciated...
 
#21 ·
When was the last time the system was filled up or serviced?

Since it doesn't have a clutch for the compressor, freon is low?
The Freon level is in the green zone. I noticed that this problem began when I recharge my AC system after replacing a bursted high pressure discharge hose. I asked the AC technician to vacuum my AC system before recharging but he said there was said no need. So the AC technician never vacuum my AC system before filling the system with new refrigerant and oil

The following day after this AC refilling, my AC that usually kicks in immediately to blow cold air began to delay for like 30-45 secs before blowing cold air.

As time goes on, this graduate to AC not blowing cold air until I put off and on the AC switch button.

Furthermore, as time goes on, the AC no more respond to putting off and on the AC switch button. So now until I rev up the engine by pressing the acceleration pedal in neutral or park, the AC never blows cold in idle.

From all these experiences, what could have gone wrong. Could this technician failure to vacuum my system have led to my compressor sluggishness? Please any expert advice will be much appreciated...
 
#23 ·
You're A/C technician is what we call a Botcher. Mr. SNAFU.

Two items that were obviously wrong, plus one probable
A. Did not pull a vacuum, and see that it holds for (typically) 30 minutes
B. No fresh desiccant to remove any water from system.
C. Added oil, but did it need oil, or is it now overfilled with oil ??
 
#25 ·
But the question is will AC system vacuum remove the existing oil from the compressor so that I can refill the compressor with the denso ND-8 oil specified for my car? Or will it only remove the refrigerant? I doubt if the poor technician even used the right oil for my compressor, perhaps causing the compressor to perform poorly from mixture with another type of oil.
 
#26 · (Edited)
You need to find another shop that's for sure. Any component replacement will require the system to be vacuumed. So you may have a load of air (and as mentioned above, moisture) in the system, and that won't cool well. ND-8 oil is PAG 46.

The gauge can you find in parts stores won't tell you the whole story, if it's even accurate. A shop with a manifold gauge can tell you what the pressures are.

See also:
 
#27 ·
Thanx to all that contributed to profer solutions to my AC issue. I'm delighted that I finally solved this issue by bleeding off the refrigerant and vacuuming my AC system of air and moisture.

I pulled a vacuum on the AC system for 30 mins after bleeding off the entire refrigerant. I put in new refrigerant without adding oil (technician tested my AC system for lubrication and certified oil level ok). So I did a test run for two days now and my AC system is performing exclently. No more epileptic cooling.

Compressor no more delays to kick in. It kicks in immediately after switching on the AC button and cold air starts blowing immediately. Compressor is now performing the way it should.

Lesson learnt:

Foreign substances like air, moisture, dirt e.t.c can go a long way in causing a clutchless AC compressor to malfunction and if preventive maintenance is not carried out in time, it may cause serious damage to the compressor as this compressor is super sensitive to foreign substances in an AC system.

I'm happy that I took this step on time before serious damage to my AC system components. Gracias to you all!
 
#29 · (Edited)
I guess there could be an issue with the compressor. Did you check if the cooling level is under the minimum requirements? If it all seems to be fine, could be time to visit the auto repair shop. My home A/C went on the fritz just a few days ago - had to fix it at marvellous.sg. Glad this wasn’t a major issue, as it’s still scorching hot where I’m writing from. If you can’t figure it out on your own, just do yourself a favor and take it to the experts and have them run some diagnostics.
 
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