FG 2013 XR6 Air Conditioner freezing up.

[Tony Thompson]

My 2013 FG XR6 has about 46,000 on the clock. For the past 3 to 4 years the aircon will cease blowing any air out of the vents after about 45 mins driving. Turn the aircon OFF on the dash and after about 5 mins the air starts to blow out the vents again. Switch the aircon to ON and cold air starts flowing again. I believe the evaporator is freezing over preventing airflow through it. I've checked and cleaned the filter behind the glove box and no debris. Any clues?

[OZYWALKER]

Doubt it, they have a very low refrigerant charge from factory so unless the fans not running it's pretty unlikely it would freeze over.

If anything it's just being a temprimental *beep* of a thing, fg old battery problems.

[Tony Thompson]

I believe it is definitely freezing over as initially the aircon is working well and then I notice the airflow is becoming less and less from the vents until it ceases altogether. Last season I had the aircon serviced as I don't have the equipment anymore to do it myself as I have done for the last 45 years. After driving for a further 5 to 10 minutes the airflow gradually increases until finally, it is at normal volume. Just thought someone else may have had a similar problem. If I discover anything new over coming days I will let you all know.

[OZYWALKER]

Well if someone else has got their dirty dickbeaters on it I'd just about garauntee it's been overcharged.
FGs are designed to have fark all charge in the system, if someone's gone and charged it by pressure rather than weighed it in it'll be right dickered.


More to the point the whole get your vehicles AC system serviced is the biggest wrought going on.
Friggen things don't need touching unless its farked up, as in failure of parts or by damage in a stack.

[Tony Thompson]

Thanks for the feedback OZY but in my first post I stated it had been playing up for 3 to 4 years from new in 2013. Then, last year I had it serviced in hope the problem would be rectified but to no avail, it did not fix the problem. I shall persevere and hopefully be able to let you know. Thanks again.

[Tony Thompson]

Eureka. Problem solved with aircon freezing up.

As suspected, the Evaporator Temperature Sensor was faulty and once replaced all problems gone.

Problem solved by Barclay Radiator and Aircon Service in Wagga Wagga. 

Edited 29/10/19 05:59 AM by Tony Thompson
More detail added.

[k31th]

nice work on getting it fixed and especially well done for coming back to tell us what the resolution methodology was

[EvilDaifu]

On 29/10/2019 at 4:55 PM, Tony Thompson said:

Eureka. Problem solved with aircon freezing up.

As suspected, the Evaporator Temperature Sensor was faulty and once replaced all problems gone.

Problem solved by Barclay Radiator and Aircon Service in Wagga Wagga. 

Wonder if my FPV FG 2010 has a similar issue of faulty Evaporator Temperature Sensor.  Been really cold in Melbourne in June/July and after getting my car back from the hail storm repairers (yeah several farrkn big hail stones in Jan got me before I could drive the car under cover) it started to make a thumping noise in the air con system piping under the dash closest to the driver side.  Happens when I first start up the car on cold mornings so whilst the temp is getting up.  I noticed if I have it on full blast for maybe 10 mins or so, the thumping stops as if the temp has stabilized at some steady state (maybe temp I dialed up - usually sits around 20.5 deg C but on cold mornings I crank it up to 23.5 deg C).  I know its the air con causing the thumping noise, like some flap controlling air flow getting stuck or jammed, because as soon as I turn off the air con, the thumping noise stops.  Anyone else had this issue with their FGs?  If so, how did they get it resolved?

 

I am thinking of taking it to an automative coolings place to get my air con serviced.  Are there in recommendations in Melbourne?  Probably have to wait until after Stage 4 lockdown though to get it serviced.  Thanks for any help

[Tony Thompson]

For what it is worth, Barclays Radiator service in Wagga, who repaired my XR6 is a NATRAD agent. I would imagine they would all talk to each other.

[EvilDaifu]

Just posting up an update on my FPV F6 air-conditioning issue that I mentioned back in August last year - got it resolved today thanks to Wishart Auto Tune in Kensington VIC.  Stuart there did a great job, they specialise in auto air-conditioning and auto electrical repairs.  It was a broken blender on the drivers side, apparently a common fault for our Fords and my car being 10 years old now it was probably due to happen sooner or later.  Did not have to take the dash out - that would have been an expensive repair job.  Turned out to be very reasonable cost to repair.  They suggested it could be the drivers side blender motor over the phone after I explained it was making a knocking sound under the dash on the drivers side and was blowing hot air all the time on the drivers side but the passenger side appeared to be working okay.  And confirmed it was as they thought after inspecting the car today and let me keep the faulty part that they replaced.  Thanks Wishart Auto Tune    See pics of faulty part below.  Posting this up justin case it helps someone else

 

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