08 vibe a/c problem. Please help.

[08greenvibe]

I have browsed the forums searching for an answer or even something closely related but have come up with nothing. Pardon my ignorance if I did in fact just miss the topic. I am actually posting on my moms behalf as it's her vibe. Two days ago her a/c just stopped blowing cold air. Almost instantly. It blows basically what the temp of the air outside is. It will however get hot if turned to heat, just wont get cold. When you push the A/C button you can hear the compressor click on and the engines rpm go up a little. The fact that the compressor comes on leads me to think that it isn't a fuse or relay issue. I checked the cable for the a/c control That was ok. I was reading about the a/c clutch, but don't know enough about it to know if that could be it. Does the compressor run if the clutch is bad? Any help at all would be a huge help. Granted it's winter, but we live near houston texas, so winter doesn't really exist for us...

[trb]

Welcome to another Houston area Vibe owner! I hear you on AC down here, I ALMOST turned mine on today, but I resisted! LOL! My wife can't live without it though.As for the clutch, that is what turns the compressor. If you hear it kicking in, and you see the pulley on the compressor turning, then the clutch is OK. Also the compressor would not kick on if the refrigerant is low, so that is not an issue if it is working. Sounds like to me the air diverter valve or flap is somehow not switching over for the air to blow through the evaporator under the dash in order to cool it. But it is instead directing it through the heater and letting some bypass. I luckily haven't worked on these AC systems, but I did a complete replacement of the system on my Mustang a few years ago and learned all about how they work.I have read about the fresh/recirculate door problem on these cars, but haven't seen anything on the temperature adjustment.

[djkeev]

Ok, the clutch clicks on but what is more important does it stay on for quite awhile or does it quickly click off? It is normal to have some cycling with the clutch but there may be enough gas pressure to activate the system but once it starts spinning the pressure may drop ...... or excessively build and the system clicks off.IF you don't know AC or have the proper diagnosis tools, take it to someone who does. Resist the urge to pick up a can of 134a and sock it in there. If the system is already fully charged, you may end up really doing some damage with an extra pound in a system that doesn't take a lot to begin with!!Dave

[TONY TAT2]

I dont see a generic/electro magnatic clutch on my 09's AC compressor. I think it's a internal lock up type,but I cant verify it,or find any info on it.

[b03matrix]

First, check the a/c fuse (near the air filter box) to make sure it's OK then check something else.

[08greenvibe]

Ok I have checked the clutch with it on and it stays running once it's on, it doesn't cycle off. Had it running for about 10-15 mins nonstop and didn't cycle off or stop at all. The line with the black knob that has an H on it gets cold. Not sure if this is pertinent what so ever. I can't find any fuses marked A/C Edit: I found the interior fuse box under the dash, which is damn near impossible to reach, what person designed that? Since everything kicks on do I even need to attempt to squeeze in there to try and pull that fuse to check it?

[djkeev]

Quote, originally posted by 08greenvibe »Ok I have checked the clutch with it on and it stays running once it's on, it doesn't cycle off. Had it running for about 10-15 mins nonstop and didn't cycle off or stop at all. The line with the black knob that has an H on it gets cold. Not sure if this is pertinent what so ever. I can't find any fuses marked A/C Edit: I found the interior fuse box under the dash, which is damn near impossible to reach, what person designed that? Since everything kicks on do I even need to attempt to squeeze in there to try and pull that fuse to check it? That line with the cap with the H on it is the high pressure line, the line that carries the freshly cooled gases into the passenger compartment to be released to you, the driver.If this line is cold (it will often form a layer of ice on it when operating in humid conditions) that is a good thing!I wonder if you've got a flap problem that isn't allowing air to pass through the cooling coil and into the passenger compartment. I don't know the 09's at all and sadly cannot help you with any details. They are sometimes cable operated, sometimes vacuum operated. Did you do any work on the car? A new radio or any related dash removal lately?Good luck but with this pipe being cold, that's a BIG money saver right there!! Now to find out what that cold isn't being discharged to you.Dave

[trb]

I was looking at some of the parts diagrams on one of the GM parts websites the other night trying to figure out what could be broken that is not allowing the air to be cooled by the evaporator coil. There looks to be a few levers and rods that operate some doors in the AC ductwork. It is possible that one of them has come undone or broken off. But their diagrams are not real clear on the parts.Look up the car on here and you can see the sketches of the AC parts. I looked under 2008 Pontiac Vibe, HVAC parts http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/catalog/frameset.cfmThe first diagram is the underhood parts, second is the heater assembly, third is the AC assembly. I'm thinking parts 15, 16 or 17 in the third diagram might be the culprit.

[08greenvibe]

Thanks for the help here guys, and thanks for the link TRB, DJ, yes actually we did pull the trim off around the stereo, because a few weeks ago a cd got stuck in the cd player making a terrible grinding noise. Nothing we did would help with the CD to eject, even with the car off the cd player still made the grinding sound it eventually stopped after it destroyed half the cd player display. Sorry a little off topic but that's what led up to removing the trim piece. I unhooked a few of the wires but that was as far as I got and just decided to put it back together. Never unhooked the stereo or anything. There is one weird wire/cable that we couldn't get undone it went to the unmarked "button that you can't push in or anything" under the a/c and recirculate button on the trim panel. No idea what that goes to.

[djkeev]

Quote, originally posted by 08greenvibe »Thanks for the help here guys, and thanks for the link TRB, DJ, yes actually we did pull the trim off around the stereo, because a few weeks ago a cd got stuck in the cd player making a terrible grinding noise. Nothing we did would help with the CD to eject, even with the car off the cd player still made the grinding sound it eventually stopped after it destroyed half the cd player display. Sorry a little off topic but that's what led up to removing the trim piece. I unhooked a few of the wires but that was as far as I got and just decided to put it back together. Never unhooked the stereo or anything. There is one weird wire/cable that we couldn't get undone it went to the unmarked "button that you can't push in or anything" under the a/c and recirculate button on the trim panel. No idea what that goes to. DING DING DING DING DING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here's your problem. You knocked off a wire, you knocked off a vacuum line, or you knocked off a cable that is vital to the AC controls!!! Open it up again and look, real careful, something you did disabled the AC system.Dave

[08greenvibe]

going to go take a through look at it, any idea on where I can find like a diagram or something to know what exactly might be missing?

[djkeev]

Ah, you've got an 08! Just reread, thought you had an 09 for some reason. I'll see what I can dig up. Just look for unplugged wires, look for cables and follow them to the various doors they control, turn knobs and make sure doors open and close. It's not rocket science but the space is tight and confined. Think logically and DO NOT FORCE ANYTHING!!!! IT's all plastic and easily broken when using too much force.Dave

[Seranader]

Hi. I noticed in your post, off topic, you mentioned that a CD got caught in the player, making a grinding noise...I just experienced the same thing...The CD started making an awful grinding noise, would not eject, and kept spinning even when we tried to power off the audio system, and even when we turned off the ignition. It eventually turned off. But now the CD is still in the player, won''t eject, and I wondered if you figured out what was wrong...I recently had a recall fixed at the GM dealer, where they changed the passenger airbag and I thought maybe it could have affected my cd player...but they said no, so searching for fixes...
Thanks!

[ctgottapee]

If you can get access to a code reader, it might hint at what you knocked loose.
Of course without a factory manual to tell your where it is, you'd probably still be guessing.