2010 Vibe, AC won't take a charge!

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kgw51gmc
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 6:12 am

2010 Vibe, AC won't take a charge!

Post by kgw51gmc »

2010, 2.4, 5spd, "basewagon". 140K miles, all original except for rear calipers which stuck and needed replaced every 13 months, runs perfect.

AC quit working last year. Compressor used to make some noise according to my wife. Then it quit making noise and the ac quit working... Refrigerant was still fully charged, and it didn't leak a bit. So to me it was obvious--replace compressor AND condenser in case anything went out of compressor into system.

Had system pumped out and took car home to replace the parts.

Replaced compressor, condenser (with filter dryer receiver), and replaced expansion valve. On this vibe you don't need to remove the dash! It's just two allen hex head screws behind the motor on the firewall and it pops out into your hand in five minutes.

Replaced all that, and with gauge set properly hooked up, system vacuum pumped to -29.92+/- for 2 hours, I added R134A to the LOW side port while the HIGH side gauge valve was CLOSED. Slowly opened the low side valve on the gauges to send R134A to the system and it took 3 oz. After 3 oz, the low side gauge was 58PSI and the high side was 0. And no cold air of course.

Evacuated system again. Re-vacuum pumped the system, 2 hours, let hold for another 2 hours. Then tried to recharge with the simple can set up instead of the manifold gauges. Same thing, put in 3 oz, and high side got nothing. Tried this stuff a few different times. Won't work.

It's a compact variable compressor, so no clutch to kick in and out. ANY IDEAS!? :?:
2010 Vibe, base, 4 door, 5 speed, 2.4, 140K miles.
Bookworm
Posts: 764
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Houston, TX

Re: 2010 Vibe, AC won't take a charge!

Post by Bookworm »

This will sound really ... stupid, but did you check the compressor to make sure it didn't have any outlet/inlet plugs? I've seen that on pumps and similar before, to try to make sure nothing gets into the works before you're ready to hook it up to sealed piping.
kgw51gmc
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 6:12 am

Re: 2010 Vibe, AC won't take a charge!

Post by kgw51gmc »

It had plastic caps that I removed prior to installation. I will re-check by removing the lines on the compressor AND the condenser. I'm sure I didn't leave any plugs or caps in but at this point I need to check SOMETHING. It does act like it's blocked somewhere, but....it's PERFECTLY blocked if it is. The pressures don't drift or change, even after a week.

The car has new compressor/condenser/drier. Then evaporator completely flushed with the loan a tool from AutoZone and 20 bucks' worth of the ac flush solvent. System does not leak, never has.

After flushing the evap coil, vac'd the system down again 2-3 hours, -29.92 etc, and once again, the system will only take 3.5 oz of refrigerant (weighing can on digital scale) and then that's it. Low side pressure is 50-60PSI and high side is 0-5 PSI.



Only things left to replace now are the pressure switch located directly next to the high side port and maybe a relay... BUT, I can't find the relay on the actual car. Rock auto has a relay for the 2010 vibe but I can't find it on this car. And ALL of the pressure switches on ebay, rock auto, amazon are NOT the same as this car.

NONE of the fuse panel diagrams I've found online match this car. Both fuse panels (under hood and under dash) are different than anything I have found online. Haynes manual is in the mail, but have no hope for that diagram set either.

Is a 2010 vibe an ODD year?? My rear brake calipers need replaced about 1 time every 13 months, when they stick. It's not the hoses, they are properly installed but only last 13 months. When ordering them in prior years, they had to be ordered as a 1.8 liter GT and not the base with 2.4 like it is.

I've basically done nothing to this car in 9 years except calipers on the rear (Front are original) and now this AC system snafu. And so far this car always has a mystery when matching information to the car, like the fuse boxes not matching up at all. It's not R title, it was mint condition and only about 3 years old when we got it. I think it's some odd half year car or something.
2010 Vibe, base, 4 door, 5 speed, 2.4, 140K miles.
Bookworm
Posts: 764
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Houston, TX

Re: 2010 Vibe, AC won't take a charge!

Post by Bookworm »

Not really experienced with the post-08 refresh years.

You might check some of the data available at Toyota Nation on the Matrix, since they're the same car. It may be one of them has run across the issue.
kgw51gmc
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 6:12 am

Re: 2010 Vibe, AC won't take a charge!

Post by kgw51gmc »

I will definitely check on there. Good idea.

Does anyone here know where the AC relay is? No, it isn't in that panel under the hood or under the dash with the fuses. I looked it up on RockAuto and it looks like an ECM but it's the relay. I can't find it! UAC RE1019C {8925712010} RELAY is the google-able number from RockAuto.

When I look up the relays/fuses the world wide web shows swapping horn relay with ac relay, which is not possible because I don't have one like that. Any help or ideas? Thanks guys.
2010 Vibe, base, 4 door, 5 speed, 2.4, 140K miles.
Bookworm
Posts: 764
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Houston, TX

Re: 2010 Vibe, AC won't take a charge!

Post by Bookworm »

See if you can find a diagram for a 2010 toyota corolla. There were zillions of those built, and they probably had the same layout.
Vortec
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 7:10 pm

Re: 2010 Vibe, AC won't take a charge!

Post by Vortec »

I was trying to find the ac relay on my 09 gt yesterday. Closest I can figure is that the relay that controls the ac fan also controls the rest of the system.
2009 Vibe GT (mine), 2003 Vibe GT (gf's)
kgw51gmc
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 6:12 am

Re: 2010 Vibe, AC won't take a charge!

Post by kgw51gmc »

All that was wrong was the pressure switch. Only reason I didn't buy one is becuase of a few tests I saw online and when tested, it passed with flying colors. Took to a shop and they figured it out, put switch on and it worked fine. Too bad the new compressor I put on failed after a few days. I flushed the evap coil prior, cleaned the lines etc as a precaution prior to install. But new one failed so now there is metal shavings in the new condenser, the evap, etc. It was all for nothing. 30 hours of work, tons of $$.
My instinct when I started was: F it, if it has no ac she can take the Kia Sedona to work on hot days. But nooooo, I had to dig and try and fight with it for hundreds of $$ less than nothing. Almost $1,000 in parts/shop/recharges etc. All that time.
2010 Vibe, base, 4 door, 5 speed, 2.4, 140K miles.
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