A/c button/ ac not working

[mmmason23]

2004 vibes. Last summer did an ac recharge myself. Worked all summer just fine. Tried it now, button doesn’t light up and ac not blowing cold air. Blower working. Attached a recharge kit and it was in the red area that says some other problem then a recharge. Any ideas?

[joatmon]

I found a 2003 Vibe AC wiring diagram at download/file.php?id=1733 (and for an 03 matrix at download/file.php?id=5890 )

The Vibe diagram doesn't specifically show the light in the AC switch (the matrix one does), but it does show that the switch gets power from the AC fuse, which is unfortunately in the awkward to access under dash fuse block.

Other fuses involved in the circuit are the GAUGE fuse and the HEATER fuse. If the GAUGE fuse was blown, then you'd be having a lot of other issues. If the big HEATER fuse was blown, then the HVAC blower fan wouldn't work.

Not being able to recharge could likely be that the AC compressor is not turning. It has a magnetic clutch that pulls the compressor shaft against the spinning belt pulley. The pulley always spins when the engine is running, but the end plate only spins when the clutch pulls it in.

If the AC fuse is blown, then the question is why did it blow and will a new one also blow.

Personally, I'm hoping that at some point since you last had the AC working, you pulled the radio bezel off and forgot to hook the connector back up to the switch

Let us know what you find

[mmmason23]

Wouldn’t the recirc button be on the same fuse? That one works.

[joatmon]

Wouldn’t the recirc button be on the same fuse? That one works.

The wiring diagram doesn't provide detail on the inner workings of the switch. That switch has two electrical functions: AC on/off and recirc on/off. It seems to me that if the recirc function was powered by the AC fuse, then there would be no reason for the switch to also get 12V from the Gauge fuse so I assume recirc function is powered by the gauge fuse, and then since recirc works, then all that mean is the switch is connected to the wiring harness, which is unfortunate because that would have been the simplest, easiest solution.

Did you ever get a chance to check the AC fuse?

[mmmason23]

I did not. I had a hard time reading the diagram. Anyone have photos?

[mmmason23]

It doesn’t seem like the compressor kicks on, but if the fuse is blown I’d imagine it wouldn’t?

[joatmon]

I did not. I had a hard time reading the diagram. Anyone have photos?

acfuseloc.jpg (62.68 KiB) Viewed 535 times

It doesn’t seem like the compressor kicks on, but if the fuse is blown I’d imagine it wouldn’t?

My thinking is that if the AC button doesn't light up when pushed, then its not getting power, and its not sending the signal to the car computer to tell it to turn the compressor on, so having the light not light and the compressor not engaging makes sense

Doesn't mean that that's the only thing keeping the compressor from running, but seems like the first thing you need to remedy

[mmmason23]

So I pulled the fuse, put a new one in. Turned it on, the light was on for a few seconds and poof out again. Tried with a second new one, same thing

[andrewclaus]

Since it took a few seconds to burn out, it wasn't a direct short, rather excessive load. I'd suspect the A/C clutch. I'd try to get a reading on its resistance. We don't know the spec, but if it's low enough to blow a 10A fuse then it's a problem.

It looks like the only other load on the circuit would be the fresh air/recirc damper. Does that work when in heater mode?

[mmmason23]

The recirc works. I have the actuator tick. I unhooked it for fresh air for the winter, hooked it back up now to get recirc. Appears to work to me

[joatmon]

I agree with andrewclaus, sounds like the compressor clutch is shorted

If it was my car, I'd do a quick elimination test. Put good AC fuse in, do not press the ac button, and see if the rear window defogger works. If so, then that means the wire going to the center dash is not the problem. Then, turn that off, and pull the AC relay (in the under hood fuse block, press the AC button, and if the AC light switch stays on (fuse not blown) then that means the short is downstream from that relay. Then turn the AC off, put the relay back in, and disconnect the wire going to the AC clutch. Press the button, and if the AC light stays lit, then that pretty definitively says the short is in the AC clutch.

One of mine failed open, didn't pop a fuse but didn't work either. It can be replaced without fully pully the compressor and disconnecting the refrigerant lines, but as a do it yourself task, it depends too much on what tools, skill and workspace you have for me to say do it yourself or have someone do it. There are a number of threads here about replacing AC compressor clutch. \

Good luck, hope you get it fixed, its getting hot out there