Dave’s Free Car Repair Advice

Samantha asks:

I have a problem with my 1999 Ford Taurus. My AC has had problems off and on lately. It has the automatic controlled system. It works fine for 30 - 40 minutes on a hot day and then starts to blow warm air. If I turn off the AC for a short time, like 5 minutes, sometimes the problem disappears and it works fine again. Do you know what’s going on? I checked for low refrigerant and it’s fine. Can you help me out, Dave?

Samantha, your car is equipped with EATC, meaning “electronic air temperature control” which is great until problems begin.

I would start at the basics like you did and have a professional check both the high and low side pressures and compare with factory parameters. It sounds like your system is freezing up which is a result of a low refrigerant level, then thawing out when you shut it off for 5 minutes. The accumulator/dryer may be plugged and bypassing through a pressure relief. Another thing could be a malfunctioning temperature sensor.

Samantha, air conditioning problems really require a complete diagnosis by a trusted professional. This is because so many components interact with one another, and without knowledge of experience, can mislead the real problem of the system.

Then there is the cost of repair. You want it fixed right the first time with some kind of guarantee, I would recommend taking it to a Ford Dealer with the proper training and diagnostic tools and have it done right the first time.

I hope this helps you Samantha, good luck, and try to stay cool….

Dave