The car is a 1995 Nissan Maxima SE 5spd with 140k miles.

The A/C works, but doesn't seem to blow as cold as I think it should. It has auto climate control, and I set it to 65 degrees auto, but seems to blow air around 75 degrees. I haven't taken a thermometer to check the exact temperature, but blasting it for a while doesn't make me shiver like it does in other cars.

Is the Maxima A/C just not as cold as other cars, or is this a sign that something isn't working as well as it should?

Thanks,
-Brian.

Your refrigderant level is low, take it in and have them recharge the system before you need any major repairs.

Hello Guys... I have a 96 GLE with Climate Control & am having symptoms where my A/C is not cold enough when it is extremely hot outside & is sunny. I have tried everything that people have suggested on this forum (keeping windows open for 5 min, re-circulate should be on for a while, etc, etc). Nothing seems to work. The A/C works perfectly fine in the evening & at night.

The initial thought process was that there was not enough refrigerant & hence these problems. However, after checking the pressure using the guage I purchased at K-Mart, I found that it was almost 50psi!!

What is the best way to get the extra refrigerant out without taking it to a garage? I know that it has to be handled carefully & there are environmental hazards, etc,etc., but I don't want to pay someone to take the excess out! Are there any DIY kits available for this task?

Thanks,
S

PS: I have asked this question in one of the earlier posts, but since I didn't see any responses, I am posting it here again.

Check that you have no vacume leaks in your blend-doors that control the hot/cold of the system. Also check to see that the compressor is making enough pressure to push the refrigerant through the system. Compressors do go bad, and sometimes they are the last thing we check.

By the way, what was the PSI on the high and low side of the guages? This is important because your A/C lines could be clogged or blocked.

Madmax1991,

I only checked the psi on the low side. It was 50psi! I believe it should be around 25psi. I will check the psi on the high side when I get home tonight. What should the psi for the high side be?

Thanks,
S

I also had the AC system pressure tested and refrigerant recharged recently. When the weather is hot, it doesn't seem to be able to cool the air as well as in the evening... seems like I have the same problem as stembe.

Could the compressor just be a little weak?
-Brian.

The low side should be somewhere around 30-35psi depending on the model.
Without knowing the high side reading, it could be anything.
Given a normal charge of r-134a:
With a high low-side and a high high-side there is probably air &/or
moisture in the system. You need to discharge the system, replace the
receiver/dryer, evac the system with a vacuum pump and recharge.
With a high low-side and low high-side, the compressor valves are not
sealing and the compr needs replacing.
I highly recommend buying the Haynes TechBook "Automotive Heating & Air
Conditioning" manual. Most parts shops have these books. You'll need a
vacuum pump and a high velocity fan to recharge the system and then get good
readings when the car is standing still.

Thanks Madmax1991,

Suddenly, for some odd reason, my A/C has now started blowing hot air! I can still hear the 'click' sound when I turn the AC on, which means the clutch on the compressor is still engaging (?) hopefully. What would cause it to blow hot air? The low-side pressure still reads 50psi.

Thanks,
S

50 psi is too much for the low side. I believe it should be around 25-30 psi (my FSM is somewhere, can't find it).

You have too much pressure. When you run your air conditioning, does it cycle on and off? Does your low side tube get warm/hot?

My experience:

Scenario 1; Overcharged ... compressor cycles on and off repeatedly, unable to stay on. Way too much refrigerant!!!

Scenario 2; Overcharged but not obvious ... a/c blows not as cold but cold for 90% of the time. 10% of the time, it cannot engage the compressor and doesn't blow cold anymore. When it wasn't engaging, I checked my low side and it was hot. I freaked out. Shut the car off and checked the pressure, 65 psi.

I relieved the pressure from the low side with short bursts, now my A/C is blowing cold again (pressure down to under 25 psi) but I will be topping it up just a little bit to get it at the optimum level.

If you don't have a pressure gauge (even the cheapo one), don't recharge it yourself.

Oh yeah, you always assume some risk when you work on it yourself. A/C repair is expensive. If it's just a simple recharge, you can usually do it yourself with minimal risk but major repairs are best taken care of by profe$$ionalS.

Pocketrocket is correct, A/C system work is very expensive. Right before my 91SE was totalled, I had the A/C system worked on by the dealer (hasn't worked in two years) and I spent almost $600 in labor and $100 in parts, and the system still had a leak in it somewhere. So I just gave up on it.

But anyway, I have an ASE certification in Automotive heating and air, and I know first hand about the cost and repairs involved in that. I know everyone is gonna ask me why didn't I just fix my own A/C. Well, I'm gonna tell you. I work full-time for Carmax as a Sales Consultant, and I just don't have the time or the tools on hand to get all this done. I know first hand that its not an easy job. Try rebuilding a Ford A/C compressor, you'll see how easy it isn't. Just my 2 cents