Here it is; can someone with know how assist me?

1. A/C blows plenty of air without making weird noises. Air is anything BUT cold.

2. I had the Freon recharged a year ago and I believe it's empty again.

3. I have the most irritating condensation build-up on my windshield during the summer months - even with the A/C off.

*I'm assuming I have a leak somewhere inside the dashboard and may need to replace my A/C condensor (not compressor). Sound about right?

 

Have the freon filled again but make sure they put leak detection dye in it. The condensor is in front of the radiator, if you're leaking under the dash it's the evaporator.

 

When they filled the Freon last time they used some sort of sniffing device and said there was some problems near the center front vent right above the CD player. Should I assume that my evaporator has a cracked line of something going into it?

 

Make sure that the water drain for the under dash heater box is open.

It is a small short rubber hose with a 90-degree bend. It is located on the engine side firewall behind the passenger side engine head.

While you’re at it clean out the udders that drain the plenum at the bottom of the windshield. See the sticky at the top of C5 Tech for excellent photos and information.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1246715

If left unattended water WILL drip onto the BCM (body computer) in the passenger foot well, causing expensive damage.

 

Hi, Yes if you had the system recharged a year ago, and it is now not cold, then you have a leak. If it is in the evaporator,(in the dash), it is a large job to fix. You may want to get another recharge and see if it lasts a year, make sure they put some ref oil in with the charge, other wise you will be replacing a compressor to. As for the condensation on you windshield, you need the ac on with the heat to clear it, usually the defogger will do it, but it needs the ac to be working properly to do it.
Good Luck

 

I have heard that many people have had this issue with the condensation on their windshield. It's a GM thing apparently. From what I have seen, it has something to do with the vent not sealing properly and always leaking cold air directly on the windshield.

 

Do you have any HVAC codes?

when you use "options --> fuel fuel fuel fuel" to pull the DIC HVAC codes?

 

No codes, no puddles, and NO FREAKIN COLD AIR!!

It's hot as crap this summer!

Anyone have a spot on idea what my problem is?

Air volume is same as stock and the electronic climate control works fine. I'm just getting hot air all the time. I'll try a freon refill...there's another $100 plus going bye bye.

 

I have a code reader and it's not pulling up anything. However, I'm getting AIR system F* Ups all the time. I'm replacing my front O2 sensors because I think that's where the issue is.

 

Hi, If you have good air volume, and you are getting hot air all the time at all vents, the most likely place to look is the ref level, and another possibility, the temp doors which are controlled by the control head and electric motors, also a bad ambient air sensor will cause the same type problem. So there are many possibilities, but If you want us to help you pinpoint it, you need to do a little troubleshooting and answer a few questions, and there is a good chance we can help you get it straightened out.
1 Is the compressor running when you put the ac on.
2 Is the ac light on the control head on or blinking, and off.
3 Have you checked for any vacuum leaks.
As for the condensation, is it on the inside of the windshield, or the outside of it.
Trying to help you--Good Luck.

Edit--If you want to try a recharge, you can do it very easily yourself for under 25.00, provided all the ref didn't leak out. If there is still some positive pressure in the system at the off position, then you do not need to evacuate the system, just top it up with ref and oil. Below is a link for a kit with a hose and guage to do it with.
http://www.partsamerica.com/productd...goryCode=3571B

 

Hi, it occurs on all cars under the right circumstances.
Below is a very good write up on why, and what to do about it. But you need a working AC to deal with it efficiently.
Good Luck
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Defogging the windshield of a car would seem like a simple enough task, since most modern automobiles come with a 'defroster/defogger'* installed. But the truth is, it's quite difficult for most people to achieve a clear windshield because they don't understand why or how condensation forms on a windshield.
Your windows can get steamy for two different (but related) reasons:

It's too hot and humid inside the automobile, and so water particles accumulate on the inside of the windows, upon the relatively cool surface of the glass. This is what happens when you park the car at night to, um, talk with your passenger(s). The windows 'steam' up because water vapor which has escaped from your lungs due to your, um, breathing, is trapped in the hot, stagnant confines of your car's interior.

OR


It's too hot and humid outside the automobile, and you have your air conditioning (or 'defroster')* running at a very cold temperature. In this instance, the water vapor is accumulating on the outside of the glass, because the interior of your car is very cool, relative to the outside temperature. Water vapor condenses on cold surfaces.
These are two distinct problems, but you can use your defroster, or any fan directed at the windshield, to accomplish windshield clarity, as I will describe. It is amazing (to me) that proper defogging techniques are not taught in driver's education classes (or at least, they were not taught to me), because not everybody understands the physics involved. I, admittedly, only understand a little bit about it, but I have developed a system for defrosting a windshield properly, efficiently, and effortlessly. And I share it below. But remember, if your windshield is compromising your view of the road, pull over to solve this problem -- do not attempt to solve the problem while also driving. That could be dangerous.

One common mistake in windshield-defogging is the belief that there is something wrong with the windshield defroster. There's not. The problem is you. I'm sorry, but I'm just being honest. You turn it on at full blast set for the coldest temperature (or the hottest temperature), and then get all pissed off when, after about thirty seconds of blissfully clear glass, you are dismayed at new formations of condensate. You give up, thinking your defroster is not working. But you just didn't give it the right instructions, that's all.

The first line of defense should always be fresh air. Very often, fresh air, either let in through the windows or the vents, can eliminate condensation without the need for a 'formal' defrosting process. But sometimes this won't work; if it's raining; if you're particularly sweaty; if it's particularly humid outside; or if it's too cold outside to roll down the windows.

In the event that fresh air does not work, (and for both scenarios above), you must attempt to minimize the difference in temperature between the two sides of the glass. Follow this process:

Turn on your car's defroster (and if that does not automatically engage the air conditioning, if you have one, turn on the air conditioning too). This applies in any weather. The 'air conditioning' involves a dehumidifying process which is very helpful at windshield defrosting. If you don't have air conditioning, but rather, just a fan vent pointed at the windsheild, turn that on instead.

Now, the most important step: Find the right temperature! If it's hot outside, start with the temperature adjusted to the hottest setting until all of the fog disappears from the glass. Then, slowly begin moving it to colder and colder settings until you see the first hint of frost beginning to form on the windshield again. Immediately turn the temperature back ever-so-slightly warmer, and you should have found the equilibrium point. If it's cold outside, you'll want to do the opposite: Start with the temperature as cold as possible until all of the frost disappears, and then immediately begin adjusting the temperature warmer and warmer, until the first signs of condensation reappear.

 

Hi, If you have good air volume, and you are getting hot air all the time at all vents, the most likely place to look is the ref level, and another possibility, the temp doors which are controlled by the control head and electric motors, also a bad ambient air sensor will cause the same type problem. So there are many possibilities, but If you want us to help you pinpoint it, you need to do a little troubleshooting and answer a few questions, and there is a good chance we can help you get it straightened out.
1 Is the compressor running when you put the ac on.
2 Is the ac light on the control head on or blinking, and off.
3 Have you checked for any vacuum leaks.
As for the condensation, is it on the inside of the windshield, or the outside of it.


The AC lights work on the controls
I may have a vacuum leak above the CD player in the center vent. The shop I went to last year used some sort of sniffing device and discovered this. I'm pretty sure the compressor is running. You've got me double checking myself so I'll get back to you on this in the morning.

My condensation forms on the outside of the window just above the defroster/defogger vent in the dashboard.

Please tell me more about the ambient air sensor and the temp doors. You have me interested to learn more about my car.

 

The best thing for you to do based on how you describe your symptoms:

Find a person that knows a little about ac work and have them hook up a set of AC gauges to check the refridgerant (r-134a) level.

A somewhat knowledgeable person can tell a lot just by the pressures when he/she hooks up the gauges with AC on.

They can also add refridgerant at that time.

To give you an idea, a set of gauges costs about 50-100 and several people in my family have them, so talk to your friends and see if you can find someone that can do it for you.

If not, find a local AC repair shop and have them run a diagnostic on it -- shouldn't cost over $50.

 

Hi, Ok, we are getting a little bit more info.
The sniffer that the shop used can not possibly detect a vacuum leak, it is used to find refridgerant leaks. If they told you that they detected a leak in the center vent, and if they were accurate, then you most likely have one in the evaporator, but the question is , is it a bad enough leak to leak out enough in a year to cause warm air at the vents. Could be, and in that case you need to top up as I mentioned in the previous post. But you need to put ther AC on and set the driver temp to 60, and the fan on high with the mode set to the dash vents. Then watch the compressor, and see if it is running and if it is short cycling,(running a few seconds and shutting off, again and again). If that is happening, then you do need refridgerant added. If the compressor is running at normal cycles,(runs for a few minutes at a time), you may need to look at the temp doors(actuators), or a Vacuum leak, or disconnected vacuum hose. Do the compressor test, and let us know, it will tell a lot.
The condensation on the outside of the windshield indicates that you are getting very cold air out of the defroster vent, which you wouldn't be getting if the AC system is empty of ref.
(It's too hot and humid outside the automobile, and you have your air conditioning (or 'defroster')* running at a very cold temperature. In this instance, the water vapor is accumulating on the outside of the glass, because the interior of your car is very cool, relative to the outside temperature. Water vapor condenses on cold surfaces.)
This would lead me to believe that your mode doors, temp doors are not working properly. But the compressor test will help us determine that.
Good Luck

 

You say the condensation is on the OUTSIDE of the windshield? That would only be caused by COLD air blowing on the INSIDE of the window. Are you sure the defrost vents are blowing hot as well as the dash? If the condensation is on the inside, then I would agree with the above stated that you have moisture in the HVAC box in the dash. If it is in fact on the outside, you need to see if your actuator doors are actually adjusting the airflow properly, and to the proper vents. It may be blowing your cold air on the windshield.

 

To say if it's a problem with the doors; how would this be fixed? Thiink it's a short circuit or a blown fuse?

 

No a fuse would not cause your problem. You can however, reset the HVAC system by pulling fuse #27 in the passenger footwell for 60 seconds. After reinstalling, the system will recalibrate the blend door actuators.

When you set the mode button to a position, does the air come out of the selected vents only?
If not, you could have one of two problems.
1) Your battery has leaked and destroyed the vacuum line running to the HVAC control unit, thereby not letting it control where the air comes out.
2) You have a bad blend door actuator, which is letting you get hot air instead of cold, out of some vents.
If you do indeed have condensation on the OUTSIDE of the window, I would vote for #1, as your A/C would have to be blowing cold air to form any condensation on the OUTSIDE.
Try cycling through the mode settings SLOWLY,and see if the airflow changes to the selected vents. If it DOES NOT, you likely have a vacuum problem, more than likely under your battery. If it DOES, try cycling your temp ***** SLOWLY, and see if you get any temp change at all.

 

And problems with the doors usually throw HVAC codes.

http://vette.tnreeds.com/actuator/actuator.htm

 

Thank you for the great info everyone; please keep it coming.

My car cycles through the selected vents as it should. The difference in temperature ranges from HOT with the heat setting and OUTSIDE TEMP with the cold air on all the way.

This leaves me to believe that everything works just fine but I'm out of Freon. There currently is no more condensation on my windshield. The last time I saw that was when I just just a little bit of cold air making its way through the vents.

It seems to be a leak somewhere. I will have to check the cycles on my compressor, they seemed normal to me last time I was in the engine bay.

 

I just turned mine on and the A/C light just turns off. I put my gauges on it and got a big fat 0 on the the gauge. I guess I got some items to replace. At least it's not my DD.