Ac compressor keeps breaking
Thread Starter
1st Gear
Joined: Aug 2025
Posts: 1
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Ac compressor keeps breaking
When I first got my c5 6 or so months ago I fully replaced the ac compressor then suddenly a week ago it started making a very loud ticking noise. I had it checked out again and, or so I thought fixed. When I got it back after the second fix it was fine but now a day later it’s ticking again, it quieter then before but definitely broken. It now has a sort of metal on metal grinding noise as well. Why does it keep breaking?🥲
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,416
Likes: 1,144
From: Dyer, IN
When I first got my c5 6 or so months ago I fully replaced the ac compressor then suddenly a week ago it started making a very loud ticking noise. I had it checked out again and, or so I thought fixed. When I got it back after the second fix it was fine but now a day later it’s ticking again, it quieter then before but definitely broken. It now has a sort of metal on metal grinding noise as well. Why does it keep breaking?🥲
Moderator, Tech Contributor
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 15,561
Likes: 4,030
From: Cape Coral, Florida
When I first got my c5 6 or so months ago I fully replaced the ac compressor then suddenly a week ago it started making a very loud ticking noise. I had it checked out again and, or so I thought fixed. When I got it back after the second fix it was fine but now a day later it’s ticking again, it quieter then before but definitely broken. It now has a sort of metal on metal grinding noise as well. Why does it keep breaking?🥲
Take your car to an AC Specialist.
Pro
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 682
Likes: 275
From: Cincinnati Ohio
From my experience, reasons why an otherwise mechanically sound compressor will fail:
Running a/c with low refrigerant charge. This leads to failure due to insufficient lubrication.
Running a/c with overcharge or with air in the system. This forces the system to run at very high compressor out pressure.
Metal particles in the system from a previous compressor failure.
Running a/c with low refrigerant charge. This leads to failure due to insufficient lubrication.
Running a/c with overcharge or with air in the system. This forces the system to run at very high compressor out pressure.
Metal particles in the system from a previous compressor failure.
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