Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum (Archives)

Elvee on Tue August 14, 2012 2:27 PM

Year: 2001
Make:

I put a new Denso NP4710522 in my 2002 Grand Caravan back in April. When it first went in, it was cranking out cold air.

Lately we'd been noticing it was not as cold as it had been.

Yesterday, my wife tells me it's not working at all. I turn on the car and pop the hood.
Everything looks good, so I tell her to turn on the AC.
All of a sudden, the belt around the AC and alternator stops turning.

I turn off the AC, but still the belt isn't moving.

I turn off the car, then turn it back on - again the belt is running.
She turns on the AC and ...... it STOPS!!

WTH?????

And what's the deal the their 1 year "Limited Warranty"? I bought this through AutoPArtsWarehouse.com.

Thanks.

bueller on Tue August 14, 2012 7:03 PM

What happened to the compressor you replaced?

Limited Warranty is simple for most compressor manufacturers. Prove that you fixed it right in the first place and you should be good. Replacing just the compressor after a compressor failure usually means no warranty.

Edited: Tue August 14, 2012 at 7:06 PM by bueller

johnbkobb on Tue August 14, 2012 8:05 PM

Did you do a flush of the system before you installed that new compressor? along with a new filter drier? same type oil as in new compressor? right amount? how did you measure the refrigerant charge? With a scale? If it wasn't installed correctly you won't have a warranty and you are learning "the hard way" which can be expensive.

Leggie on Tue August 28, 2012 3:29 AM

Belt isn't turning? So did it seize solid?

mk378 on Tue August 28, 2012 10:43 AM

Is the belt tight? You should hear an awful squealing noise (followed shortly by the belt breaking) trying to drive a seized compressor.

iceman2555 on Tue August 28, 2012 8:22 PM

The key to this warranty' With 12-month Denso limited warranty'. Denso is very specific about their warranty procedures and if the compressor alone was installed....good luck with a warranty claim. You would have been better off buying from one of the retail supplies, they at least offer a 90 day warranty no matter what is or is not completed with the repair.
Now to the serious part of this repair...if you wish to do this once more and complete the job and be assured that this would probably be the last repair for an extended period of time. Consider a complete system service. The front and rear evaps (if equipped) need to completely flush and air purged. The condenser must be replaced...two failures and it can be almost guaranteed that the condenser is restricted. The hose/manifold should be replaced, if equipped with mufflers/filters. Strongly suggest to replace the TXV's. The system must be charged with lubricant per OE specifications. The system must be recharged utilizing the correct procedure...no cans...use a scale or other metering device to insure proper charge rate. Insure that the engine cooling system is operational, all fans are working and the condenser fan does increase with pressures as designed. A more through suggestion would be to replace the entire system. The evaps in this vehicle are multipass units and very difficult to flush and clean without the use of a flush machine.
Have seen this happen time and time again, short cuts...no flush....no condenser....not charged correctly....and the inevitable....replacement compressor failure.
It has been said time and time again....DO IT ALL!!! DO IT RIGHT!!!DO IT ONCE!!!
Sorry you experienced this problem, but todays vehicles require more definite service procedures than those of earlier times. Can not count the times I have heard...." been doing AC repair for 30 years and never had to do this before....." The issue is that we are no longer working on 1982 cars......and service procedures and parts design have changed drastically.
Good luck

-------------------------
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.
Thomas Jefferson

JJM on Tue August 28, 2012 8:40 PM

Why I was cracking up over the title of this post I have no idea, but clearly, this is no laughing matter.

We really need to determine the service procedures used on the install to make a determination. If the compressor was merely bolted in and charged up, that's probably why it failed.

Joe