Ls400 '00: Air Conditioning Not Blowing Cold

[Crawf]

Hi folks,

Probably my first question on here! Wonder if anyone can give advice on an air-conditioning problem on an LS400 from 2000 (my father's car).

The air-coniditoning does not blow cold, so the car was taken to KwickF to be refilled. They said the compressor was switching on/off, and needed replacing.

I've tried to do the self-check tests on the car, but not sure i'm doing them right; the display initially reads 00, and then cycles through a series of different fan positions etc. A single time to code read 23, but i have not been able to repeat this reading. I wonder if this was the one time i got the test right?

On pressing the air-con light the revs drop and you can hear a noise under the bonnet. However, after this the noise stops, the revs return to normal and the air-con button starts flashing green/blue.

So, is this the dread dead compressor? Or what else should be checked?

Thanks in advance!

[peco84]

hello i would get it pressure checked as there is a known fault with the front pipes chaffing through on a un padded bracket if your gas is low it will cause some codes. A air con specialist will be the best to look at it.

[Crawf]

Thanks for the reply.

It was pressure checked by the KwikF guys, and they reckoned it was ok (which may not mean an awful lot!).

I have tried the error codes again this evening, and couldn't get anything to come up. I reckon the car knew i had been reading about OBD systems and was no longer sure if i could get codes by pressing buttons on the dash.....

Can i?!

[steveskeggy]

The first mistake you made was taking it to kwikfart, you would have been better to take it to Marks and Spencer.

Break out the yellow pages and look for a mobile refrigeration engineer, even better if he is an automotive refrigeration engineer.

These blokes work on these systems all the time, and they know more about air con than some spotty herbert who has done a one day course on how to work an aerosol.

And it will work out cheaper in the end if there is a problem.

[Manc]

You can get the codes, mines the old 1993 style so prob different, i just looped a wire into 2 holes in plug and it flashes whatever codes it has. Mine had 3 and it can get confusing looking at blinking lights so have your head on.

Cant find the page but its on here somewhere, think i came across 'fault codes' or 'diagnostics' or similar and there is a post with details on both systems, how to check and read, and what each code means....but the explanations are tech talk and can be difficult to understand, mine had 3 options with each, but all related to one connection block so when its back on the road (v.soon) i will tell you if i fixed it or not.

Forget kwikfit rippers or Halfords....find a local fridge/freezer mechanic. Thats who i came across but mine went down to minus 7 so he said it was fine. He couldnt get rid of the smell i asked him to sort out tho. Someone else said its bacteria after being off for months, but its not all the time so i dont bother.

They should have all the equipment needed if hes a good'un.

A/c engineers can be expensive

Good luck