A/c Issues

[janelle]

I NEED SOME HELP... my A/C makes a searching noise while it's off and sometimes when i first start the car, or while driving...the A/C has come on by itself. Also, my ciggarette lighter fuse has gone out a couple times in the past few months and this morning my battery was drained/dead. Any suggestions?

[IanH]

I NEED SOME HELP... my A/C makes a searching noise while it's off and sometimes when i first start the car, or while driving...the A/C has come on by itself. Also, my ciggarette lighter fuse has gone out a couple times in the past few months and this morning my battery was drained/dead. Any suggestions?

Sounds like more than one problem.

Ok get the battery charged up, use your battery charger or buy a 6 amp charger and leave it on overnight.

Do you have an in-expensive multimeter, Digital, 20V DC range ? If not buy one for under $10...

With everything on the car off, disconnect the negative cable from battery. connect the meter switched to DC amps, highest range, between the battery post and the connector. It should read close to zero, now turn the switch to milliamps one step at a time and note the reading. Stop when you get a reading.

We are looking for less then 50 milliamps. Post result.

now replace your cig lighter fuse.

repeat, start at high range and work down. Should be the same.... post result.

connect battery back up.

put meter across the battery terminals / posts, use 20V DC range. measure voltage...post result.

Start car.

put meter across the battery, measure voltage, then have some one rev to car to 3000 rpm approx, measure voltage again. post results.

Now if all is OK see if the A/C controls are working correctly.

If noise is when A/C is off get belt and idler bearing checked.....All I have time for now.

[IanH]

I forgot to tell you to unplug everything when doing the tests above. And turn everything off....

[janelle]

Thank you very much.. i will try this and come back on and give an update! very informative... if you live in southern california i can pay you to fix it!

[IanH]

Thank you very much.. i will try this and come back on and give an update! very informative... if you live in southern california i can pay you to fix it!

I am in Texas, but from England, so am I an English American ?

Anyway I am new here so haven't got my personal stuff loaded up yet, this reminds me to do that !!!

[IanH]

Thank you very much.. i will try this and come back on and give an update! very informative... if you live in southern california i can pay you to fix it!

So lets see if my changes came up OK ?

[janelle]

yes all up...

quick question.. what are the chances i have to get my a/c changed or fixed? the guy at the auto zone place told me that i need to install a larger fuse for the cig. lighter that my navigation i plug into it is probably cause it to blow. i'm just afraid of this being an eletrical issue ;/

[IanH]

What did the guy at Autozone check ??

He can check the battery and Alternator very quickly.

I am concerned you have a short somewhere causing your fuse blowing and flat battery.

[IanH]

don't put in a larger fuse yet.

what navi do you have and what size fuse are you putting in ???

[janelle]

i believe i have the Magellan Maestro 4350 with a Power Source 2200ma Li-ion rechargeable battery intalled and have a 15 fuse there. i'm afraid of the short as well... Autozone checked my battery, gave me a new one and i bought additional fuses. the firs thing was the noise behind the A/C vents and stereo area, then came the fuse issues about a year later, now the fuse again and the battery. i just dont want to get stuck paying to find out the problem! i appreciate the help and the suggestions!! i will have to try the readings and see what they say.. i have friends that know what all that means, because to me it's a different language.