Aircon not working on 2008 Xsara Picasso

[danamino]

Thank you for having me in this group. I have just joined and made a donation. I appreciate any help you can give me.

I live in Portugal and today I have just bought a silver 2008 Xsara Picasso. It's our second. We moved here 2 years ago in an Irish registered Picasso of the same year.

I was aware that the AC wasn't working but the seller took it to a garage while I was with him and they diagnosed a leak. I wanted the car as it is in overall really good condition and he gave me a good discount after a bit of hard negotiation (I swore I wouldn't buy a car with faulty aircon as it can reach 42c here in summer so I wanted some cash to help rectify this).

Apart from it not getting cold, the fan is very weak compared to our other Picasso. It is like the max power is similar to the lowest fan setting on our other car.

The displayed temperature can be lowered to 14c.

And I could be wrong about this part as I've only driven it the 250km home tonight, but when I raised the temperature control, the heat did go up, but when I lowered the control, the air didn't feel like it went cool again.

Does this sound like something more than an Aircon system that needs fixing and regassing?

Should I book it in with our Citroen main dealer, and ask for diagnostics to be done, with a view to having it fixed there or somewhere else. Can they fix this sort of thing? Or would I need an Aircon specialist to do this?

We live in a very rural part of Portugal and specialists of any kind are few and far between.

I appreciate any help you can give. Cars are very expensive here although this is not a new car I plan on keeping it for a long time.

Thank you.

[GiveMeABreak]

Hi and welcome.

Think of the '14' is more of a setting than an temperature. This is correct for the lowest you can set it.

Your issue is likely to be:

A leak in the system (pipes / condenser)
A re-gas is required
The compressor itself

The best thing I can suggest is that you either get a mobile A/C vehicle specialist out (I can't imagine these don't exist in Portugal, as I can get these in Wales!) or take it to an A/C specialist.

They will fill the vehicle with a gas and dye and test the circuit first to see if there is a leak.
They will use tools to detect where the leak is and that all the actual schrader valves and connectors are ok
If all is well it may of just needed a re-gas, they'll vacuum out the system, then replace with the correct volumes of oil and gas and check that it is still holding pressure - and if so job done.
If it is losing pressure, they'll need to undertake further checks.

[danamino]

Thanks, and this is really helpful.

No mobile A/C specialists around here, but I've just been texting with a mechanic who says he does A/C who I located. I will translate the list you gave me and give it to him.

Do you think the weak fan could be related to this? And that it appears to blow warm (but not hot) air even when it is set to 14?

Cheers

[GiveMeABreak]

Without A/C working, (or with a low refrigerant level) the climate control cannot cool the air so it just pumping round outside air, but if the A/C has a little refrigerant then it may only be able to slightly cool it. When the refrigerant gets too low it will switch off the compressor to avoid damage.

[danamino]

I had the car in a garage that specialises in a/c for 10 days and they fitted a new condensor. They tell me I need a new interior fan
for vehicles with automatic climate control. I will buy this on autodoc. Is there a preferred brand? There are many listed CASCO, Topran, AIC, VEMO, Nissens, SWAG etc

Thanks in advance.

[xantia_v6]

It is very unusual for a fan motor to be weak. They either work or not. Maybe it is the fan speed control module?

Do you have the ability to check the voltage at the fan motor?

Have you replaced or inspected the pollen filter?

[danamino]

(Parts now replaced: front condensor, fan blower, pollen filter, s/h dash control unit)

I have had my car in with a garage three times for the past month, with an a/c and ventilation problem. I am in very rural Portugal and there are no mobile a/c specialists or the like. They replaced the large front ac condensor, and recharged the system. They told me that it is running very cold.

After fixing the above, I reminded them that the ventilation wasn't working. They decided to put second hand dashboard control unit in, as they said mine wasn't working properly, and also a second hand blower fan. When I got the car back the fan was making a racket, they said that this was because it was an old part. But it didn't work, so I suggested a new part, to which they agreed and I supplied, and they fitted. They assured me that this would fix the problem.

I now have a car with a fan that works well, but there is no cold coming through the vents when I select a/c. Also I can direct air flow to the windscreen properly, but selecting the dash vent for example, does not direct airflow of any substance, it just no longer puts it through the windscreen vents.

The garage said that they will have to take everything apart and check 'the motors for all the vents', but I don't trust their work now and I will be claiming a refund for labour. My first ever bad experience with a garage, and a stressful one.

I assume that there may be another replacement part required.

I ran the car last night after I had driven it home, with a/c on, I felt the metal pipes in the engine bay, just under where the cabin filter compartment is. Should they have felt cold? They didn't.

How do I check to ensure that just the a/c system is working like they said?

Is there an obvious part, or parts required to solve the lack of cold to the vents, and inability to direct to the selected vents?

I would appreciate any input. Thank you. I do have the option of booking it in with the main Citroen garage and having a technician at least tell me what is wrong if needs be.

[ozvtr]

I don't trust their work now

I wouldn't either.

I ran the car last night after I had driven it home, with a/c on, I felt the metal pipes in the engine bay, just under where the cabin filter compartment is. Should they have felt cold? They didn't.

How do I check to ensure that just the a/c system is working like they said?

The large pipe should be cool to cold. The small pipe should be warm to hot. The temperatures of the pipes depend on the OUTSIDE temperature.
Open the bonnet and stand on the side of the car that has the accessory drive belt (fan belt). Get someone else to turn the A/C on and off. Listen for a "click" and "clack" as the A/C is turned on and OFF. I bet nothing happens!l
It doesn't really matter, you paid them to fix the A/C and it's not fixed!
My guess is that they didn't seal the system properly and the refrigerant has leaked out. So it worked fine for them (allegedly) but it's not working now.

[alexfoliveira]

[/quote]

The large pipe should be cool to cold. The small pipe should be warm to hot. The temperatures of the pipes depend on the OUTSIDE temperature.
Open the bonnet and stand on the side of the car that has the accessory drive belt (fan belt). Get someone else to turn the A/C on and off. Listen for a "click" and "clack" as the A/C is turned on and OFF. I bet nothing happens!l
It doesn't really matter, you paid them to fix the A/C and it's not fixed!
My guess is that they didn't seal the system properly and the refrigerant has leaked out. So it worked fine for them (allegedly) but it's not working now.

Hello everyone, can it means that if your outside temperature sensor is damaged - the outside temperature doesn't show up on dash, only 2 strings ( -- ) - the temperature control won't be ok?
Because my Xsara Picasso 2008 doesn't show up the OUTSIDE temperature, and even with the AC gas filled up, is sends both hot and cold from the breathers.

[ozvtr]

Yes, if the outside temp sensor is not working, that can screw up the auto A/C.
It uses the outside temperature as part of it's calculations for air mixing.
However, I cant see how it can blow hot and cold at the same time?!