hello,

I am new to this forum and looking for help with recharging the coolant for my air conditioner. It worked fine last summer but I cannot get any cold air to come out since then. I looked under the hood and have two possible sites to refill, but I am not sure which one to use. Any thoughts or suggestions would be helpful. My husband normally handles these things, but he is gone for Military training and I am on my own here.

I have a 2006 LS.

Thank you

 

A 2006 shouldn't need to be recharged already, unless the AC has been damaged. The condenser on early HHR's was vulnerable to rocks and other road debris, it may have a hole in it.

 

I agree with Mongo, take a look just under the front bumper into that opening..

You should see smooth fins & no obvious damage there..(Hopefully), if you see it looks like it got smashed a bit, that would be the place to start...

Please let us know what you find.. Plenty of members here to help..

sleeper

PS: Welcome to the site...

 

The valve on recharge kits will only fit on one of the fittings (the low or suction side). This was a change made after the 'ban' on R-12 and manufacturers started using R-134. With R-12 you could hook to either side and you could blow the container in this manner if you hooker to the high (pressure) side.

 

I would have someone look at your system. It is a system, so that means that several things work together to produce cold air. Your system very well might not need freon. So to add some would only cause another problem. Just to give you an idea, if one had a system that was working perfectly and additional freon was added to the system the result could be warm air as the expansion rate would not be accurate. If the system is low on freon, that means there is a leak somewhere. This would need to be corrected before freon it added. To just add freon could cause a major problem if all the conditions were dead on. HYDROLIZING ACTION - Corrosive action within the air conditioning system induced by a weak solution of hydrochloric acid formed by moisture in the system reacting chemically with the freon. In other words when the freon leaks out of your ac system it is replaced by atmospheric air that contains levels of moisture (water). Have the correct mix of freon and moisture will create hydrochloric and hydrofloric acids that will create even more leaks and damage to otherwise perfectly good system components. I've personally have seen an entire system get eaten up like termites had gone through it. The ac system is a sealed system like your refrigerator at home, it should never need new freon unless there is a leak.

 

^^^ Cliff's Notes Version ^^^

Take it to the dealer (or reputable A/C Specialist) if it isn't blowing cold air. Trying to fix it yourself may make it worse.

That should be printed in big neon pink letters right by the charging port!

 

That is a great idea! You're right.

 

I agree with the last couple posters. You really need to take it somewhere for a diagnostic. It might not be low on refrigerant; it could have a bad compressor, compressor clutch, etc that prevents it from working as well.

 

It could a high or low pressure switch. Or in a loose connection at a switch.

 

this is a very good answer for me.thanks for your input.