2 days ago I was sat in Manila Airport carpark with the engine running, waiting for a friend to come in from Brunei, cold San Miguel in hand, aircon on full blast (34 C out there), reading the paper and having a jolly good laugh at the idiocy of the campaigns for the upcoming Presidential elections, when the aircon started to blow warm. I fiddled with it, turned the engine on and off, no joy. This is a 2 month old car and I\'m thinking \"warranty claim already?
After a few minutes of all this the announcement the plane had landed came over, so I got out the steering wheel lock in readiness to go to the terminal and, in order to fit it, had to straighten the steering wheel. Instantly the aircon came back nice and icy.
Now then, the assumption is because I had parked with my front wheels off centre the power steering had been at work, ergo not enough horsepower to drive the aircon. Therefore the question is, is it not a good idea to park on idle with the front wheels other than straight in the sense the power steering is working to no result? I\'ve had more air-conned cars over the years than my secretary used to get ladders in her tights and I haven\'t come across this one before.
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Growler, I don't think that the power steering pump is doing any work when the wheels are off-centre but are not being moved. Equally there isn't likely to be a link reason for the steering wheel position to affect the functioning of the a/c. Taking what you say to extremes the a/c would (presumably) cut out when you were driving slowly in traffic and using the power steering a lot.
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Nothing to do with steering position, when steering wheel is not being moved the pump effort is the same which ever direction they are facing. The pump effort comes in to move the wheel position when you turn the steering wheel. It sounds as though the A/C compressor had dropped out for some reason, maybe de-ice? or maybe you need a visit to the garage with it?
Hope this helps.
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Well I tried the same thing today with same result. Car at standstill, engine on idle, aircon on full, wheels straight, no problem, icy blasts on command.
I turn the steering say 1/4 turn, compressor goes off (I can hear the clunk) and air blows warm. No hint of this when driving. Otherwise all is fine.
I don't think it's any icing problem, rather that it feels like engine power is being diverted to something else when wheel is off centre, hence a/c cuts out. Odd.
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Your condensor froze up. Ideally, use air con full on to cool car and then adjust setting to 80% cool and fan on full blast
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engine on idle, aircon on full, wheels straight, no problem, icy blasts on command. I turn the steering say 1/4 turn, compressor goes off (I can hear the clunk) and air blows warm.
Does the compressor kick back in if you rev up the engine? I'm wondering if the power steering loads the engine and momentarily drops the revs, making the compressor turn off.
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Is this the new Ford, Big G?
If so, I'd feel a return visit to the attractive young lady at the dealership would be in order to demonstrate the "feature"?
:o)
Terry
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First thing comes to mind is a loose wire on the compressor clutch. Maybe wheel being off centre pulls on a wiring loom causing the clutch to disengage?.
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Is this the new Ford, Big G? If so, I'd feel a return visit to the attractive young lady at the dealership would be in order to demonstrate the "feature"? :o) Terry
Any excuse, I suppose. I don't get the feeling it's any kind of fault, but that it's somehow a feature. Rest of the time it blasts icy air, which is a good job since the San Miguel holders are situated right in front of the centre air outlet. I will try it on GRowlette's (she's got similar model slightly older) when she returns from her needlework classes....I'm driving up country this weekend and an a/c-less car is not an option at this time of year.
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Most cars have a pressure switch on the power steering line to cut the a/c compressor when the steering is heavily loaded. It's to prevent the engine stalling when manouvering. But it should only be cutting out when under heavy load, ie held on full lock. Maybe the switch is super sensitive. The a/c will also be cut on full throttle position, engine overheat, low external temp. The garage should be able to read the output from the pressure switch when steering and confirm (or not).
More likely a wiring problem somewhere.
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