The A/C in my 2004 Chevy Malibu Maxx LT is not working, the fan blows just average temperature air. I am not a fan, to say the least, of air A/C, I get sick from it + where I am in Barrie, Ontario Canada, there is no constant requirement for it even in our warm season. By opening the glass sunroof + both front windows, I get an adequate ventilation flow. But the A/C is the only item that is not working, in my otherwise luxurious Malibu Maxx. Is there anyway to recalibrate the A/C mechanism to see if it will work again or must I take it in for service? So if I just use the perfectly working heating system, leave the malfunctioning A/C system "as is", will it cause any damage to the vehicle? Thanks, Ken.

 

leaving it won't hurt anything.


turn the a/c system on and confirm the compressor is engaging. ifits not the system could have a leak


at this point in the season; you might as well wait for next year to fix it. most a.c fixes run about 1000.

 

Thanks tech2. I took it to an A/C specialist garage, the mechanic seems to think that the compressor is not engaging, there is no leak beneath the car. Since the heating system is working great, I might just want to leave the A/C, the way it is, well after next season, is this OK for the heating/AC system. I am not using the A/C so why pay to fix it. I also saw the following when researching the problem on Google, is this a possible fix, if so I'll get my garage to look at it because I am not in the slightest a techie!!

"Try this: Remove the HVAC (BATT) fuse for a minimum of 10 seconds.
Install the HVAC (BATT) fuse.
Start the vehicle.
Wait 40 seconds for the HVAC control module to self-calibrate.
See if it starts to work"

Thanks, Ken

 

unless the tech leak tested or recovered the refrigerant; you would not know if there is a leak. the compressor will not engage if the system is low on refrigerant from a leak.
the most common causes for a compressor not to engage are:
-low refrigerant from a leak in the system
-bad compressor
-no power to the compressor clutch




no, that procedure is for recalibrating the blend door actuators.

 

So, Tech2, the bottom line for me, since I won't use the A/C, is can I just leave it the way it is, as long as I want, even more than the next couple of Springs, without any harm to the vehicle? Why waste the money repairing it (at a cost of $500-$600) if I am not going to use it. Thanks, Ken.

 

correct. leaving it as is will not harm anything.


the system not working would have the same effect of having a working system and never turning on the a/c button.


keep on driving. for the 2 weeks you will need it in barrie; don't worry about it.

 

Thanks tech2 for your assistance. I am happy to be a member of this forum. Ken.