2005 AC stops working after 45 minutes

[Ed R]

Drive 65 or more for 45 mins set on Auto 70* and the air bows warm. Resume around town driving and I starts blowing ice cold again.

 

[plug]

Drive 65 or more for 45 mins set on Auto 70* and the air bows warm. Resume around town driving and I starts blowing ice cold again. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

usually it means that your expansion valve freezes up.Once it thaws it works for a while,again. It is located behind your dash.

 

[Ed R]

what’s it like to get to it? How hard to replace?

 

[biddle]

what’s it like to get to it? How hard to replace?

per @doug7740
It doesn't list the price of the expansion valve, but ALLDATA lists 8.1 hours labor to replace the valve, and that doesn't include refrigerent recovery and recharge.

 

[plug]

usually it means that your expansion valve freezes up.Once it thaws it works for a while,again. It is located behind your dash.

It is usually located behind the glove box,but I am not familiar with that model.Sometimes part of the dashboard has to be removed and the a/c has to be evacuated before you start repairs

 

[Tom Alpers]

when it stops cooling is there any change in the airflow? Low refrigerant often results in what you describe and is usually accompanied by reduced airflow because the low freon causes the evap to ice up blocking the airflow. When you slow down again, esp at stop lights, the low compressor speed isn't enough to keep the evap good and cold and the ice melts and the system starts working "normally" again.

 

[Jeffb1062]

Just to throw this out there have you changed the cabin filter lately? try and run the a/c in recirculating .

 

[KD0SGO]

usually it means that your expansion valve freezes up.Once it thaws it works for a while,again. It is located behind your dash.

Frozen expansion valve (and/or evaporator coil) generally points to a low Freon charge. If this is the case recover it and compare the amount recovered to the amount indicated on the label. If it is low, just recharge with the correct amount. I had this problem with my 2003.