2005 Hyundai Santa Fe - 3.5 V6
Hey guys,
Last year, my AC compressor died out, so a shop replaced the compressor and everything has been pretty hunky dory since then.
Earlier this year, the vehicle would heat up at stops or stuck in traffic at low speed. Figuring it to be a fan, I tested and found that the A/C radiator fan wouldn't spin up when A/C was turned on. (This has 2 fans, 1 blower at the front that is always pushing air through the condenser and radiator...and 1 driver side that pulls air through the condenser and radiator) When I wiggled the connection, it would turn on, so I repaired the connection and everything worked great! Although the fan ran CONSTANTLY whenever the A/C was on, and it sounds like a small jet taking off. Like, I was pretty sure it only used to spin up when needed back in the day. Anyways...
It has gotten ridiculously hot the past few weeks, my A/C would work fine in the morning. Start working well when I got into my car and when I'm driving down the highway, but when I get into additions and leave my car idling to pick up my kids, the air slowly heats up to the point where it is just pushing hot air into my face. Thinking that the fan failed, that was the first thing I checked, nope, both fans working fine (I can hear the A/C one running when A/C is turned on). I figured it was a clogged condenser or maybe too much pressure in the system causing the compressor to kick off, so I sent it back to the shop today.
On the drive there last night, I had the A/C blowing full blast the entire way with no issue. So far, today has been a bit cooler, about 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The shop has tried to replicate my issue, without success. They've left it idling for a while, the owner drove it home for lunch then drove it back (both times A/C running full blast) and it stayed cold enough to "freeze my face off". The only thing he said he noticed was that the radiator had a small crack and was leaking coolant. It doesn't leak when it's parked, probably only when driven. (These cars have like a metal core and plastic end tanks that crack) So before he drove it, he added about a gallon of coolant. I had no idea I even had a leak, the temperature gauge has been where it's always been and no overheating or anything.
So the truck is still at the shop, getting it's radiator replaced. But I'm still absolutely miffed that the A/C decided to work, any ideas to try and replicate it without just waiting for a super hot day and taking it by the shop and being like "I SWEAR I'M NOT CRAZY!!"
TL;DR A/C works sometimes. Always works in the morning and is super cold. Driving around at lunch or in the evening after work it gradually heats up to the point where it's blowing hot air at me. Took it to shop, they found radiator leak, so filled it with about a gallon of coolant and cannot get the A/C to get warm at all. It is 10 degrees F cooler ambient or so.
1) Will a low coolant cooling system cause the A/C to not work? Like the condenser sits right infront of the radiator, but the temp gauge never moved from where it normally sits, so I don't think it was running any hotter than normal.
2) What could cause a intermittent A/C failure? I was thinking something like a clogged condensor or too much pressure in system causing it to shut down but I honestly am just an idiot with google.
