A/C not working - please advise

yasen

New Member
Hi All civic DIY gurus......
I am having a hard time fixing my Civic 2004 sedan A/C and I am looking for someone’s help and advice.
The problem is! I did turn my A/C on and figured out that there is no difference in air temperature; it is not getting any colder. Did open my hood and found that the condenser fan not spinning. OK, did check if there are any fuses blown (did check all of them) and found fuse #1 in under hood box blown....I did put a new fuse but this fan is still not working. Fine!!! So, the blower works as I am getting air through blow holes when A/C is ON, compressor not spinning, condenser fan not spinning. I was thinking maybe it is some electrical problem!!! So, I did check A/C wire harness and found out a small difference between my harness configuration and whatever is in Honda Documentation. Basically, the A/C wire harness should have a ground connection in the place when it goes around condenser fan (just above it)....but somehow my harness doesn’t have this connection at all. I did trace my harness and it goes from compressor and receiver into cable interface, than this interface merges with condenser fan cables ....and then this big harness goes all the way around merging with some other cable interfaces, goes under fuse box.....etc. BTW, condenser fan doesn't ground connection connected to the car body as well, it has a black cable but it goes inside of the harness as I have described before.
Is there any way to find out what is going on? I know that I can test condenser fan by connecting it's blue cable to the battery's "+" and black to car ground, right?
 

RonJ

Banned
The blown 20A fuse 1 deserves more attention. Did the new fuse blow again immediately after turning on the A/C? Does the radiator fan run when the A/C button is pushed?
 


yasen

New Member
The blown 20A fuse 1 deserves more attention. Did the new fuse blow again immediately after turning on the A/C? Does the radiator fan run when the A/C button is pushed?
Thank you for your reply
NO, the fuse is fine. I was expecting it to die again but it didn't, the radiator fan is not spinning when A/C is on. Strange behavior, isn't it?:(
 

RonJ

Banned
Thank you for your reply
NO, the fuse is fine. I was expecting it to die again but it didn't, the radiator fan is not spinning when A/C is on. Strange behavior, isn't it?:(
Click the Fuses link in my signature. Use a test light or multimeter to verify that installed fuse 1 has voltage at both top test tabs.

Does the light in the A/C button illuminate when pushed?
 


Last edited:

yasen

New Member
Click the Fuses link in my signature. Use a test light or multimeter to verify that installed fuse 1 has voltage at both top test tabs.

Does the light in the A/C button illuminate when pushed?
OK, will do fuse testing today and will get back to you ASAP but the A/C switch light comes on green when it is ON.
 

yasen

New Member
Click the Fuses link in my signature. Use a test light or multimeter to verify that installed fuse 1 has voltage at both top test tabs.

Does the light in the A/C button illuminate when pushed?
OK, I did some testing. As I said the green light comes ON when AC button is ON. I did test conderser fan just connection it's black wire to the ground and another wire to the "+" battery and it is spinning. Didn't test fuse for voltage yet.
Thanks
 

yasen

New Member
Click the Fuses link in my signature. Use a test light or multimeter to verify that installed fuse 1 has voltage at both top test tabs.

Does the light in the A/C button illuminate when pushed?
I did spend some time researching what could be a possible reason and I lot of people seaying that the very common reason for civics to have this problem is compressor thermal protector, what do you think? But I don't know how to test is out and how to change it!
Thanks
 

RonJ

Banned
I did spend some time researching what could be a possible reason and I lot of people seaying that the very common reason for civics to have this problem is compressor thermal protector, what do you think? But I don't know how to test is out and how to change it!
Thanks
I have heard this as well, but don't guess, troubleshoot. If the thermal protector were bad, then the condenser and radiator fans would still run. In your case, nothing (fans and compressor) works.


Fuse 1 voltages at the test tabs? Seriously, not providing requested information only serves to delay resolution of your problem. If you want help, supply answers to questions. If you just want to guess at solutions, there's no need to make a thread.
 
Last edited:

yasen

New Member
Fuse 1 voltages at the test tabs? Seriously, not providing requested information only serves to delay resolution of your problem. If you want help, supply answers to questions. If you just want to guess at solutions, there's no need to make a thread.
No Problem, I will go to Home Depot today and will try to complete all the testing. I will keep you up to date.
Thanks
 

RonJ

Banned
No Problem, I will go to Home Depot today and will try to complete all the testing. I will keep you up to date.
Thanks
A high impedance digital multimeter is what you need for car work. I bought mine on sale for $15 at Sears. Many stores have them, including Walmart. Also check at Harbor Freight Tools if you have one near you.
 

gudoffer

New Member
5+ Year Member
my a/c wasnt working either...problem was the thermal switch...more like a switch that goes somewhere by the a/c compressor under the hood...i replaced that and its working mint!
 

yasen

New Member
I have heard this as well, but don't guess, troubleshoot. If the thermal protector were bad, then the condenser and radiator fans would still run. In your case, nothing (fans and compressor) works.


Fuse 1 voltages at the test tabs? Seriously, not providing requested information only serves to delay resolution of your problem. If you want help, supply answers to questions. If you just want to guess at solutions, there's no need to make a thread.
Hi, with miltimeter set to 20M at OHM it shows me "-1" on all fuses.
 

RonJ

Banned
OK, my bad. With multimeter on 20 DCV gives me -12V on each side
Good. You measured -12V only because you have the multimeter probes reversed, but the answer is the same. Hood fuse 1 is good and getting power.

Now do the same test on 10A dash fuse 14 with the key in ON(II).
 
Last edited:

yasen

New Member
Good. You measured -12V only because you have the multimeter probes reversed, but the answer is the same. Hood fuse 1 is good and getting power.

Now do the same test on 10A dash fuse 14 with the key in ON(II).
why on fuse #14 (10A) in under dash? As far as I see from the Owners Manual this is Remote Control Mirrors fuse.
Thanks
 

RonJ

Banned
The condenser fan and compressor clutch relays are switches having switch activator and switch sides. Fuse 14 protects the circuit for the activator sides of both the condenser fan and compressor clutch relays, whereas fuse 1 protects the circuit for the switch sides.


 

yasen

New Member
Good. You measured -12V only because you have the multimeter probes reversed, but the answer is the same. Hood fuse 1 is good and getting power.

Now do the same test on 10A dash fuse 14 with the key in ON(II).
Ok, done! Fuse #14 (10A, R/C Mirror) under dash gives me 12v on each pin. Thanks
 


Top