'04 V6 4x4 air conditioning problem - help?

So I'm up to about 26,000 miles on the 4Runner since getting it... and it's done me well. It's currently sitting at 217,000 and I'm having air conditioning problems.

Last summer the AC was fine. Now, it'll kick on for two seconds and blow cold air when doing so, and then it'll kick off and the AC light will flash.

Today I tried the simple fix - putting in more R134a. I noticed that when the AC is on for those two seconds, the compressor clutch does engage (makes sense, as it couldn't blow cold air without the compressor running). The problem is that the "A/C Pro" bottle says that I have to blow refrigerant into the system while the compressor is running. I can't do that if it kicks off after two seconds. I tried squeezing some in, in one-second bursts while it was running, because it looked like the pressure gauge on the bottle was heading down quickly as it operated, but one would think that if the problem were low refrigerant, eventually I could've squeezed enough in to get it to stay on. I laid off after five or six short bursts because it wouldn't stay on.

Any thoughts? Any of y'all have an issue like this before?

 

Does the gauge of the A/C Pro bottle show that you are low on 134a? Pretty sure there is a 134 pressure switch somewhere monitoring the system.

 

When the compressor is off, the needle on the gauge is in the "red zone" for the pressure being too high. Apparently that is normal. When the compressor kicks on, the needle goes down, but the compressor never stays on long enough for me to ascertain exactly how much pressure is there. It'll go down to the low end of the "green zone" before the compressor kicks off and sends the needle back up into the "red zone". I figured that it would be likely to show being too low if the compressor actually stayed on, but the computer isn't letting it stay on. That's why I thought that squeezing some refrigerant in would be enough to get it to stay on, but it wasn't. If the problem is not the refrigerant being too low, then I risk damaging or destroying the system by squeezing in too much refrigerant.

 

Sub’d because we have ac problems. I just added 22oz. can of freon, now it’s blowing cold. If it changes I let you know. I think the system may have a leak somewhere. But, we will find out.

 

Most common area for Freon leaks is the condenser coil under the dash.....

Only a couple of things come to mind as to why your compressor does not stay running:
Thermistor in the dash is telling the system that the vehicle is cool (hardly ever see these go bad and usually if they do your compressor stays on until it freezes up)
Coolant Pressure Switch telling the compressor to cut off because it does not detect Freon

Wish I could be of more help....I will check my factory manuals if I get time....Daughter is graduating and prepping for college so there is a lot going on a home atm.

 

My 2005 4 runner with 140,000 miles stopped cooling, and AC master I took it too said get a new compressor, after checking it all with dye. Cools fine now with the new Denso I bought him for under $200. Now 10 months later - with no new Freon charges - just cools same as new (almost) every start up.

With the Freon charge it was $220 labor (Trevor). Installed in a few hours.

denso 471-1413 New Compressor with Clutch (fit my V6 / not remanufactured) No core charge.

Original compressor lasted 13 years 6 months.

Denso is owned by Toyota.

GET a new Denso and have someone install it. You'll get cool. things wear out.

$198

$270 Denso 471-1413 New Compressor with Clutch

https://www.amazon.com/Denso-471-14...ac+compressor&qid=1561688386&s=gateway&sr=8-2

 

The dealership said that the compressor isn't turning at all (odd, when it turned as I tested it prior to taking it into the dealership) and they'd happily replace the compressor for $1,000+.

I told them to pound sand, nicely. I just put $1,800 into this car, it needed several hundred dollars more in addition to the A/C, and I'm not putting another $1,000+ into the A/C. Is there a cheaper way to do this?

 

Those bottles DYI bottles are just a band aid.

Does the 2004 have the auto climate control? Try make sure you turn it to manual on full blast so its forced to run.

 

I'm not sure how to answer your question. I'm inclined to say "yes", because it has an auto setting and no apparent way to set it manually. You have to hit "auto" and "A/C" to get the A/C to turn on. There are only buttons; no knobs, no switches, nothing manual that I can see.

 

Yes the 4th gen has auto climate. I have never used it in auto mode, so can't comment on how it works.

 

If its anything like my wifes Highlander and previous Maxima.

Auto will have the AC run to the set temp and turn off. But you can turn auto off and have AC running and set it to full blast when trying to fill.


I just googled 2004 4Runner AC Controls. So you are saying you cannot have the AC on but auto off and set the fans to high? Looks like separate buttons to me.

 

I could be wrong. It has seemed that every time I hit the A/C button, the AUTO light comes on as well. Maybe it's possible to turn AUTO off, but if there really is something wrong with the A/C compressor, will it still attempt to run if AUTO is not on?

 

The A/C light needs to be lit. If it’s not lit then the bulb is not working or the A/C system is not working.

 

I think it defaults to auto but if you push the auto again or maybe the fan speed to the left it will turn off.

Auto the AC gets to a certain temp and shuts off on its own.

Could of possibly overfilled it now probably why the shop is saying compressor is no good.

 

I had a problem with my air con a few months ago too. It worked great at first. I checked all the functions. But then the cold air started to blow with one fixed temperature. I mean, there was no ability to change it and set your preferable degrees. Fortunately, my friend told me about air conditioning repair st petersburg fl. I can't really fully exist without the air con system. It'd been a real challenge for me this whole time, while it wasn't working. Don't really understand those who call it the waste of money. I guess they just have never tried it yet.