talison24

I posted this also on the ES300 forum with no replies as of yet.
Our just purchased used 2002 ES300 A/C works very well while the car is moving but blows very warm air when the car is idling or moving very slowly in traffic. My only thought is the radiator cooling fan(s) aren't working. Any other ideas? Has anyone else had this problem in their Lexus? Thanks.

johnnyg66

Not sure is your car overheating? Check that the compressor is still engaged when at idle.
Might say a compressor issue or maybe a battery or electrical issue.

RTIS250

iTrader: (9)

I would certainly lean towards the fans not working properly. You should be able to hear and see the fans running, with the car on, a/c on, in park. Pop to hood and give them a look. Does the system get cold if you rev the car to 2500rpm, while stopped? If there is no change, id certainly say check out your fans.

talison24

Thanks, both of you. The car is not overheating. Will check the fan operation this evening. How do you tell if the compressor is still engaged? This sounds like a general car problem as opposed to a Lexus issue as I have read no other posts mentioning this particular problem. Thanks again.

johnnyg66

Look at the compressor if the outer plate is spinning than yes. Turn ac off than look at it so you will see the plate and turn it on and it should spin. Its not the pulley wheel.

Hope its something simple.

talison24

Both fans are spinning when the a/c is on. There is a very slight chirp from the passenger side fan but it seems to be spinning fine.

Hate to admit it, but not sure where the compressor is. I tried to do a search online but still not sure. Help me with the location please.

johnnyg66

Looking down at engine its the unit on far right. Drivers side.

mitsuguy

iTrader: (2)

If both fans are spinning with the A/C on, there is a good chance the system is low on refrigerant...

Try sitting in the car with it running and A/C on... at idle, per your description, the a/c should blow warm or not cool... Try revving the engine and holding it at 2000-3000 rpm for 20-30 seconds and see if it cools off... if it does, good chance its just low on refrigerant... there are other possibilities, but that would be the most likely cause...

if it stays warm at higher engine speeds while sitting still, yet both fans are working, then I am not really sure without seeing it where to go...

talison24

Tried at 2000-3000 rpm's for 30-40 seconds-still warm. I took it back to where we bought it. It wasn't really low on refrigerant but they emptied it and refilled it(not sure why, something about the computer recognizing it as overfill). They checked for leaks and found a valve sticking in the rear, fixed that and put a cap on it that was missing. Ran good for 5 minutes in shop. We'll see. Thanks again for all your help, guys.

talison24

Been away for awhile on a golf trip. Checked with my daughter and we still have the same problem. Hoping for any ideas on this. To recap, a/c doesn't work at idle, running to 2500-3000 rpm doesn't help, both fans are running, a/c has been filled, and leaks checked and fixed, none of this helped, thanks.

talison24

Anyone ever hear about door(s) under the dash that are supposed to close when the a/c is on keeping heat out of the ventilation system?

dfj240

If the mixing door is stuck to warm, then the A/C wouldn't be cold at all, including during normal driving/operation.

I would highly recommend taking it to a garage that has all the A/C equipment to service it and diagnose it. It sounds to me like it could be a weak compressor or possibly a bad accumulator, but most likely a weak compressor.

My 92 ES just got a fresh refill and all that, and it doesn't blow quite as cold at idle because the compressor is weak. Just a thought.

mark1234

My air has never been all that cool - its okay after driving for awhile and if you are at a decent speed. But it seems to take a long time to get cool.

Bought from dealer (used). My first Lexus, so I thought maybe they just did that. My Sentra did and it was brand new.

Mark

bnk999

I am having the exact same problem on my '04 RX330, did you ever solve your issue, if so what was it? I put the ac in diagnostic mode but it showed 00 which means its not detecting anything wrong. Both of my fans come on as well. Once I start driving it gets pretty icy cold.

DreamGS4

An old thread, but thought i might post my solution to this problem for future readers. I have a '98 GS400 that had a similar problem, at idle the ac would blow warm even at max fan speed, but once i started driving it'd get icy cold like it was supposed to. The problem (at least for me) was due to LOW IDLE SPEED. Apparently if your engine idle speed is below a certain RPM the computer automatically shuts down the ac unit until RPMs reach a certain speed.

To fix my issue, the intake and throttle body needed to be cleaned out as there was definite build up of engine dust and debris over the years. My local mechanic who specializes in Japanese Import automobiles diagnosed the problem and fixed it. A/C works just like new.

Other simpler problem may just be that your A/C needs a recharge, or the compressor itself is bad. Just my two cents