My aircon just packed in. It was working fine until I pulled in at a convenience store. When I returned to the car and started it up it was only blowing out warm air and its 35 degrees outside today. Not good. I turned it on and off a few times and then there was a loud thunk from behind the dash / engine room. Pressing the on / off button a few more times I got the same result. Then putting the car into drive and accelerating away I breifly heard a rattling noise. I have a feeling the compressor just broke but can't check for sure until I take it to the dealer. I'm afraid to drive it until then. The car is a 2008 model with less than 40,000km. My last car (a Honda) never gave me any aircon problems and I racked up over 180,000km from new. What gives!? Has anyone else has this or a similar problem and what was the cause and fix?

 

Do you hear the compressor kicking on when you turn it on? You can still drive it, the entire car isn't going to blow up on your from a broken ac compressor.. You just won't have AC if the compressor is out. Buy a ac line gauge to check see how much freon is in the system?

 

Checked around the engine bay last night with a flashlight and found the clutch plate thingy that attaches to the A/C compressor sitting in the bottom of the engine bay. Stuck my hand down in there and pulled it out. Was in really bad shape. Seems like someone maybe changed the belt and didn't tighten the nut properly when putting it back together. The bolt gradually worked loose and the teeth holding the plate to the spline of the compressor gradually got worn away so it was spinning freely and the compressor wasn't turning properly. The bolt must have eventually dropped out and then the plate dropped off too. I will have WORDS with my dealer tomorrow! Thanks for your advice.

 

Went to the dealer and they will fit a new A/C compressor, belt etc, etc free of charge under warranty but I have to wait twelve days before they can start work on it because of the holidays. My own holiday is now not going to be as much fun as I had hoped. Cruising and going to car shows in my beaten Honda Fit company car instead of my customised Skyline sucks.