Hi Everyone!
I have a 2011 Toyota Rav4, ~135k miles that has started to have AC issues. There are a few things I have noticed and are planning to fix but haven't fully figured out the root of the problem and was hopeful others may have some ideas...
1. The cooling fans do not engage with the AC turned on. I ran electricity to the fans directly and found the motors still work. Based on a visual inspection of the fuses and swapping of the relays, it doesn't appear for any of these to be the culprit.
2. Radiator hose leak- When examining, I found my coolant reservoir was completely empty and the radiator hose was leaking from the nefarious vent line. A replacement hose is coming and will make that repair/ add new coolant, but I'm not sure if this is the root of my problems.
3. The AC compressor is not turning on. Should this still be turning on regardless of the issues with the cooling fans / lack of coolant? I am hopeful this is not a completely separate issue.
Does anyone have any ideas of things I can test that might explain what I am experiencing? Could it be the coolant temperature sensor? Is there a way to test this sensor directly? Will this sensor not operate correctly without sufficient coolant in the system?
Any and all thoughts/ feedback would be appreciated. Thank you!
Hook up a manifold gauge set to check if there is enough pressure in the system for the AC compressor to engage. Typical low-pressure cutoff would be around 20 psi though it varies with manufacturer. It's pretty likely that after 12-13 years some refrigerant has leaked out. Do not be tempted by those so-called "recharge cans" - they're garbage.
If the problem is not something simple like a fuse or relay and you have no experience working on air conditioning it would be best to have it worked on by a professional AC specialist. It's very easy to make things worse or even injure yourself.
