Hello . I have a 2010 toyota rav 4 with a 2.4 engine. My air went out weeks ago I thought it was just low on freeon . I bought the giant can of ac pro with the gadge on it . When I hooked it up it said that it was full. But the thing is when I turn the ac on high the compressor isn't turning on . Now I've been told that it will not turn on or read as if it's full and in the red if it's low on freeon or the compressor is acting up and won't turn on . I took it to jiffy lube and paid for the expensive ass ac diagnostic and they said it was low filled it back up and I had cold air for about a week . Yesterday it went back out. Do I have a leak or is there a wiring issue with the compressor where it won't turn on ?
I bought the giant can of ac pro with the gadge on it .
That was a mistake. At least it sounds like you didn't use it to add any refrigerant. There's no way to purge the air out of the charge line with those cans, and they frequently contain sealers that can damage your AC system or any equipment connected to it.
When I hooked it up it said that it was full.
The cheap low-side gauge on those cans is worthless for diagnostics.
But the thing is when I turn the ac on high the compressor isn't turning on .
There are many things which can cause that. You need to do some electrical troubleshooting to determine the cause.
Now I've been told that it will not turn on or read as if it's full and in the red if it's low on freeon or the compressor is acting up and won't turn on .
Who told you that? It doesn't make much sense and is a gross oversimplification of the way AC systems work.
"In the red" or "in the green" on those cans is a worthless indicator. You need a full manifold gauge set to see what's going on in your AC system.
@chucktobias this is what jiffy lube had told me all the things your saying make no sense which is why I stopped trusting them. They were the ones that said it was low and filled it back up . But now it stopped blowing cold air again .
@cardummy Jiffy lube is about the last place I would go for even an oil change, let alone something as complex as modern AC systems. Who knows what the heck they did. There is a good chance you have a leak in a 14-15 year old vehicle. It can be detected with UV dye, an electronic detector, or looking for evidence of refrigerant oil seepage.
What you need to do is stay away from chains like Jiffy Lube, Pep Boys, Midas, etc. and find a good independent shop that can check over your AC system for leaks and do a proper diagnosis.