a/c blowing heat on driver side and cold on pass

[m_cope07]

i have a 2002 olds intrigue and was wondering why all of a sudden my a/c is blowing heat on the driver side and cold on pass side.....and its actually heat ...not just like its not working.

[brcidd]

If you don't have a dual system with separate driver/passenger controls--
then: or if you do and they function properly: then::

Very typical low a/c charge scenario- your system has leaked out more than half the specified refrigerant amount- the evap entrance cools first- which just happens to be the portion that feeds the passenger side- the exit feeds the driver's side- find and fix your leak and evacuate and recharge to factory spec-- number one leak location is compressor shaft seal followed closely by compressor belly (case halves) leaks.

[m_cope07]

Originally Posted by brcidd

If you don't have a dual system with separate driver/passenger controls--
then: or if you do and they function properly: then::

Very typical low a/c charge scenario- your system has leaked out more than half the specified refrigerant amount- the evap entrance cools first- which just happens to be the portion that feeds the passenger side- the exit feeds the driver's side- find and fix your leak and evacuate and recharge to factory spec-- number one leak location is compressor shaft seal followed closely by compressor belly (case halves) leaks.

can u clear up my issue.......i do have dual control, do you still think its just a leak? whether or not its working properally i dont know because of the problem im having. when i turn the driver side temp all the way down it still blows very hot heat. im just confused cuz its not like its a/c thats not working there for blowing warm air, its full blown heat. please elaborate

[m_cope07]

could you please elaborate. i do have dual control but dont know if they are working properally cuz of the problem im having. when iturn the driver side all the way down it still blows full blown heat, its not like its just the air blowing warm cuz its not working properally, it is heat. the pass side knob works properally, it will blow cold and hot. was also wondering if it could be a blend door stuck on the driver side. if so where do i locate the driver side blenddoor. i've read alot on here about the pass side blend door but not the driver side

[dtownfb]

I have the same issue that has developed in my 2000 Intrigue. Pretty much what brcidd is saying is you/we have a leak somewhere in the a/c compressor. Enough freon has leaked out that only the passenger side is functioning properly.

I plan to ask my mechanic to recharge the system with freon and add a dye so we can find the leak. I'm hoping this charge will last the summer or until I get another car (hopefully soon).

[Subirocket]

These Intrigues with duel automatic climate control use two blend air door motors/actuators to control the temp. to driver and passenger sides. having different temps from side to side when they should be the same is not a low refrigerant issue, but most likely a malfunctioning blend door actuator. If you put drivers side on cold and it blows warm then it would be a drivers blend door actuator.

[Subirocket]

dont waste your money trying to have the a/c system evacuated and recharged if one side is cold and one side is not

[cougar214]

Im having the same issue with mine....only its the drivers side coming out cold and the passenger side is coming out hot....im also inclined to think its the blend door actuator because it doesnt matter if i change the vents from floor to windshield or driver it blows hot air on the passenger side.when i baught the car there was a little part in the glovebox thats shaped like a fuel filter and has a little rod coming out of both ends......could this be the actuator that has maybe been replaced once before and the last owner didnt tell me about the problem?

[krivasauto]

Originally Posted by brcidd

Very typical low a/c charge scenario- your system has leaked out more than half the specified refrigerant amount- the evap entrance cools first- which just happens to be the portion that feeds the passenger side- the exit feeds the driver's side- find and fix your leak and evacuate and recharge to factory spec-- number one leak location is compressor shaft seal followed closely by compressor belly (case halves) leaks.

This is absolutely correct and should be the first thing you check. I have two Intrigues that do the same thing. Check out these links:

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=997305

and

http://99intrigue.shutterfly.com/compressor

[krivasauto]

Originally Posted by Subirocket

dont waste your money trying to have the a/c system evacuated and recharged if one side is cold and one side is not

You don't own one of these, do you? It's not a waste of money if you use freon with dye, or search for the leak right after a charge. And if both sides start cooling, then you know what the problem is.

[rponder22]

Answer: blowing hot air on one side
Answer


The car seems to do this after the battery is disconnected, I tried everything that I saw on the Internet. The only thing that worked for me (immediately) was to remove the a/c heat control unit from in the car, directly below your cars radio/head unit, the one with the knobs. Remove the two screws under your center consol/arm rest lid and the cover where the shifter is, pull it off, then the dash cover by genley pulling on it and remove the two screws on each side of the unit. Pull the unit out, unplug the wire harness and let it sit for 30 seconds. It will reset itself plug it back and the a/c will work again. Should take less than 5 minutes to do.

[ijpom]

I haven't heard of dropping the power to fix the HVAC gates before. When I was blowing hot air from some vents and cold from other, I was lucky to be able to exercise the system back into the correct action (my vent were just stuck through lack of action rather than broken).
You will need a mid-temp day for this procedure (60-75F) so that the AC and heat can be triggered alternately. Start car and follow steps:
1) Set low temp, wait for AC to come on at some vents. (30 sec to 1 min)
2) Set high temp, wait for heating to come on at some vents. (30 sec to 1 min)
Repeat 5-10 times.
The system may have broken components (the HVAC vents are vacuum actuated and may have leaks or permanently jammed components) so they may never start working. If the system does not work, you will be able to describe to a tech which vents (driver/center/passenger/high/mid/low) work and which don't. That info tells them which actuators need fixing.

Good luck.