2001 Malibu AC cuts on and off

My AC cuts on and off when in outdoor air mode, when I change it to recirc, it will switch back to outdoor air and the AC will start to turn on & off. Is there a recall on this or how do you fix?

My AC cuts on and off when in outdoor air mode, when I change it to recirc, it will switch back to outdoor air and the AC will start to turn on & off. Is there a recall on this or how do you fix?

I had the same problem with my 01 malibu, the dealer fixed it under warrantee, but it's been about 1 year and it just started happening again. I also had a problem w/ the turn signals/hazards which was fixed because chevy issued a recall about it. Talk to your dealer about the history of these vehicles having electrical problems, there's a chance that chevy will cover the cost of the repair.

My AC cuts on and off when in outdoor air mode, when I change it to recirc, it will switch back to outdoor air and the AC will start to turn on & off. Is there a recall on this or how do you fix?


It is most likley the control unit. It is the part in the cab where you control the AC, Heat, and fan. It apears to be a common problem and the replacements still fail.

The Malibu intermittent A/C problem is caused by corrosion on the rotory temperature control switch for the A/C. This is the friction dial used for temperature adjustment in the passenger compartment. I was able to repair my car by removing the control head from the dash, disassembling it, then cleaning the contact surface of both rotory switches with an eraser. This worked great and will save you the price of a new control head, but takes a little time to get the thing apart.

A link to the cleaning directions is here:

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=324015

My '01 did the same thing untill it finally pissed me off and I punched the control unit. Works great no more problems! (knock on wood)

See violence does solve things!

Take the control unit out, take it apart, pretty simple, just pay attention to the location of the guts. Clean the contacts with an eraser or contact clean. This is nothing fancy inside, 100 year old technology.