92 Prelude Air conditioner comes on and off

[Randy McCoy]

Air conditioner comes on and off. Could it be the ignition switch or maybe a short in the control panel. It's starting to get pretty hot here in Texas.

[sofast]

Does the Fan motor go on and off or is it the cool air that comes on and off?

[grumblemarc]

Does the blower stay on? Mine is doing that more and more. Ever since my deck got ripped off (out) the AC hasn't been stable. Obviously (in my case) something got pulled loose. I haven't been yet inclined to want to pull out all that crap just o get to it and check.

[joeval]

As a fellow Texan, I hear ya! If your compressor is kicking in and out and is not cooling, then it is low in freon. If this happened suddenly, you might have a big leak. If this happened gradually, then it's a small leak and might consider recharging and gamble to see how long it will take to leak completely.

[joellthomas]

is the ac light is going on/off. i have fixed two by removing the ac module (dash controls) and resoldering the "small" pin connectors. these pins get cold solder joints work intermittantly and also cause the dampers to not work all the time.
the ac clutch relay can have burned contacts, it will make the compressor go on and off, but you want see the light go out.
careful adding refrigerant till you know what's going on.
respond if you need details.

[Randy McCoy]

Fan stays on along with the A/C light, it just quits blowing cold air.

[Randy McCoy]

Sounds crazy, but sometimes it will start working again if I thump the dash above the control panel.

[soccmid]

i ahve teh same problem except the light goes on and off , and no light equals cold air to me. ive got it all ripped out its obviously in teh harness just ahvent gotten around to pullin wires out and resoddering them all. it does work when i tap it half teh time tho. lol its funny as hell

[joellthomas]

randy; if the fan and light are on i would say that the clutch relay contacts are burned , so replace this relay. it's located on the driver's side fender wall, inside a rubber like cover. there are two identicle relays, one for the condenser fan and the other is for the a/c clutch. the condenser relays i have opened and checked looked like new, but the ac relays have had burned contacts. if your honda is 7/8 years old just replace it anyway.
soccmid; your a/c control module probably has connector pins with cold solder joints. it's not that difficult to remove this and replace or you can be cheap like me and repair it (a little more difficult).

[soccmid]

what would i be replacing? and on which if i chose to repair would i be soddering? the green or the brown?

[Randy McCoy]

Joel, is it up by the headlights on the drivers side?

[joellthomas]

soccmid, to replace the ac controls , the module with the buttons . it has two connectors (one to the fan switch and the other for the buttons). to repair the small connector (to buttons): remove center console cover, remove radio, remove the screw under the module (stubby phillips) and the front screws, disconnect the heater cable (it just slips out of a clip), unplug the two connectors and replace. to repair this module find the connector with the small pins, cut the plastic from the other side to access the soldered side of the pins, support the pins (they will move when the solder melts), resolder them with a fine tip soldering iron. it's very hard to see the bad connections at the solder joint.

[joellthomas]

randy, yes 2 identicle relays mounted on a bracket. you can't fix it: just get a new one.

[kkiepvvessau]

believe me those things are hard to fix . once you open it , it will mess up more. I open my like 5 times already, it useless. now i just take the cd player case out . if the A/C don't work i move the wires underneat it working fine.

Joellthomas
REPLAYS don't sell in dealer i'm 100% sure , if you going buy a replay from dealer you have to buy a whole wires system harmness. imagine those complicate wires system under the dash . my prelude have melting wires under the dash it take 1 month to find out where the location is.

[joellthomas]

thumping, moving wires, pressing- this is moving the bad solder joint on the connector pins of the a/c module. resolder pins or get a new one. preludes must be pleged with this problem.
i got a 12 volt alarm relay off ebay and wired it in ($5). 2 wires to coil and 2 on the contacts. i also bought one at the parts house for my 92.