Air conditioning is a necessary part of the vehicle, especially if you are driving in an area with high temperatures.
It is accurate, and no one can imagine going without an air conditioner in the summers, and that is why you must know Ford F150 air conditioning troubleshooting.
Even though you can always take your vehicle to the mechanic, there might be a solution to save you a couple of dollars.
With this air conditioning troubleshooting and solutions guide, you will be able to look for the problems by yourself and repair them if minor.
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Ford F150 Air Conditioning Troubleshooting: Straightforward Tricks
Air conditioning is the type of blessing you cannot imagine your life without, especially in summers.
Whether it is air conditioning at your home or in your car, it will give you a tough time if it is faulty.
So, if you think that the air conditioner on your Ford F150 is not working correctly, you can go through this troubleshooting guide and determine the cause of it.
Some of the most common problems that your air conditioner that hinders the performance of air conditioners on your car are listed below;
1. Dirty Cabin Air Filter
The cabin air filter is one of the significant components of the car’s air conditioning system. It is also known as a pollen filter or microfilter.
As it is the system’s central component, any fault in it can cause severe malfunctioning of the whole system.
If the cabin air filter is dirty, it will affect the entire air conditioning system, which will result in reduced cooling, airflow, and heating.
Moreover, it doesn’t just damage the interior of the ventilator but can have severe negative impacts on the whole AC system.
Also, it will affect the fuel system of your car. Therefore, it is necessary to check the cabin filter in the first place if you experience any reduced cooling or a faulty air conditioner.
2. Refrigerant Leak
One of the most common causes of a faulty air conditioner is a reduced refrigerant in the system.
However, it is normal for the refrigerant to reduce by 15% yearly as per the demands of the system’s design. But any more decrease than this average decrease can lead to complications.
s Also, if you are not getting the AC system serviced regularly, it is normal for the refrigerant level to decrease in such a case.
And at a certain point, this decrease will be too much that will cause the AC system to lose its cooling capacity.
If you are facing a reduction in refrigerant level, again and again, it is proof that there might be a leak in the system.
Some component defects in the system might also lead to decreased refrigerant gas.
3. Clogged or Dirty Condenser
A condenser is the component of the AC system that is responsible for expelling the heat present in the refrigerant into the environment.
One of the reasons it gets dirty very quickly is because it sits in front of the vehicle, just like the radiator.
As you drive through dirty roads and rough surfaces, various things like dirt, bugs, and grime start to gather on the surface of the condenser and clog the gap between its mesh.
Because of the dirty or clogged condenser, the air conditioner will not release the heat typically, which will significantly affect the cooling of the whole system.
4. Faulty or Failed Compressor
It will not be wrong to say that the compressor is the central part of an air conditioning system.
The moving parts of a compressor are responsible for converting gaseous coolant into a liquid that, in return, throws cooling air into your car.
Usually, it is irreparable once you get to know about the compressor problem.
When you don’t drive your vehicle as often or have been standing in your garage for a while, its part will stick, causing the failure.
Moreover, compressor failure is also a result of insufficient lubrication in the system or production error, and the metal chips form.
5. Faulty Blower Motor
If your air conditioning system has a faulty blower motor, it will result in reduced or no airflow from the vents.
If you hear some abnormal sounds coming from the engine, this is likely because it is probably worn out, defective, or has completely failed.
Solutions for the Ford F150 Air Conditioning Problems
Now that we have discussed some of the most common air conditioning problems, it is time to discuss their solutions. So, let’s not make you wait anymore and get to the solutions guide;
- If you have a dirty cabin filter, you can clean it by using a compressed air system or a vacuum cleaner. But this might not work as efficiently, and it cannot be denied that a change of cabin filter is inevitable even if you try cleaning the filter on your own.
- If you have a refrigerant leak, it is good to take your car to the mechanic, as looking for the leak can be a complicated process. To detect the leak in the system, forming gas is filled into the system. More significant leaks can be easily detected by spraying the component or part with a leak detection spray. If leaks are more minor, each component is sprayed with the leak detection spray, and the defected one is fixed accordingly.
- To clean the clogged or dirty condenser, you can power wash the component with low pressure. Make sure that the pressure is not too high as it can damage the system.
- A defective or failed compressor cannot be repaired thus needs a replacement immediately. So, get your car to the mechanic and install a new compressor.
- Like the compressor, you cannot fix a faulty blower motor, requiring a replacement.
Ford F150 Air Conditioner: What & How does It Work?
The air conditioning system of the Ford F150 is pretty solid and efficient.
As this air conditioning system can control the amount of coolant, this feature keeps this system rather environmentally friendly.
This is because by controlling the coolant amount, there is a relatively more minor load on the engine, which results in a decrease in its impact on the environment.
Some capacities of Ford air conditioner are listed below;
- Engine coolant fill capacity – 9.7 qt (9.2 L)
- Air conditioning refrigerant fill capacity – 22.05 oz (.625 kg)
- Air conditioning refrigerant compressor oil fill capacity – 4.40 fl oz (130 ml)
Some Ford air conditioner specifications include;
- Motorcraft® Orange Prediluted Antifreeze/Coolant
- VC-3DIL-B – WSS-M2C931-C
- Motorcraft® Orange Prediluted Antifreeze/Coolant
- VC-3DIL-B – WSS-M97B44-D2
- Motorcraft® SAE 75W-140 Synthetic Rear Axle Lubricant
- XY-75W140-QL – WSL-M2C192-A
- Motorcraft® R-1234yf Refrigerant PAG Oil
- YN-35 – WSS-M2C300-A2
Ford Air Conditioning Replacement Cost
Ford air conditioning is a very efficient system with high power features. Even though the replacement parts might cost the same in all regions, the labor cost might vary.
The estimated labor cost of an air conditioning compressor replacement in Ford ranges from $93 and $117. In comparison, the cost of replacement parts ranges from $575 to $760.
This price range is for the AC compressor only and might differ if any other system component is defective.
If the whole air conditioning system is faulty and needs a replacement, it will be pretty expensive. On average, the air conditioning replacement costs approximately $1000 – $3700.
While if you want to install an air conditioning system in a vehicle that doesn’t have any already, it might cost you around $1500 – $4000.
As mentioned earlier, the labor costs vary depending upon the region, and the price of parts can also differ depending upon the model and year of the Ford.
No matter how expensive the whole system is, the investment in an air conditioning system is worth it.
Ford F150 Climate Control Problems
It is inevitable that at some point, your Ford F150 air conditioning system will start to give you some severe climate control problems.
There are various climate control problems that you might face if you own a Ford F150. We have listed below some of the most common Ford F150 climate control problems for your convenience.
Cooling Turning On and Off Automatically
One of the most common climate control problems you might face with a Ford F150 includes the cooling system turning on and off automatically.
When driving in the summers, this problem can cause severe frustration and complications.
Failure of Display
You might also face the failure of display at some point if you drive a Ford F150.
Faulty Blend Door Actuator
THE Ford F150, climate control problems include the wrong or faulty blend door actuator. If your car has a bad blend door actuator, your vehicle will start to heat up quickly.
Air in the Cooling System
You might also face some problems if there is an air bubble in the heater core. In such a case, the heater will not throw as hot air as it should.
Therefore, if you have any attitude in the cooling system, you will have to get rid of it immediately.
Noisy System
A noisy system can be frustrating. With continuous sound coming from the air conditioning system of your vehicle, you will start to lose your mind at some point.
A noisy air conditioning system can be due to various reasons. Some of these reasons include loose mounting bolts or a bad air compressor.
If the air conditioning system of your vehicle is making noises because of a faulty compressor, the reason behind this is the excessive amount of Freon in the system.
FAQs on Ford F150 Air Conditioning Troubleshooting
Why is my AC not working in Ford F150?
Some of the most common reasons or defaults that result in the malfunctioning of an air conditioning system include;
- Refrigerant leak
- Dirty evaporator
- Faulty blend door actuator
- Dirty or clogged condenser
- Faulty blower motor
- Dirty cabin filter
- Failed compressor
How do I know if my AC compressor is bad?
Some of the warning signs that help you identify that your AC compressor is terrible are listed below;
- The system starts to make abnormal sounds continuously when the unit is working.
- The cooling capability of the system is reduced significantly.
- There is an abnormal amount of leakage of fluid from the unit. This leakage is abnormal as it is past the average condensation amount.
Why is the AC in my truck not cold?
If your truck is not getting cold even when the air conditioning is on, you might probably have a broken or faulty air conditioning system or compressor.
In case the air thrown by the unit is relatively cool but not cold as it is supposed to be, the reason behind this issue might be a clogged filter, radiator trouble, low battery of AC, or cooling fan problem.
How do I test my car’s AC compressor?
Testing your car’s AC compressor is not a highly complex task, and you can easily do it by yourself. To test your car’s AC, you will have to turn the air conditioning system on first.
Now attach a pressure gauge on the air compressor on its lower side. This part is usually located on the firewall passenger side present in the vehicle’s engine compartment.
After that, add almost 2oz of Freon into the system to check if the compressor kicks on. This is how you test the car’s ac compressor.
How do you know if your AC relay is bad?
The symptoms that your AC relay is wrong to include;
- Inconsistent cooling
- Cool but not cold air
- AC compressor is not turning on
How do I fix my car’s air conditioner that is not cooling?
You can fix your car’s air conditioner that is not cooling by recharging the refrigerant.
If you don’t know about the process or want to save time and effort, you can take your car to the nearest mechanic and get the job done.
How do you test a Ford AC relay?
To check the AC relay on your Ford, unplug any relay terminal wiring attached to the interior car’s AC control.
It must be in an off position. Run your engine and check all three wires with the test light. They should be off. Now, turn the AC control switch on and recheck these wires.
Final Words
Now that you are aware of the Ford F150 air conditioning troubleshooting, it is time for you to apply it to your car’s system and imply the solution immediately after determining the problem.
If you don’t have any experience dealing with vehicles, you must not risk anything and take your car to the nearest auto shop.
So, it is time to kick out the frustration caused by poor air conditioning while driving in the summer heat.