My Mazda 626 A/C is not Cold Enough – I Have to Wiggle The Switch – Why?

Reader Question
Hey there Austin!

I just got your email newsletter…thanks! With the warmer weather the HOT TOPIC fits 🙂 and that top was what lead me to your site. I was actually looking for a bit more details than that. I wanted to know how to actually add the freon to my car. I cant seem to find that info in my owner’s manual.

I have a 2000 Mazda 626LX 4 cylinder. My ac is just blowin hot air…but if I turn it on full blast I do get cool air for a few mins. If its been sitting in the sun, however, I cant use that trick…its just hot air till I drive for about 15 mins or more then it kicks in.
Thanks for your time!

Regards,
Sandra

Yo there Sandra ,

Actually, Freon is not something the consumer adds…… .it requires special tools and knowledge of what you are doing. Freon is a gas, that is added via a set of gauges and hoses. If you add too much Freon you can damage things, too little Freon and the system does not work properly.

It sounds like you probably just need a little bit of Freon, so it is probably not going to cost you an arm and a leg …unless you got sexy legs! You car might have a “Freon sight glass” (a small glass window on the top of the filter drier) that will allow your mechanic to see if the system is low on Freon…if there are bubbles in the sight glass, you might just need to have your mechanic add a can or two of Freon to the system.

If your system takes more than a can (1 pound) you probably have a leak in the system somewhere and the new Freon will also leak out until the leak is repaired. The a/c system is sealed, so theoretically you should NOT have to add Freon unless there is a leak somewhere.

If the sight glass is free of bubbles, you might have something else going on…like an electric cooling fan that is not coming on. There is an electric fan in f ront of or behind the a/c condenser in f ront of your car. If this fan does not come on, the a/c will not be cold at low speeds and at idle, but will cool ok at higher speeds like on the freeway.

Comprende?

Austin C. Davis