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A/C Blows Cold at Higher RPM but not cold at idle

14994 Views 7 Replies 7 Participants Last post by  Kw1300
So , I have an 06 Sienna Limited. The AC blows cold at speed. If the RPM's are over 2000-2500 and higher the cold air flows. if I am at idle (stopped at a light, parked with engine running 1500 RPM or less) the AC blows less than cold (humid/non AC) air. Took it to a trusted mechanic he has since replaced the belt, Compressor w/clutch, and evacuated and put in all new fluid today. It is still doing the same thing. Any ideas???? He said it might be the expansion valve which necessitates taking the entire dashboard off.
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Compressors are generally inefficient at low RPM, so the R134 refrigerant level has to be right or it won't cool well. If you've had both of these addressed and it still isn't working right, the next up would be the expansion valve. Something might be clogging it and it just can't deliver the spray of liquid into the evaporator at lower line pressures.

If you take out the glove box and reach up and to the left the expansion valve and it's fittings are visible. But it's tight packaging and I don't know if it's possible to replace it without tearing down the entire dash.

The Limited is fully electronically controlled and does have a set of DTC codes. But you'll need a scanner that can handle proprietary codes in order to view them. A fully equipped HVAC shop might be able to do it for you, or you'll have to visit Toyota.

Another possibility is that the cold air is being diluted by some heat from the heater core. There's no valve on the hot water lines, so the core is always hot. If the airmix damper wasn't fully closing within the HVAC box, it's possible that at lower RPM the AC is being swamped out by the heater.
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Thanks fibber2, I will pull out the glove box today and see if the valve is reachable.
Mine (2006 LE) does (and always has) the same thing...
Was this resolved? Having the same issue in a 2011
Not sure for Gen 3, but check to make sure at least one radiator fan turns on when the AC button is pushed on. If not, it could explain why the AC works while the van is moving but not at idle.
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You probably have a problem with the electronics. I had a similar situation, and the cause of the problem was the sensor, which was contaminated. The fan wouldn't turn on, and the air conditioner wouldn't cool the car. You should also show your car to a good mechanic who will make a complete diagnosis. Nowadays, almost everybody does air conditioning repair, but there are very few excellent companies. It would help if you searched for a long time on the Internet to find a service that will inexpensively and qualitatively repair your air conditioner.
You probably have a problem with the electronics. I had a similar situation, and the cause of the problem was the sensor, which was contaminated. The fan wouldn't turn on, and the air conditioner wouldn't cool the car. You should also show your car to a good mechanic who will make a complete diagnosis. Nowadays, almost everybody does air conditioning repair, but there are very few excellent companies. It would help if you searched for a long time on the Internet to find a service that will inexpensively and qualitatively repair your air conditioner.
I have a similar situation with my sienna. Donyou know the name of the sensor giving the issue.
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