help! No engine A/C on my 2021 Axis

[vealessi]

Hello all,

I believe that my cab AC stopped working in my 2021 Thor Axis 25.6 - which was the Ford V8 Godzilla engine, in case that matters.

I have an infared thermometer, and am measuring 80 degrees at the dash vents, with the vehicle sitting idle, engine running, AC on (it's 90 out). It doesn't seem to matter if I turn the AC off or turn recirculate on/off; I get 80-82 degrees, so it seems like something failed.

Any suggestions on easy things to look for? belts, etc.? and who would troubleshoot this? guessing it's not the RV service shop but probably Ford or a heavy truck shop; all of which seem to have a 6 month waiting list.

It's not going to be fun going all of summer with no cab AC; All help appreciated!

Vic

[16ACE27]

Take it to an automobile A/C shop. Not likely a belt, plenty of other suspects though.

[simidrm]

You can do some preliminary checks yourself.
First with the engine running and a/c on max check to see if the clutch on the compressor is engaged and the compressor is turning, next if it is feel the a/c lines one should be cold the other hot if that is good check the cabin air filter if it’s plugged then air can not move across the evaporator and won’t cool much, or are the lines freezing up with ice? Could be a stuck expansion valve which would require service . If all that checks out ok check if your cooling fan for the condenser is working
Because if it’s not working then the high pressure switch will not allow the compressor to run, and check the condenser for obstructions that will hinder its ability to cool, you can test this by touching the lines going into and out of the condenser the inlet should be hot and the outlet will be much cooler

[ducksface]

Go directly to an ac shop not a dealer. Very little of the a.c. is ford on the v10, maybe same on Godzilla.

No need for you to diagnose because you will go to the shop and they'll rediagnose no matter what you find.

[Chateau_Nomad]

Doesn't Thor do aftermarket ducting on those? Not sure of the setup, but I'd check all the things simidrm mentioned, then see if you can trace the ducting from the engine bay firewall side... probably not an easy task.

If you have cold refrigerant lines, use your infrared thermometer if possible to trace the cold air flow to see where it stops. But like mentioned, I'm guessing it's a compressor issue.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by vealessi

I have an infared thermometer, and am measuring 80 degrees at the dash vents, with the vehicle sitting idle, engine running, AC on (it's 90 out). It doesn't seem to matter if I turn the AC off or turn recirculate on/off; I get 80-82 degrees, so it seems like something failed.

You don't say if the fan is blowing a solid steam of hot air?

You could simply have a Freon leak? Check the pressure and add a can to see if it get colder, the new Freon dispensers all come with a gauge so you do not overcharge.
If it is leaking you will need to get fixed anyway, but at least you know the Freon is low.

[sportcoupe]

You have three choices. Because it worked and then stopped, I suspect electrical and the compressor is not engaging because it isn't receiving 12v.

1. Take to RV dealer and wait
2. Get approval from Thor to use your own shop so they will reimburse you cost
3. Troubleshoot the electrical yourself if the compressor isn't engaging

For #2 or #3 you will need electrical diagrams for your ProAir system. Your 2021 Axis should be the same as my 2022 Vegas in that regard. Attached is the diagram ProAir sent me.

[simidrm]

Since it’s a 2021 and still under warranty, I would take it to a dealer and since a/c is considered a chassis issue it would fall to ford, but still I would check all the things mentioned beforehand just so you can tell the dealer what you think based on your observations and also so they can’t pull any funny business on any repairs,
I was a heavy truck mechanic for a big company and the issue we diagnose are always easier when the owner can say hey this don’t work and after I looked this is what I think versus I don’t know just fix it.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by simidrm

Since it’s a 2021 and still under warranty, I would take it to a dealer and since a/c is considered a chassis issue it would fall to ford, but still I would check all the things mentioned beforehand just so you can tell the dealer what you think based on your observations and also so they can’t pull any funny business on any repairs,
I was a heavy truck mechanic for a big company and the issue we diagnose are always easier when the owner can say hey this don’t work and after I looked this is what I think versus I don’t know just fix it.

A/C is not a chassis issue unless it's a compressor problem.

[simidrm]

I politely disagree, last year when my engine a/c wasn’t working I found it was low on Freon and I recharged it and added tracer dye and when I found the condenser leaking, I was just going to replace it myself till I found out it was almost 600.00 for the condenser, called Thor since I was still under my extended warranty and they sent me to lazy days Rv in Elkhart who said it had to go to freightliner for that as it is a chassis issue, all total was almost 1000.00 to repair because they charge 100an hour.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by simidrm

I politely disagree, last year when my engine a/c wasn’t working I found it was low on Freon and I recharged it and added tracer dye and when I found the condenser leaking, I was just going to replace it myself till I found out it was almost 600.00 for the condenser, called Thor since I was still under my extended warranty and they sent me to lazy days Rv in Elkhart who said it had to go to freightliner for that as it is a chassis issue, all total was almost 1000.00 to repair because they charge 100an hour.

The Axis, the topic of discussion; is NOT on a Freightliner chassis, not a DP, nor a Class C MH. I stand by my statement.

[sportcoupe]

Originally Posted by simidrm

I politely disagree, last year when my engine a/c wasn’t working I found it was low on Freon and I recharged it and added tracer dye and when I found the condenser leaking, I was just going to replace it myself till I found out it was almost 600.00 for the condenser, called Thor since I was still under my extended warranty and they sent me to lazy days Rv in Elkhart who said it had to go to freightliner for that as it is a chassis issue, all total was almost 1000.00 to repair because they charge 100an hour.

Condenser and compressor are the only Ford components in a stripped E350/E450 chassis RV.

The rest of the system, i.e. evaporator & heater core, housing, blower motor, fan blade, dryer, water valve, pressure switch, actuators, speed resistor, thermostat, control panel, relays and wiring are all ProAir components. Ford won't touch these components.

[simidrm]

Then I stand corrected, I thought anything that ran off of or from the drivetrain would be chassis at least in my world that’s how it works.
Learn something new every day.

[ducksface]

Ok,
Time for a bit of reality.
OP asked about belts first, leading anyone knowledgable/experienced to acknowledge/experience a certain lack of knowledge/experience.
This is NOT a jam some Freon down its throat proposition.


When you go to the ac shop instead of crawling all over an engine you can't see, diagnosing things you can't/won't/void your warranty fix anyway which have almost nothing to do with the compressor not coming on(op didn't ask 'what is that noise?'), please consider how the shop is going to tell you it's just the connection on the back of the silly little pushbutton switch or the no freeze probe.
(It's easy to forget to push it, it might just need pushed. My spousal unit has forgotten to push to turn on ac)

My bet is that switch or an association thereof.
But my bet isn't of any value to the shop expert that shouldn't listen to what we all say anyway.

OP:
Go to a shop. That work is hateful, and foreign to you, and super time consuming.

Signed,
Smart enough to do the fix which makes me smart enough to hire a professional to do the fix.

[sportcoupe]

I stand by my advice in post 7. Never did I mention "add Freon".

[Lt Keefer]

The OP asked for suggestions/help not argumentative posts from internet experts. It seems this forum is getting more angry every day, I wonder why?

[ducksface]

Originally Posted by Lt Keefer

The OP asked for suggestions/help not argumentative posts from internet experts. It seems this forum is getting more angry every day, I wonder why?

This is turning into the
Bad gas, nothing else, it's my only thought
Thread of last month.
That was in fact, the chewed wire overwhelmingly told of by exactly what the op didn't type.
Same folks, same narrow focus based on nothing the op typed.


There is NO way to begin to offer any help to someone when your help is based on that one time in 1974.

Once again, what the op didn't type is exactly what some of us understood.

We don't even know if it's under warranty or if there is an extended warranty or what sound happens/doesn't happen.

Ideas/offering help is easy.
Go to a shop.
Post 7 even showed you a diagram so the shop can have a head start.
Post 7 also told you what to ask Thor if you're still under warranty.

[mgunnin]

I have not seen anyone ask why up have not contacted a Ford Dealership.
Your unit should have 3yrs. - 36,000.0 mile warranty. Unless you have exceeded the milage.

[ducksface]

Originally Posted by mgunnin

I have not seen anyone ask why up have not contacted a Ford Dealership.
Your unit should have 3yrs. - 36,000.0 mile warranty. Unless you have exceeded the milage.

It's explained in post 12.
The axis ac has few ford parts and many non-ford parts.

[Tiflog18]

I had the same problem I was driving to Cody Wyoming and their cabin just kept getting hotter and hotter no AC coming out of the vents I stopped at an RV dealer compressor doesn’t turn on they say take it to Ford dealer I take it to Ford I spent $200 for diagnosing they say it’s something with the chassis or the RV manufacturer so I take it to a Goodyear dealer the Goodyear dealer says the compressor doesn’t start they’re not gonna charge me if you bypassed the switch from the chassis and just put power to the compressor it would turn on immediately and blow cold air.
I took a chew one of the few mobile technicians in the country that I trust and this was Don‘s mobile RV service with a winner in Lakeland and lives in Akron and we looked all over we had a new switch that we bought as my rigs at 2018 we bought the control panel that’s in the front of the dash put it in same problem. Opened up the hood trace the wire like many things in an RV the wire had come off had disconnected.
I was pretty upset that Ford general RV Goodyear couldn’t find a simple thing as tracing the wire to the top of the thermostat for the AC. So now I have an extra switch and air-conditioning.
There was a post that talked to about the panel in another post. Again it was a simple wire that it fallen off and then those other forms it’s always just one wire. Best of luck