 | Home > Technical > Air Conditioning Query |
 
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| solmanic Member Since: 16 Aug 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 191   
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My 07 Defender is back at the dealers for a second attempt at fixing the A/C. The problem is to do with the thermo-switch which fails to cut out when cooling down. The core drops right down to freezing and consequently the heat exchanger ices up and very little air flows through (at least that's how I understand it). I noticed this about a month after I took delivery and the dealer fixed it. Things seemed to work fine for a couple of months then, after a few warm days I noticed it doing the same thing again.
It has been back at the shop since last Tuesday. The dealer informed me that they had a second vehicle doing the same thing AGAIN so they sent a technical query off to Land Rover Australia. They subsequently escalated the issue to Land Rover UK. The response came back to replace the exact same bit (thermo-switch) that was replaced last time. Now I don't hold out much hope for this fix actually working and with the weather cooling down here it will most likely be October before I really know whether or not it's fixed. Logic would dictate that if you fixed something one way (on more than one vehicle) and it stops working again on both, then maybe there is something else awry. Is there anyone else here who has had the same issue with their new Defender's A/C? I know most of you guys have just been through winter and don't get many 40degree days, but I thought I'd ask the question. I guess I'm just fishing to see if this is a known design fault, or I and the other guy just got our dodgy switches replaced with ANOTHER bad batch of switches. 2007 Defender 110 1970 Alfa Romeo 1750GTV |
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17th May 2008 1:37am |
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| solmanic Member Since: 16 Aug 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 191
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The A/C is supposedly all fixed and seems to be working. I'll wait and see if the problem re-occurs after a month or so. 2007 Defender 110
1970 Alfa Romeo 1750GTV |
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28th May 2008 11:47pm |
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| one_iota Member Since: 06 May 2008 Location: Sydney Posts: 99 
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Was the switch replaced again or was it something else? Mahn '08 Defender 110 ex '95 Disco 300 Tdi www.aulro.com |
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29th May 2008 3:12am |
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| solmanic Member Since: 16 Aug 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 191
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This is my point - they just replaced the SAME switch that was replaced in February. After escalating the issue to Land Rover UK, they just came back with the instruction for the dealer to repeat the last repair again. Hence my concern that the problem may lie with some other component and the thermal cutout switch failing is merely a symptom. I will wait and see how things go. 2007 Defender 110 1970 Alfa Romeo 1750GTV |
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30th May 2008 3:59am |
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| thornbma Member Since: 05 Oct 2008 Location: Kazakhstan Posts: 4 
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Hey, guys, just think of a domestic AC unit, and don’t get distracted by it being in a vehicle. A domestic unit will freeze up, and lose cooling efficiency, when it loses gas. This results in a lower pressure in the high pressure side, resulting in a lower boiling point of the refrigerant. At design pressure the boiling point is above 0 deg. C, hence plenty of condensation on the cooling coils, but no ice. As the gas leaks, slowly, the discharge pressure drops, and the boiling point of the refrigerant drops. We all know about trying to make a decent cup of tea, or boil eggs, at high altitude – the water boils at a much lower temperature, and you end up with maiden’s bath water or runny eggs. The same thing happens with the AC refrigerant, it boils at a much lower temperature. There was almost certainly nothing wrong with either switch, the problem was a slow – very slow – leak of gas.
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5th Oct 2008 2:38pm |
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| shorty Member Since: 31 Oct 2008 Location: Hillcrest, Kwa Zulu Natal Posts: 160  
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Hey guys, I was driving my defender from Johannesburg to the Kalahari via the Karoo last week Temp was 42 deg c and my aircon was playing up. When you initially turn it on it pumps with cold air but after 10 minutes the air flow begins to decrease and eventually there is zero airflow. If I turn the aircon off for 15 minutes and turn it back on again it works fine for the next 10 min. My problem sounds exactly like yours solmanic. Land Rover's don't leak oil, they simply mark their territory!
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13th Mar 2009 8:17am |
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| 110SEB Member Since: 29 Jan 2009 Location: Essex, England Posts: 1444 
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I have some faith in technical queries sent off to someone at LR. We had a problem with our ECU taking over with the central locking. When we all got out of the 110, closed the doors behind us and went to rummage in the boot, the central locking would lock the car after about 20 seconds. Since the boot was open the horn would honk-honk as it does when doors aren't properly closed at lock down.
On 3 separate visits to the dealers they said first, that we were pressing the key fob in our pockets, then, that we were either doing that but they certainly couldn't find fault, and then thirdly they acknowledged the fault and sent of a tech query which told them to reprogram the central locking on the ECU. Problem solved for good. Perhaps in the case of the A/C problem, the part in question has changed manufacturer or been revised? Perhaps a bad batch of parts in the old swap over and this time it'll be alright. Fingers crossed. How awful it must be to have to suffer hot weather and blue skies all the time. I really feel for you. Only the British would send all their convicts from a damp cold island to the largest desert island in the world with sandy beaches, space, sun and a whopping LR playground. |
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13th Mar 2009 9:29am |
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| solmanic Member Since: 16 Aug 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 191
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Yep, that is exactly the same problem. The core is icing up and blocking airflow so all you get is an asthmatic wheeze of mildly cool air. Mine seems to be all fixed now and has made it through summer with much more effectiveness than last year. I still got them to check it over at the last service and they confirmed that everything was operating within spec. I think I seriously need to consider tinting the windows to make things any better. 2007 Defender 110 1970 Alfa Romeo 1750GTV Last edited by solmanic on 16th Mar 2009 2:43am. Edited 1 time in total |
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16th Mar 2009 2:36am |
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| solmanic Member Since: 16 Aug 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 191
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When you raise a sweat just towelling off after a cold shower you realise there are limits to how hot you are prepared to tolerate for days on end. Sorry, but give me cold weather anytime. At least you can keep putting stuff on to warm up, but if it's hot and you're nearly naked with no breeze, then all you can do is stand there and feel uncomfortable. Even when it's working perfectly, it is pretty clear that the Defender's A/C was never designed for tropical climates. And on the flipside, the heater output is positively nuclear! 2007 Defender 110 1970 Alfa Romeo 1750GTV |
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16th Mar 2009 2:42am |
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| mse Member Since: 06 Apr 2008 Location: UK Posts: 5038 
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im with you - i cant stand the heat...not looking forward to summer Mike
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16th Mar 2009 5:29pm |
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| nicks Member Since: 21 Aug 2008 Location: south coast Posts: 469 
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Mine has just stopped working alltogether, push the button, blower starts but it doesn't blow cold air, another thiong to add to the list when its in next week.
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16th Mar 2009 5:54pm |
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| discocuzzy Member Since: 16 Jul 2008 Location: surrey Posts: 1200 
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Used my aircon today....window open and defender elbow resumed...oooh amd i opened my little vent flaps but then again i only have an old Xreg TD5
 You cannot teach stupid people to do clever things |
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17th Mar 2009 7:32pm |
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| CapeLandy Member Since: 21 Jul 2008 Location: Cape Town Posts: 558
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My aircon works but at 43'C outside it really struggles to keep the gearbox and us all cool.
The heat from the tunnel and floorboards is too uncomfortable even to drive bearfeet. My series 3 also does that so I'm not too worried. Puma 110 - gone Series III 1973 - going strong |
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20th Mar 2009 5:34pm |
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| AndrewS Member Since: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Hereford Posts: 3708 
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Has anyone had the stream of misty icy air coming from the top vents
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20th Mar 2009 5:50pm |
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