I am having major problems with my A/C in my 2000 S80 T6. It has 51,000 miles on it (just out of warranty). This car has been really taken care of (always in a garage or a parking garage).

The fan still blows fine but only hot air. I have had it at the dealer twice during the past 10 days and have an appt. to take it back in this coming Tuesday. Their first solution was to flush the sytem and recharge. That worked fine for a few hours. All of the collant (with green dye) leaked on my garage floor and she was blowing hot air again the next morning.

I took it back to the dealership and they informed me that I needed a new compressor. They replaced the compressor and once again, that worked for only a short period of time. It has stopped leaking from what I can tell, but who knows. For a short period of time it was cooling fairly well on the drivers side but the passengers side was still blowing hot.

When I pull the car in to the garage and turn off the A/C (before shutting down the engine), I can hear a very distinct "hissing" noise like some sort of pressure is being let off. Does anyone know what this is ?

Should I try and recharge it myself with a can of r134 from PepBoys. It's in the 90's hear in SC today and I would really like my AC back (since University Volvo in Charlotte doesn't seem to know what they are doing).

All reply's are greatly appreciated.

The hissing noise is from the expansion valve the new valves are calibrated differently which would fix that problem. In model year 2000 the climate control modules can electronically lock up causing no cold air this is resolved with a new module and a download. Have a tech. check for a leak with a black light leaks can be tricky. experttech

Thanks for the advice. I took my car back to the dealer yesterday and he informed me that he was having a more "senior" tech work on my car this time. The new tech diagnosed a leak on a hose (hi pressure ??) that he had overnighted to the dealership. Hopefully they will fix it correctly once and for all today.

What I don't understand is why they didn't find that leak the second time I took it in to have the compressor replaced. The only reasonable explination is what you just mentioned above about leaks being "tricky".

There is a service bulletin for the front fan on these cars. I can get you the bulletin number when I go back to the shop on Tuesday. If the front fan doesn't work correctly, the AC pressures will build, and the high side pressostat will alert your ECU, and turn off your compressor. The hissing is most likely pressures equalizing. I would think that Volvo should know about that. It is WAY too early for you to need an AC compressor. You may have a battle on your hands with this one, but I HIGHLY DOUBT you needed that compressor.

Chris

Thank you. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I felt the same way about the compressor. I just don't know if they are playing games with me at the dealership, or if they don't know what the heck they are doing. There is an independent shop nearby that has a good reputation. I think I will start doing business with him.

Take it back to them and have them explain why a recharge was the first diagnosis, then a new compressor (second diagnosis), and now no A/C? The dye should have led them to the source. Prehaps it really was the compressor, and they neglected to tighten all fittings causing the leaks. It happens, hopefully they will make it right, but you really need to visit them for an explanation. Good luck.

Thanks KC. I am taking it back Tuesday morning. I hope that it is something that simple and they can fix it for me. Any ideas on the hissing noise ?

more than likely the hissing noise is the system stabilizing. Pepboys will do an A/C check for 19.99 which includes charging with 1 can of R134a.

Bob

I have a low opinion of pep boys, they busted an intank fuel pump on a 740 once and wanted it to be spareparts warranty, they busted it putting it in ( a hammer isn't always the best tool to use).. As for the compressor, I have seen a few go south on s80's. There is a recall on the electric fans on the s80's (99's) for sure. Its called recall 110, have the service dept. run the vin# on the volvo warranty system. they need the last six of the VIN# and the model type on your car is (184). Not all service guys do this, parts guys will sometimes do this if they have the time.

Thanks to all of the replys. My A/C is finally fixed and is running good now. My fan was replaced under warranty a few years back. The problem this time was a faulty (leaking) hose. It still blows my mind how they missed the leak the first two time that I had it in.