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Blown AC compressor, now control head too?


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The AC compressor blew on my 2003 Outback Bean H6. It didn't overheat, just made a loud sound about 30 mins after the AC stopped working. The garage took one look and said AC compressor. Garage got a new compressor (new), put it in, now the climate control head doesn't work (no lights, no control, nothing). Garage is saying I need a new control head, but this seems odd as it was working before the AC compressor went. Can one thing lead to another? Garage said they checked fuses etc. Said they checked the wires, but said they did not see if the AC compressor will turn on manually/if you put some wires together (is this part of diagnostics for this?).  It has an aftermarket stereo, but that's been in and working for years. Is there anything else I can tell them to try before we order a new control head?


Thanks

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1.  were the lights/control functions working before they replaced the compressor?

2.  what all did they do exactly - compressor...vacuum...recharge...anything else?

3.  did they do any diagnosis at all?

a. pressure test before pulling the old compressor - what were the number?

b. leak test?

 

 

At this point we really can't assume anything.  Misdiagnosis is just as likely as the rare issues they're suggesting.

 

1.  you are correct - it would be very odd for them both to fail

2. Subaru a/c compressor failure is very rare - so I don't trust that their first repair was even legitimate.  did they actually test anything or have any symptoms to go by?

3.  that year/model control unit doesn't fail too often.

 

If the control unit fails - don't replace with new - failure is almost unheard of so the price of a new one makes no sense at all.  Get a used one - a couple people are parting them out or ebay or www.car-part.com

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Are they blaming the control head because the new compressor will not engage?

The control head doesn't directly control the compressor, so no chance of electrical shorting/ damage from a failed compressor.

There are always possibilities for electrical damage, depending on how the shop goes about trying to diagnose a problem. Paper clips and jumper wires were acceptable to use years ago. Newadays everything is controlled by a computer in some way or other, and computers don't like people poking around with test lights and such. Even though they may have push buttons like older cars, the control heads in these are digital. They send signal to another computer, and that computer tells the compressor to engage.

 

There are multiple switches, relays, and fuses involved. A failure of the control head is very unlikely.

 

I would want a second opinion, and I would want to see the old compressor to see if its full of metal shavings.

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