Alan R

Help! Anyone!

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I've read a few of those posts. I don't want to have major engine problems, and I'm hoping that fixing the AC will avoid them. Haven't seen the oil level rising mysteriously, or any strange mist coming from the tailpipe yet, and the engine runs smoothly. Since resetting the ECU and topping up the fluid 2 days ago, temperature has been in center of gauge (although on short trips of about 10-15 minutes only). Resetting the ECU took care of the check engine light, but when the AC clutch began making noise, the light was back on. Anyone know if AC clutch problems can generate fault codes thus triggering the check engine light, or is this a separate issue. I have a cheap OBD II reader, but it doesn't seem to like the Subie.

My Wife's car overheated after the check engine light came on. After a quick look, I found that the belt is tight, the fans are working properly and the coolant was low (probably due to the overheating itself). I topped up the coolant and ran the car again, couldn't see any leaks, but after running the ac for about 5 minutes, a chirping, grinding, sort of noise began from the compressor/clutch. The noise stops when the ac is turned off, so I'm thinking the problem is with the clutch only. Can the clutch be replaced with the compressor in place, or does the entire unit need to be replaced? Dealer says they can't look at the car for a week, and I can't afford to be without it that long, so would like to fix it myself if possible. Any help or advice appreciated. TIA.