2013 Air Conditioning Not Working

9683 Views 13 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Tnathasingh, Sep 21, 2021

dyano1138

Discussion Starter · Mar 21, 2019 (Edited by Moderator)

Hey everyone,
I drive a 2013 Gen1 Chevy Volt and have been having some problems with my A/C. Recently I was not getting any cold air from my eco or comfort settings. The fan still blew air, the heater still blew hot air, and the heated seats still worked. The check engine light came on the other day so I plugged into the OBDII port to learn I was low on refrigerant. I topped it off with R134a and made sure the gauge was within the recommended levels when the engine was running. After checking it held pressure I deleted the error code and it has not returned since. However, nothing has changed; I still am not getting cold air from eco or comfort settings. The screen says the A/C is "on" and it does not flicker on and off like other posts I have read. I have tried going from "High" (>90) to "Low" (<60 degrees) and while the air heats up, it never cools below ambient air temperatures. I can definitely hear something when eco/comfort is chosen, though I can't describe the sound. Kind of like a higher pitched sound of air flowing.

I also tried resetting the fuse on the air conditioning control module. Fuse looks good.

Please let me know your thoughts. I'm at 96000 miles so I'm hoping the compressor is under warranty if that's the cause, but again no error codes so I don't even know if this is equipment failure.

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Synovialbasher

· #2 · Mar 21, 2019

The A/C in the Volt not only cools the passenger compartment, but also has a separate loop to cool the battery coolant. It uses a system of valves to allow refrigerant in and out of both loops, and unlike a conditional vehicle with the A/C powered by a belt and turned off and on by a clutch, the Volt compressor is variable in speed (and system pressure) based on the cooling demands required. It's not a simple, binary a/c system where the compressor is either on or off, and in order to be most efficient, it only cools as much as required.

If it were me, I'd take it to the dealer. A leak in the a/c system should be fixed, as the Volt uses the a/c for more than just the cabin, but to actually reduce the wear and tear on the battery by keeping it at the optimal temperature. It's far too complex of a system to really know what's going on without the proper scan tools and procedures.

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jbakerjonathan

· #3 · Mar 21, 2019

You may want to peruse these two threads for information:

https://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?45537-Poor-cabin-a-c-performance

https://gm-volt.com/2010/12/09/the-chevrolet-volt-coolingheating-systems-explained/

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camachito

· #4 · Apr 16, 2019

I hope you have had better luck than I with your a/c problem. Took my 2013 Volt to dealer with Check Engine Light and a/c blowing warmer. I was wondering about that strange smell in the car (before the CEL)but choose to ignore it. When I took the car in (after reading the forums) I had an idea....I had a leak. I got quoted $1900 bucks. Damn! I love my Volts ()this is my 3rd) but why can't the cost of repair be cheaper?????

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JuneBug

· #5 · Apr 17, 2019

I thought the A/C was covered under the Voltec warranty because it's used to cool the battery. Or is only the compressor covered?

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jcanoe

· #6 · Apr 17, 2019

JuneBug said:
I thought the A/C was covered under the Voltec warranty because it's used to cool the battery. Or is only the compressor covered?

I do not believe the AC compressor is covered under the Voltec warranty. The Voltec warranty only covers specific items such as the lithium battery pack, the two electric motors and the on-board charger. The radiator cores, for example, serve to cool the battery, the electronics, the drive unit and the ICE yet no part of the radiator is covered by the Voltec warranty.

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jbakerjonathan

· #7 · Apr 17, 2019

camachito said:
I hope you have had better luck than I with your a/c problem. Took my 2013 Volt to dealer with Check Engine Light and a/c blowing warmer. I was wondering about that strange smell in the car (before the CEL)but choose to ignore it. When I took the car in (after reading the forums) I had an idea....I had a leak. I got quoted $1900 bucks. Damn! I love my Volts ()this is my 3rd) but why can't the cost of repair be cheaper?????

Are some new parts going to be installed? Seems like way too much for just adding freon.

Try to be philosophical about it. How many brake jobs have you had to do??? (None) How many oil changes? (An oil change ever TWO years.) You get my point. I feel for you having to spend $1,900. I do. But, you are most likely still ahead of the game.

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JuneBug

· #8 · Apr 17, 2019

jcanoe said:
I do not believe the AC compressor is covered under the Voltec warranty. The Voltec warranty only covers specific items such as the lithium battery pack, the two electric motors and the on-board charger. The radiator cores, for example, serve to cool the battery, the electronics, the drive unit and the ICE yet no part of the radiator is covered by the Voltec warranty.

This is what my warranty booklet says:

WHAT IS COVERED

This limited warranty covers repairs to Hybrid specific component defect related to materials or workmanship occurring during the 8 years or 100,000 miles (160,000 kilometers) term for the following:

Other Voltec Components

Other components covered by the Voltec warranty include: high-voltage wiring, Voltec control modules, e-compressor,
Traction Power Inverter Module (TPIM), Accessory Power Module (APM) and Voltec on-board charger.

Brakes

In addition to the coverages above, the brake modulator assembly is also covered by the 8-year/100,000-mile Voltec
warranty.

Electric Hybrid/Drive Unit

Electric drive unit assembly electric motors, and all internal components, including the auxiliary fluid pump, auxiliary
pump controller, electric motor, and 3-phase cables.

Towing

During the 8-year /100,000-mile Voltec warranty period, towing is covered to the nearest Chevrolet servicing dealer if
your vehicle cannot be driven because of a warranted Voltec-specific defect. Contact the Chevrolet Roadside Assistance Center for towing. Refer to the Owner’s Manual for details.

Other Electric/Hybrid Components

High Voltage Wiring, Hybrid Powertrain, and Battery Control Modules, Air Compressor Control Module (Except Malibu
Hybrid), Accessory DC Power Control Module, High Voltage Battery Disconnect Control Module, Drive Motor Generator
Power Invertor Module, Battery Charger Control Module.

DRIVE MOTOR BATTERY COVERAGE

Propulsion Battery Limited Warranty Policy (Chevrolet Volt and Bolt EV)

High Voltage Wiring, Hybrid Powertrain, and Battery Control Modules, Air Compressor Control Module (Except Malibu Hybrid), Accessory DC Power Control Module, High Voltage Battery Disconnect Control Module, Drive Motor Generator Power Invertor Module, Battery Charger Control Module.

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camachito

· #9 · Apr 17, 2019 (Edited)

I am not a stranger to seemingly high cost Volt repairs. The evaporator core @ GM site prices out between 250-400 bucks or so. To get at the part they have to tear the dash apart. I assume the bulk of the $1900 dollar tab is labor. The Volt Tech at Van Gannaway in Eustis did my last Volt (section #3 battery replacement) in a timely fashion and RIGHT! If I had to pay that kinda money and get ****ty work........would make me crazy! Car is at dealer.....waiting for part to arrive and repairs to take place. Stay tuned............
Got my Volt back today.....and yes the evaporator core was $258 and the rest was labor and freon. Riding cool again....happy till the next major catastrophe.....LMAO!

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jbakerjonathan

· #10 · Apr 18, 2019

I wish you good luck.

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Buzzz

· #11 · Apr 18, 2019

Here's a silver lining for you -- a 4 year, 80k mile Ally extended warranty with a $200 deductible is ~$2350 for the Volt.

You're obviously over that limit in time and mileage.

So assuming you had this repair INSIDE the warranty timeframe, you'd still be upside down on the extended warranty.

Given you're outside that warranty timeframe -- and assuming you didn't buy the warranty, you are thousands of dollars ahead -- even with the repair

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penak

· #12 · Apr 24, 2019 (Edited)

never experienced it. but this is a very interesting discussion to follow

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albertvadas

· #13 · Aug 31, 2021 (Edited)

You can have problems with the radiator or with the freon level in the engine. But these are just my considerations, so it is better if you made a consultation at an air conditioning master at airconservicing.org. In old cars, repairing the air conditioning system can be problematic because usually, people may need to change all the air cooling systems because the details are old, and the pipes for the air can be full of holes and dirt. The main disadvantage of this procedure is that it is costly and takes a lot of time.

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Tnathasingh

· #14 · Sep 21, 2021

camachito said:
I hope you have had better luck than I with your a/c problem. Took my 2013 Volt to dealer with Check Engine Light and a/c blowing warmer. I was wondering about that strange smell in the car (before the CEL)but choose to ignore it. When I took the car in (after reading the forums) I had an idea....I had a leak. I got quoted $1900 bucks. Damn! I love my Volts ()this is my 3rd) but why can't the cost of repair be cheaper?????

I’m in the same boat except I need a new compressor dealer quote to repair $4k. Crazy. Have to find someone cheaper

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