AC stopped working after tire change

[Rogue321]

Sorry, I couldn't find a dedicated AC tech form, so putting it here. Please move to a more appropriate form if needed.

I had a new set of tires installed and when I got the Jeep back, the AC would not blow cold. AC clutch not engaging. Discount Tire had no equipment to check things.

I checked the fuse and double checked with a spare (oddly enough a 10 amp spare was not in its holder....kind of to the side). I am getting voltage at the fuse. I swapped the AC clutch relay with the fuel pump relay and same results. No AC clutch engagment.

I looked around but could find nothing obvious but AC was fine when I took it in and now it doesn't work. I can't imagine anything they might could have done, but it's just odd it's no longer working from a tire change. I'm going to get some adapters so I can see if there's an gas in the system and have an appointment at the dealership Thursday.

In the mean time, I'm just hoping anyone has any idea on what to look for that might could have possible happened while the Jeep was in the shop.

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[azwjowner]

Having watched Discount Tire do a tire change on my JL from start to finish while standing in the parking lot outside the bay (because I'm OCD) I can't think of anything they could have done that would affect your A/C. Other than take your wheels on and off, the only other thing they even touch on the car is to wire brush the mounting surface on the hubs for each wheel, to remove corrosion/dirt. For the spare tire, they do unlock and then remove/reinstall the backup camera, to get the wheel on and off, but hard to see how that would affect anything.

 

[watchluvr4ever1116]

How on earth would that even be possible?

 

[TheBirdie72]

 

[58Willys]

Doubtful a tire swap would brick your A/C. Make sure your controls are properly set for A/C, tire tech may have hit a button, or something.

 

[Rogue321]

Having watched Discount Tire do a tire change on my JL from start to finish while standing in the parking lot outside the bay (because I'm OCD) I can't think of anything they could have done that would affect your A/C. Other than take your wheels on and off, the only other thing they even touch on the car is to wire brush the mounting surface on the hubs for each wheel, to remove corrosion/dirt. For the spare tire, they do unlock and then remove/reinstall the backup camera, to get the wheel on and off, but hard to see how that would affect anything.

I have some automotive background and am confounded as to what could have possibly happened. Yet no prior AC issues. Blew cold air on the way to the shop. Just outside air when I left.

AC clutch is not engaging. I did finally find some adaptors for r1234 and I hooked it all up and my hoses leaked like a sieve. I haven't used them in a while so maybe seals have dry rotted or perhaps just not made for r1234. Needless to say, I didn't get to do any testing...however, the high side did shoot up to at least 125 psi (not running) before I clamped it all back down again. I would imagine that would be enough refrigerant for the system to work.

I'm fairly certain it's electrical in nature now, but still, what could have possibly happened? I know the JLs have electrical gremlins and any sort of odd thing can affect other systems. So who knows?

I feel like the odds of a perfectly working AC failing at the exact moment it is in the shop and the odds of changing tires could have done something to the AC are equally low. But here I am. One of the two happened.

 

[azwjowner]

I have some automotive background and am confounded as to what could have possibly happened. Yet no prior AC issues. Blew cold air on the way to the shop. Just outside air when I left.

AC clutch is not engaging. I did finally find some adaptors for r1234 and I hooked it all up and my hoses leaked like a sieve. I haven't used them in a while so maybe seals have dry rotted or perhaps just not made for r1234. Needless to say, I didn't get to do any testing...however, the high side did shoot up to at least 125 psi (not running) before I clamped it all back down again. I would imagine that would be enough refrigerant for the system to work.

I'm fairly certain it's electrical in nature now, but still, what could have possibly happened? I know the JLs have electrical gremlins and any sort of odd thing can affect other systems. So who knows?

I feel like the odds of a perfectly working AC failing at the exact moment it is in the shop and the odds of changing tires could have done something to the AC are equally low. But here I am. One of the two happened.

I think any causation is coincidental in the sense that the tire change itself couldn't have directly done anything. Maybe you had something about to break, however, and the motion/vibration from lifting the vehicle up and down moved an electrical connector/wire in just the right way to open a circuit...

 

[Rogue321]

Doubtful a tire swap would brick your A/C. Make sure your controls are properly set for A/C, tire tech may have hit a button, or something.

It's the base model heat and air. Pretty basic. But I have pushed buttons on and off to try to get some response. Nothing.

It's up to the dealership now. I'm more than curious. Who knows with the JL? Tech might have pulled the Jeep in the bay, backed up, changed the radio station, and rolled the window down all the same time and fried a control module.

I was excited about my new tires. You know, new tires, what could go wrong? This isn't the only issue that happened today. Some days are just bad luck days.

 

[Rogue321]

I think any causation is coincidental in the sense that the tire change itself couldn't have directly done anything. Maybe you had something about to break, however, and the motion/vibration from lifting the vehicle up and down moved an electrical connector/wire in just the right way to open a circuit...

It would seem coincidental since I've found nothing obvious.

 

[AlgUSF]

Having watched Discount Tire do a tire change on my JL from start to finish while standing in the parking lot outside the bay (because I'm OCD) I can't think of anything they could have done that would affect your A/C. Other than take your wheels on and off, the only other thing they even touch on the car is to wire brush the mounting surface on the hubs for each wheel, to remove corrosion/dirt. For the spare tire, they do unlock and then remove/reinstall the backup camera, to get the wheel on and off, but hard to see how that would affect anything.

+1 on @Discount Tire they are amazing and meticulous looks like a NASCAR pit crew in slow motion. The discount tire near me has a seating area next to the window to the service bay and my truck was pulled up right next to the window. I was impressed with their attention to detail.

 

[MichaelT333]

Sorry, I couldn't find a dedicated AC tech form, so putting it here. Please move to a more appropriate form if needed.

I had a new set of tires installed and when I got the Jeep back, the AC would not blow cold. AC clutch not engaging. Discount Tire had no equipment to check things.

I checked the fuse and double checked with a spare (oddly enough a 10 amp spare was not in its holder....kind of to the side). I am getting voltage at the fuse. I swapped the AC clutch relay with the fuel pump relay and same results. No AC clutch engagment.

I looked around but could find nothing obvious but AC was fine when I took it in and now it doesn't work. I can't imagine anything they might could have done, but it's just odd it's no longer working from a tire change. I'm going to get some adapters so I can see if there's an gas in the system and have an appointment at the dealership Thursday.

In the mean time, I'm just hoping anyone has any idea on what to look for that might could have possible happened while the Jeep was in the shop.

It might simply be a coincidence or they could’ve drained you of a refrigerant in the hopes that you come to them to get more work done. The clutch will not engage if there is no refrigerant in the system.

 

[COBill]

+1 on @Discount Tire they are amazing and meticulous looks like a NASCAR pit crew in slow motion. The discount tire near me has a seating area next to the window to the service bay and my truck was pulled up right next to the window. I was impressed with their attention to detail.

Note this type of thing is entirely dependent upon the staff and the location.

I avoid Discount Tire myself because a few years back I took a brand new Audi in to get tires changed from the OEM tires it came with to a better choice for my climate, and they put huge gouges in all four wheels.

The manager even tried giving me the “It was that way when it came in” speech.

 

[dlong1119]

It might simply be a coincidence or they could’ve drained you of a refrigerant in the hopes that you come to them to get more work done. The clutch will not engage if there is no refrigerant in the system.

Discount Tire does nothing but wheels and tires. No brakes, no alignments, no batteries, etc... They're not going to be making extra money on anything like that.

 

[AlgUSF]

Discount Tire does nothing but wheels and tires. No brakes, no alignments, no batteries, etc... They're not going to be making extra money on anything like that.

The discount tire near me now does alignments, they're rolling them out.

 

[dlong1119]

The discount tire near me now does alignments, they're rolling them out.

Interesting, that's news to me and my store doesn't appear to be doing them. I suppose I understand it being so related to tire wear, but hate for it to potentially take away from focusing on one thing and doing it really well. But I stand corrected...

Either way, still doesn't support them intentionally draining his A/C in hopes of getting additional work to perform.

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