2008 GMC Acadia

[CWS]

We purchased this vehicle used just a few months ago, it is an SLT model with about 60,000 miles on it. Weve currently been having issues with the AC not working properly, some times it works fine, but most of the time it has a hissing sound and isn't blowing cold air. My wife and kids are in Sioux Falls visit her parents and she calls me saying the AC isn't working and plans on brining it to the shop on Monday. Has anybody had or heard of this issue?? There is no warranty on it...hard to afford a spendy bill right now ...SERENITY NOW!

 

[dean nelson]

Well I would guess you have a leak and your dash is going to have to come off.

 

[Trip McNeely]

is the vehicle over heating at all? could be as simple as a thermostat issue but with the hissing noise makes me think its something more. . .possibly a leak in the line or a compressor going out. luckily it will be cooling off in the next few months so if u could talk her into to 260 air for the next few weeks you could at least put off that bill until you can afford it.

 

[CWS]

good point...been looking online about the problem and it seems to be a reaccuring issue that is hard/expensive to fix...and im no mechanic

 

[Buckmaster81]

Could be possible the HVAC system may need to be reprogrammed or you may have an HVAC door out of time if that's the case dash will have to be removed

 

[Trip McNeely]

i'm no mechanic either but have had almost every part of a vehicle break down on me at one time. my early adult years I was too broke to pay someone to fix them so I learned to fix it myself. and now I 'm too cheap to pay a mechanic $100 an hour to fix it so I still learn how to do things for myself. Really hard to diagnose anything without seeing/hearing the vehicle but if i had to guess I would say your compressor is going out based on the fact that you state that it works sometimes and then quits. Does the blower motor still blow air? low anti-freeze or a bad water-pump will cause your vehicle to over-heat and your heating/cooling system is tied into that somehow as well. . . .. . .

 

[Buckmaster81]

Where does the hissing sound originate from?

 

[Davey Crockett]

I realize that times have changed but GM used to have a vacuum line that opened a gate on the air duct in the cab. The vacuum line came off mine and caused a hiss . Hopefully it's a simple fix like that. I remember in a pinch I folded a cigarette pack and wedged the flapper open.

 

[johnr]

Trade it for an Explorer.

We had a dodge dorango a few tears back doing the same thing. It was a radiator issue, think it was 2 months into ownership Sax motors fixed it, and they covered half the bill because of how recent we had purchased it. Maybe call your dealer, they would likely help you out

 

[ADM]

I have an 07 acadia slt same problem happens to us earlier this summer had a small leak in one of the lines . They fixed that and recharged the system and good as new. It cosy just over 200 to fix.

 

[CWS]

if the car was 20 years old i would more that likely trouble shoot it myself, being vehicles that old dont have as much to them as they do now. and i dont want to really screw things up. The hissing sound seems to be coming from the dash or behind the dash area, it still blows air and i check the anti freeze and it didnt seem low to me. hopefully its not an expensive fix

 

[dean nelson]

Can always try to recharge it and see if that can limp you by but if its the compresser your hosed.

 

[Buckmaster81]

If you hear hissing within the dash the hot cold door is probably sticking

 

[Davey Crockett]

"some times it works fine, but most of the time it has a hissing sound and isn't blowing cold air."

"The hissing sound seems to be coming from the dash or behind the dash area"



From what I gather reading these sentences there is a good chance you have a vacuum switch or vacuum line issue but one trick worth trying is hold down the inside temperature button all the way as hot as it will go and then as cold as it will go and cycle it back and forth a couple times. I had a GM car that I had to do that about twice a year. FWIW, At least in the "olden days", If air conditioning worked fine sometimes but wouldn't work most of the time it meant the expensive parts were doing their job.

 

[Trip McNeely]

good advice here. Start with the easiest simplest fix first and eliminate from there

 

[Davey Crockett]

Did you get it fixed? It's nice to learn on other people's nickel.

 

[CWS]

Yes it did get fixed! And it was as simple as a leaky cap, where you would fill the AC line with Freon, there is a black cap just like on a bike tire, that was leaking. I don't know the name of that little part now. When I Googled the problem, there is a YouTube video that shows up showing exactly how to fix it, wish I was there to do it for a learning experience, but I know if it happens again. I believe the wife said it was $200...