My AC is having trouble. It seems to only work once out of every 50 times I have tried to run it. I checked the freon with a AC gauge I bought and followed the instructions and it said the levels were up in the Warnings. But all my AC does is blow out hot air. Does this mean I have an issue with the compressor? or do I just need to add freon?

Have you used gauges on both high and low? Perhaps system is full but you have a bad high or low pressure switch.

sound like to me that need more freon there is a few ways of doing this so best way is with car running with gauge ac on it should read in the green part of your gauge if you have a gauge from a normal freon can from walmart ect. even so its in the green you might have more air then freon on the system and might have to take it to some place that does ac and ask them to re run it through so they can take the air out also vechicals have a orifice tube that can dirty and slow down things like cooler temps and this is helps remove air from your system lask i check so that might be somthing to look into also if you change this you should have the car refilled with freon for a profionnal to get your maxmal proformace from your ac not ouf of a can you can also have them put dye in there to find leaks to save you money in the long run good luck

i dont know if you have a cabin air filter if you do replace it if its real dirty. most cars ac will have this problem if the ac is low on freon. when you check the freon. make sure the ac is on max ac, at its coldest setting with the fan on max. with the engine running check ac pressure. have someone hit the gas a little & see if the pressure drops. add as needed. most gauges from the parts store have a dial on the front. point it at outside temp & make sure pressure is the max for that range.

There are 2 safety switches in most A/C systems. A high and low pressure sensor will cut off the Compressor clutch. You can borrow a gauge set, called Manifold gauges, from tool loaner programs at Autozone, Advance, or Oreilys autoparts.

There are several ways to try to fix this. It depends on what the pressure gauges show.

If the pressure is low, but not empty, there is hope. The old Freon leaked out. It will happen again. But there are products which can plug some leaks. Then add Freon using the gauges. The ideal amount is an amount that makes the compressor stay on the longest. There are gauges that can tell you, color coded, and reasonable priced.

If the system is completely empty, it is contaminated with outside air. The Freon will not function correctly if added and a new Dryer(A/C part) should be installed. There is a Vacuum pump which must be attached to draw down the system to a negative vacuum. So even changing a part will not decontaminate the system without the pump. Pump can be loaned from Autozone with big deposit which is returned, no hassle. Some parts require special pliers and "O" rings to reinstall.

The price of Freon has skyrocketed. What once costed $12 to refill a car now costs $50. So going to a repair shop can be a better idea if you waste Freon doing it yourself. If you don't repair the leak, imagine $50 evaporating into the wind with the Freon.

Was the a/c compressor running when you got this reading?

I’m happy to assist further over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/jeremy_d728a59f986299fa

Typically, AC will not work because of a low charge. You can prove or disporve by jumping the low pressure warning switch. If the AC runs when you jump it, you have a low charge. If it will not run when you jump it, you have other troubles.

Freon is dangerous. Please dont try to charge your AC yourself.

Thank you for your interest in FixYa.com

Two possiblities. The freon charge levels will need to known on both the low and high side. with a good unit running the low side with the engine reved up should not be less than 25 PSI and the high side can be 175 or as high as 225-250. if not your looking for the problem, if the low is too high and the high is'nt very high the compressor likl;y to be bad if the low is too low and the high is too high the comdenser is clogged or the air flow might not good though as the fan or dirt not going though. the orfice tube could be stopped up but if it is the compresser is failing. and parts are flying though the system. high on the low side the system could be containated with moisture ( too much in the system ) Evascate and recharge may get ti working playing carefull attention to the charge rate astoo much freaon can do the same thing.

Your ac is controlled by the computer and once it recognizes that you are low on freon it shuts the compressor down.. You will first have to start putting a can of freon into the system without the car running . With your gauges still hooked up disconnect the the battery and reconnect it after ten seconds or more. This will reset your computer. Start your car and then turn on the ac. The compressor should come on and you should be able to continue charging your ac.

You probably have leaked out your freon after so much time. Try adding some more Freon if it doesnt stay charged you may have bigger issues.

To reset your AC compressor, you need to remove power for at least 15 minutes. After you reconnect, the compressor should turn on. If it does, immediately turn to high and try to add refrigerant. Best of luck.
Greg