QuestionMy jeep grand Cherokee has a AC pan leak and gets the carpeting wet. I've attempted to rod out, flush, vacuum and air blast the drain tube and do get some water out this tube but still feel there is a leaky in the pan or inside the car that wets the carpet.
How difficult is this AC pan to access and repair.
It looks like I can start to access it by removing the glove compartment box.
Any illustrations or recommended how to procedures, or is this major work and need to take into the shop.
AnswerMike,
Unlike home A/C systems or some older type refrigerators, the automotive A/C system does not have a "pan" so to speak. It simply uses the evaporator and heater core housing. As condensation builds up, it drips, runs down the inside of the housing into the drain tube.
In order to remove this housing, it is a fairly in-depth repair on your vehicle that will require removal of the instrument panel. you would also need the capability to recover the refrigerant and drain the radiator fluid. If this is something you want to undertake, I would be happy to send you the instructions my manuals give me, but I wouldn't recommend it.
Also, is the leak coming from a crack in the housing perchance? Sometimes if you have a passenger that likes to stretch his big feet, he can crack it. I would first before anything further, look at ti as best you can from under the dash and see if there are any hairline cracks or punctures in the housing itself. If there are seal them with a clean epoxy job and after it dries, cover the epoxy with a black marker or paint.
Also, Check the drain tube once more. It should fit tightly on the housing and run through the floorboard of the vehicle. Is this tube cracked or a loose fit? If so, replace it. You can replace it with any type of tubing so long as it fits on the housing nozzle.
But before you do anything further, allow the carpet to dry out fully and then see if it is continuing to leak. Then verify that it is just water and NOT radiator fluid. Remember your heater core is in this housing also. If it is radiator fluid, then check your connections inside the engine compartment firewall and see if they are loose or if the hose looks dryrotted.
As I said, if this is something you want to undertake, I will be happy to send you all the information that I have in an email, you just have to do a follow-up with your email address (make sure you post as private) But in actuality, the information I have will be the same as what you would find in a chilton or haynes manual. If you do all of your maintenance, I would recommend getting one of these anyways.
Thank you for the question, I hope I was of some assistance. If I can do anything further during this process, or in the future, please do not hesitate to ask. If you found this response to be of some assistance, please remember to rate this answer. Thanks again and good luck in everything.
