QuestionMy 98 Ford Contour w/146,000+ mi, 4cyl, auto trans, has been running very hot for quite some time. I took it to my mech and he said there were no leaks etc and that the computer said it wasn't as hot as the guage reads. So, I took it to my Ford dealer (where I bought it) and he pretty much said the same thing. Although he said that the switch ($12.00) for the gauge needed to be changed.
I changed both the sensor and the switch and it's still running very hot. So, now I'm baffled? On occassion, the air conditioner blows hot air so I had the AC checked out. All is ok with the AC but, he told me that the electric fan cuts out way to early which knocks the pressure down and leads to the AC blowing hot air.
My question is this. What would make the electric fan cut out early like that? He said and I agree that the fan should not cut out like that.
I would greatly appreciate any help???
AnswerIt's possible the gauge itself is inaccurate, it's quite common on ford contours (you're the third person this month with the same problem). As far as the fan cutting out-- the fan should stay running anytime the A/C is turned on. It should not cut out at any time. If the fan cuts out, refrigerant temperature will increase and so will pressure-- it would not drop as the technician said. I would be curious to see if the compressor is actually turning when the air becomes warm, or if it is just an issue with the fan. There are a number of things that could be going wrong-- without seeing the car in-person to see what is really happening it's going to be difficult to diagnose. As for why the fan would cut out-- it could be a control problem, wiring, a bad relay, bad ground circuit, or even too little refrigerant in the system. Hope this helps,
Jason
