Volvo: S70 Air conditioning, dye tracer, refrigerant

Question
Hi,
The A/C on my s70 is inconsitent. When I first turn the car on it blows very cold but if i idle for a spell, say at a stop-light or drive-through, I will get this humid smell and the air will stop being cold (it continues to blow, only now it's not cold). If I restart the car, or the turn the a/c off and then back on, it will blow cold again.

If the problem is the compressor, how much should this cost to repair? Is that the cheapest fix?

Thank you very much for you aid here. I really apreciate what you guys are doing on this site and any advice you can share.


Answer
Hello Trace! The first thing I would do is evacuate and recharge the system and install a dye tracer. It may be low on refrigerant.I have seen a compressor cause that problem as well. You would need to check for power at the compressor when it is blowing warm. The cost of a new compressor is expensive. It may be around $700. It depends on the shop. I hope this info helps.


Jimmy