Keep cool in the summertime by doing a little troubleshooting on the air-conditioning system of your 1996 Honda Accord. Any AC problems that may arise are fairly simple to diagnose, whether it is an issue with the compressor or a blown fuse. Before taking your Honda Accord to an AC mechanic for what could turn out to be an expensive visit, there are a few troubleshooting steps you can run through on your own.
Test the AC controls with the engine running to see if they are operating correctly. If they are difficult to move or loose, have them replaced. If the fan does not turn on, a fuse may have blown, or the fan's motor could have burned out.
Check the fuse box for any fuses that may have blown. The fuse box in the 1996 Honda Accord is to the left of the pedals on the driver's kick panel. Consult the diagram on the inside cover of the panel on how to identify the fuse connected to the AC system. If the wire fuse is broken or damaged, replace it with another of the same amperage rating.
Check that the valve control is operating correctly. Start the engine and feel the two heater hoses protruding from the firewall. The firewall is the metal divider that separates the engine compartment and the passenger compartment. The heater hoses are roughly the thickness of a regular garden hose. Both hoses should be warm; however, one should be noticeably cooler than the other. If it is not, this could indicate that the valve control needs to be replaced. Have a qualified mechanic investigate further for you.
Set the AC to the highest setting and start the engine to check if the magnetic clutch is operating correctly. Check under the hood to see if the magnetic clutch connected to the AC compressor engages. Once the AC kicks in, you will be able to see and hear the clutch begin to spin. If it does not spin, this could mean that the system is low on refrigerant. Have a mechanic refill the system. If the magnetic clutch is receiving voltage but is not engaging the compressor, the clutch may need to be replaced.
Check the AC hoses for any leaks. If there is an excessive oily residue on the hoses, they may need to be replaced.
Use the AC compression gauge (with the engine turned off) to test the system for sufficient pressure. Remove the caps from the service ports on the Honda Accord's AC unit. Screw the blue hose to the low-side service port and the red hose to the high-side port. The low side port will be on the thicker aluminum AC hose, or line, and should have either a blue or black cap. The high side port will be on the thinner AC hose. Read the pressure on the red and blue monitors. A regular pressure reading should be between 50 and 80 psi. Have a qualified mechanic investigate further if the reading is not in this range as this may indicate a leak in the system.
