2003 Pathfinder AC kinda cooling

A forum for the legendary Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX4.
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Micallen
Posts: 141
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2018 9:42 am
Car: 2003 Nissan Pathfinder SE 4x4 V6

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I've noticed in the past week or so, the AC isn't cooling like it should. So I just checked temps coming out the vent with a probe. (Outside temp while testing is 84 deg.). 67.0 degrees at 2500 RPM. 70.9 degrees at idle (800 RPM).

I assume I need to charge it, but I just read BigJim1's post, and I am scared to charge it.

Is it that finicky to charge? Have many of you successfully charged your Pathy?

Thoughts? I don't want to melt, and I don't want to mess the AC up. I searched the YouTubes, but couldn't find a video for our ride.


QX4ME
Posts: 390
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2003 5:58 am
Car: 02 Infiniti QX4 4WD
11 MB C300 Sports
06 Honda Odyssey
Location: CA

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I thought about recharging my 2002 QX4, never had AC service and never failed to operate in 17 years. Vent temperature was at idle, 57F. So I didn't recharge.
I have zero experience in AC recharging, but some YouTube shows AC recharging is universal, not specific to one car brand and model. Two ports, high pressure and low pressure, are different sizes so it is impossible to connect the charging kit wrong.

buggo64
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2019 10:45 pm
Car: 2002 Infiniti QX4

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Maybe check the fan clutch to see if is working properly,.. if not it may not be pulling enough air through condenser/radiator.
That may be something.

Buzzman
Posts: 2070
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2007 2:35 pm
Car: 2017 Mazda 6 GT
2023 Kia Stinger Elite V6 AWD.

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Ya, last summer, after 16 years and 320,000 kms, my Pathy A/C started to get a little weak.
Seeing as how I don't drive it much anymore, and not caring if I messed up the system or not, I decided to buy a can of stuff to top it off.
Connected it to the low pressure side as instructed, and voila, it cooled off right away.
Ran cool for the rest of last summer, and so far this summer, is still blowing cold air. No problems. Happy camper.

PathyPop
Posts: 111
Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2017 11:14 am
Car: 2003 Nissan Pathfinder LE 4x4

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Same here. '03 my son has had for two years never got very cold so in April I charged it with a $30 can with the gauge included and it had a leak stop additive. Chrisfix on youtube gives great instructions. They say if it leaked down it will eventually leak again, which may be true, but five months later it is still blowing cold. The temps directly out of the vents are in the high 30F range when set on low fan.

yeldogt
Posts: 426
Joined: Sun Jan 23, 2011 8:23 am
Car: 02 Pathfinder 4X LE (X2)

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Typically -- a slight loss of cooling capacity is caused by a small leak in the system. Slight loss -- is just that ... it's working but not cold. As the OP is talking about. A car with long term ownership with the above occurring -- most likely safe to get a can of refrigerant w/ gauge attached and giving it a shot based on the gauge. Keeping it on the low side of green and seeing if it improves. Those gauges are not very accurate and you do not want to overcharge .. especially an old system. And don't use one with a sealer ..once a sealer is used most pros will not touch it. Also .. the sealers are bad for the system -- clog the small passageways. It's the last ditch attempt on a very old car with a bad evaporator -- that's when you try.

A system needing a whole can or one not working with short ownership -- it's best to spend the $100 and have it looked at. A leaking system will continue to leak .. overcharging puts pressure on all the old parts. You don't want to blow out the evaporator ...

Most AC systems die when simple fixes would have saved them. A system not working or one that shows pressure or overpressure needs servicing ... AC systems are spend once to fix type of things.

The Path finder has a good system -- but stuff happens.


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