AC starts working after about 5 minutes?

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Is it getting low on Freon maybe? I find it odd that it seems to start cooling right about the time that I get to my destination.
 
My Journey is like that... When I first got it 2 years ago, it was instant now it takes a good 5-10 minutes to start feeling the cold air. My dad has his mechanics and A/C license and put the gauges on it and it's pulling the right pressures. We tried adding and removing some refrigerant but no change.

If I turn on the Rear A/C with the front touchscreen it seems to cool faster, I think because it increases the duty cycle of the compressor and maybe opens another valve to feed the rear. I don't know...

Never had this problem with my Santa Fe in 300K Miles (535,000 km's) before the engine died.
 
Could be a lot of things.

A family member had a 2013 VW Beetle TDI that often times the A/C wouldn't work for 5-10 minutes, then it would magically click on. Dealer replaced the compressor which worked for about 6 months, and then it got bad again. Some say it's some switch inside the compressor.
 
How is the air volume out of the vents? That generation Dodge is bad about the recirculation door breaking & blocking the inlet to the blower motor.

Start the truck, The Accumulator should get cold (34-45 degrees) within a minute if the freon charge is anywhere close.
 
You mean that silver thing that drips water? The volume is just like it always has been.
 
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
You mean that silver thing that drips water? The volume is just like it always has been.


Yes, The silver thing.
 
Is the compressor clutch engaging as soon as you turn the AC on? If not, it could be an electrical problem such as a relay that works intermittently.
 
Try this with the engine running and the AC just turned on, USE EXTREME CAUTION. Put your hand on the pipes [inlet and outlet] right at the compressor soon as you turn the AC on. One pipe should get very hot and the other very cold. This should happen with 30 seconds of the AC being turned on.

If this works and you still do not get cold air in the cabin the problem is with either the air box [blend door or fan] or the evaporator core is plugged or metering valve is malfunctioning.

If you don't find the pipes hot and cold, then the compressor or clutch or Freon is low or some other problem under the hood.
 
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