Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum

Hello guys whats up.i have kia cadenza 2011 V6 3.5L.
Before a couple year ago I have noticed my car's A/C is not getting cold when it is idling and it make a little hissing noise this only happens sometimes when on a traffic so I have taken it to a repair and have checked the high pressure pipe was leaking so he replaced but after a few months the new pipe just got broken again so i took it to him again he said if you dont change the compressor it will keep breaking the H pressure pipe,so i have searched over internet all of the answers were pointed about expansion valve.so i want to make sure what is the exact problem could be before i waste my money on a new compressor.
Already checked those Freon level is 35 psi fan is working fine and debris and dust and the condenser is ok.

Can you provide both high and low AC pressures at about 2000 rpm? And are all the electric fans in the engine compartment spinning when the AC is on?

Well i took this pic a while back ago but not 2000 rpm
But yesterday i checked the low pressure at about 2000 to 3000 rpm the low side was 35psi

Updated:
at 2000rpm H was about 125psi
The L was 20 psi

MacAmb wrote:Updated:
at 2000rpm H was about 125psi
The L was 20 psi

Refrigerant leak. Or refrigerant low to start with after repair.

Yea checked the pipes couldn't see any leaking .but what is causing Refrigerant to be low?

MacAmb wrote:Yea checked the pipes couldn't see any leaking .but what is causing Refrigerant to be low?

A leak. Oftentimes a combination of visual inspection, UV dye, electronic sniffer, and soap bubbles must be used to find a leak.

Well, we didn't have a Cadenza here in the US, but the 2011 Sorrento has the 3.5L V6.

The 3.5 has a direct drive compressor, with an electronic control valve. It runs 100% of the time.

So your issue could be an undercharged system, a bad control valve, a wiring issue or a worn out compressor.

Start with a scan tool. The OEM scan device can alter the compressor output manually for testing.

I used a soup bubbles but couldn't find a leak maybe its a small one.but i can see a little oil drops on the High pressure pipe surface.

Some others keep saying its an expansion valve

MacAmb wrote:I used a soup bubbles but couldn't find a leak

Well, I've heard that chicken soup can fix anything !!!

MacAmb wrote:i can see a little oil drops on the High pressure pipe surface.

That's what I mean with "visual inspection". If there's refrigeration oil getting out, so is refrigerant.