I searched the forum but couldn't any problem similar to mine. When my 1998 sc300 car parked and idle, the a/c runs fine. But the a/c light starts blinking after about 10 minutes driving. I turned it off and on again. The a/c is blowing cold air but not for long until it's blinking again. What i don't find happened in other posts is that while the ac light is blinking, i completely lost power steering. I turn the ac off and power steering is back. I can turn the steering wheel very easily.
I check the ac code and it was 21. I read that it's the solar sensor problem. How do I check if the sensor is bad? Also, the fact that it only happens when the car is at high rpm makes me think that i might have slipped belt or ac clutch problem. Is it possible that my compressor is giving up? are the ac and power steering problems related or just a coincidence?
Thanks in advance for all your help

 

Ac compressor and Power steering...Belt slipping?
Tensioner is toast?

Can you move the belt tensioner by hand...Not with a wrench or bar. But grabbing it and pulling it up. If so..its shot.

I bet your voltage gets low when this happens too.

 

I'm pretty sure the blinking AC light is a locked AC compressor, my last car was doing this but i never got around to fixing it.

 

thanks a lot for the quike reply
Where is the belt tensioner? Do you have picture or diagram of what belt to check? I'm not familiar with the car at all. I just have it for about a week. Yes now you mention it, i notice when the ac light is blinking, the battery light on the odometer panel is on too. What gives? Thanks again

 

I just checked the belt tensioner. It seems to be OK, no movement at all. The belt tension is OK too although it looks old. Why is belt slipping cause compressor lock up AND lost power steering AND low voltage? is it because all those components (compressor + alternator + power steering pump) connect by one drive belt? Now that I check the engine, I notice that it looks like the alternator just got replaced recently, it still looks new.
Is it easy and cheap to replace the belt myself? I just want to eliminate all other possible causes before replacing the $$$ compressor. Thanks

 

You have VVti...but the tensioner should be the same.

 

I'm wondering if that alternator is on right...or if the slider bolt is tight.
The torque from the increase in RPMs could move it and create slack/slop in the belt.

 

Thanks. I'll check again in the morning and report back. Is it easy to replace the belt myself?

 

yup....I just used a big ratchet on the tensioner (you'll see a square shaped hole)

Put it on the same way you take it off.

 

Today i replaced the belt and checked the alternator. the a/c light is still blinking at ~ 1500rpm. Is there anything else i can check before getting the compressor replaced. Could it be a/c clutch? Can you recommend a good place to buy ax compressor/clutch on line ?
Thanks

 

I ran the ac diagnostic this morning and the code was 00. I rev'ed the engine until the light blinked and turned off the car. Ran diagnostic again , code was 00 again. Any idea why?

 

Any one? Please help. It's getting real hot here (>100oF)

 

you ever resolve this ?

 

Im having the same problem. Intermittent a/c blinking, loss of power steering and speakers going in and out. I have a feeling the problem lies in the jumbled wire mess behind the radio.

 

Anyone ever figure out what this is? It started happening to meeeeeeee..... Help? Its getting into the middle of summer here