Hi all, I'm new to this site, and new to Lexus. I just bought a 2001 IS 300, as is of course. Air conditioner worked great, and the heater. I turned on the heat to defrost the window, and tried to cut on A/C later that day. Only blows hot, like the gate is stuck. Compressor works and runs great, so what's a way to check the gate? Is there a fuse to the gate? Is it an elec motor that turns it, vacuum line? I have no idea. I would like to fix it myself, as I am short on time, and can't really go without the car, I travel a lot. Please help!

 

Welcome! You're in the SC section, not the IS. But anyways onto your problem. If you have freon in your system, then from my few experiences I have had, your expansion valve could possibly be bad.

 

You have a pic of the expansion valve? I have the same problem, but I don't hear my AC kick in when I turn it on

 

If the a/c is functioning properly (the evaporator is getting cold), then indeed you have a blend door issue... Usually you can hear a clicking noise coming from behind the passenger side of the dash...

our cars are electrical, not vacuum...

 

A few steps would be to check the fuses and relays, the gate maybe stuck due to a bad relay. Could possibly try to adjusting to max cold then to heat, and back and forth in case the gate is physically stuck.

Also chick if the compressor is actually turning on, and if it is check to make sure both fans are coming on while compressor is on.

Could also be an expansion valve problem.

 

first check your freon, then from there just diagnose the system,