Welcome to RVForums.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Friendliest RV Community on the web
  • Modern site for PC's, Phones, Tablets - no 3rd party apps required
  • Ask questions, help others, review campgrounds
  • Get the most out of the RV Lifestyle
  • Invite everyone to RVForums.com and let's have fun
  • Commercial/Vendors welcome

Dash Air Conditioner Compressor Failure AGAIN

Welcome to RVForums.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Modern secure site, no 3rd party apps required
  • Invite your friends and let's have fun
  • Commercial/Vendors welcome
  • Friendliest RV community on the web

Webz

RVF Supporter
Joined
Feb 18, 2020
Messages
315
RV Year
2016
RV Make
Newmar
RV Model
Dutch Star
RV Length
43
Chassis
Freightliner
TOW/TOAD
2018 Ram
Fulltimer
Yes
Well it happened again. The dash AC compressor locked up. First time was when I had 5K miles on it and on our first long trip.
Now I have 35K miles and it has happened again.
If you get warm air out of the dash vents with your AC on, turn off the AC immediately. When the compressor locks up, the clutch tries to turn it and soon the belt starts smoking and sparks emit from the clutch. If you don't turn off the AC, the belt will break and in my case, it is the same belt driving the alternator. In an emergency you can get a shorter belt and bypass the AC compressor.
Has anyone else had this problem? I was told that Freightliner got a bad batch of compressors in 2016.
 
Update. Emailed Freightliner last night asking if they will offer any relief for the compressor failure. Suggested a premature failure was usually due to not replacing the dryer at the same time as the compressor or that there could be trash in the system from the previous failure. The warranty is one year or 100k miles. Been longer than a year.
I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.
Should hear something in a day or two.
 
Freightliner replied. They have no record of Excel Truck in Virginia doing any repairs. So they will not help with the $1500.00 repair. That does not surprise me since it took weeks to get a written record of the work performed. But there should be a record of being towed there since the repair was under warranty. I thanked the FL rep for his time.
Took the coach to A&H repair in Del City Oklahoma. Replaced the compressor, dryer and expansion valve. Also flushed the system. It was filthy. A&H did a fantastic job. Wife was in the coach during the testing after the repair. She lowered the driver window and asked if she could turn off the AC because she was cold. I looked at the tech, Sambo, and told him that was a rare request from the wife. So all is good. Wife is happy.
My guess is Excel Truck replaced the compressor and that was all they did.
The unwillingness to provide documentation is a big red flag.
 

Latest posts

Latest resources

Back
Top