About David Scott Expertise Questions or advice regarding Suzuki 4wd vehicles as regards repair or modifications for offroad use.
Experience Been a professional mechanic over 30 yrs I've owned and modified 2 Sidekicks, and 3 Samurais, one of which I still have, and ocasionally drive, when my kids let me.
Expert: David Scott Date: 6/1/2004 Subject: Suzuki Sidekick JLX - 96 Model
Question Hi,
My Suzuki Sidekick AC Compressor does not start. The Pepboys people are asking 80$ for just doing a diagnostic. How can i check the problem myself.
Answer Sorry about the delay, I'm a school bus mechanic, and got to go with the seniors on their rafting trip on the Green and Colorado Rivers in Utah. Lots of fun, sand, and the mandatory minor sunburn.
The compressor has a low pressure switch. Many times, there is a leak, causing the low pressure switch to cut out to save the compressor from running "dry". You can try depressing one of the valves on the high or low pressure ports, or locate the low pressure switch (usually somewhere near or on the reciever/drier bottle. Jumping the switch will "fool the circuit" into behaving as if there were sufficient charge.
As a 30+ year mechanic, I can not strongly enough say DO NOT GO TO A CHAIN STORE FOR AUTO REPAIRS! EVER! They are only there to do "cookie cutter" repairs. If your problem isn't a cookie cutter problem, they will just replace damn near everything, until they replace the defective part too. If you need a competent technician, go to IATN.NET They have a shop finder on the home page. This is a good route to getting what you NEED fixed, not what they may need to make the bonus quota today.
