Ok I have 2 problems with my 2002 6-Cylinder Santa Fe.

1) Whine at low speed. It stops completely when I turn my AC off so I'm thinking it's related to my AC. Any thoughts or ideas about the problem?

2) After driving for a period of time, such as on a trip, my AC is still cold but it just barely trickles out. I can put it up to level 4 and the air output doesn't change. If I turn it off and leave it off for a while and turn it back on, it'll be ok. Any thought on what the problem is here?

sounds like your blower motor for the heat/AC is bad. After using it for a while it must get tired and slow down. As for the whine its likely that its the AC compressor or belt IF the sound is coming from the engine compartment.

Do you think this will be an expensive repair?

blower motors aren't usually a expensive repair, but i've never replaced one on a hyundai before. You should also inspect your cabin air filter (if your car has one, its located behind the glove box) and make sure that its not clogged or dirty.

AC compressors are usually expensive, but since you are still getting cold air, the belt is probably the best place to start because thats part of maintenance anyway

Hello,

I am not too sure if you want to hear this, but I had the EXACT same whine that you are describing and then a few weeks ago my air just stopped being cold. I brought it in to a shop and they said that they could not get the clutch to engage on the A/C compressor, they said it was bad and since they could not get it to engage they could not troubleshoot the compressor.

Here is the crummy part. I am 90% sure the clutch went out as the A/C compressor seized up. I did smell burning rubber for a short while. (The belt rubbing over the pulley on the seized A/C compressor.

So I'm sorry to have to tell you this but I thought you might want to know in case there is anything you can do to save the A/C compressor (ie. Check Refrigerant Level, Clutch, Belt) because my first quote to replace my compressor was near to $1000.

Victor

This post has been edited by flyinfella: Jun 21 2007, 04:21 PM

I am so glad to have discovered this forum! I am experiencing these exact same issues for more than a year now, but my dealer has not been able to replicate the conditions or fix the problem. On my most recent visit to my Hyundai dealer, they replaced the blower motor but it did not fix the problem. Four days later, I was on the highway and there was no air flow coming out of the vents.

In my case, here's what I've noticed about the airflow issue. If I drive the car at low speeds, it never occurs. However, if I drive the car at high speeds (50mph and faster) and then slow down suddenly and let the car idle for a moment (such as going through a toll-booth), then I lose 95% of my airflow. As the original poster stated, even with the fans turned all the way up the highest level, there is little more than a trickle. Occasionally, the air comes back on on its own, but more often than not, I have to stop the car and let it sit for 30-40 minutes before it corrects itself.

The whining noise at low speeds w/AC turned on is also something I'm experiencing. On my last visit, this was attributed to a leak in the A/C hose, but that problem was fixed and the whining problem still exists.

Thanks!

This post has been edited by mlittle1105: Jul 18 2007, 02:13 AM

it most likely is the blower switch overheating and loosing contact.
To test it, wait till the blower looses power, then back-probe a 12Volt power to the + terminal of the blower. if the blower operates at high speed, then is the blower switch at fault. you might have a tech do this test.

Prepare to be shocked by the price for the blower switch. If I had known in advance, I'd have just jumpered it. If failed while on the road with three passengers on a 2 day 2300km drive in mid summer heat. No A/C wasn't much of an option, so we took a two hour nap in a dealership waiting room and coughed up (gulp) over $200 to replace a SWITCH!

Even after that, the a/c wasn't cooling very well, so I suspect there's another issue to address.

-Followup: there was another problem. A steel refrigerant line had rusted out and leaked fluid. Replaced and refilled, works fine now. Lesson: get your oil spray....

This post has been edited by SongDog: Oct 20 2008, 02:43 PM

I have the same whining issue with the ac. It is really loud in the morning when I fisrt start the car. Afterwards it will make the whine when accelarating from full stop. It then will make the noise a couple of times during the day and then go away.

The belts are fine, they where replaced a few months ago. I think is a failling AC clutch but the AC blows fine and is nice and cold.

same issue for years. service department could never reproduce it even when I had the car in the shop WHILE it was doing it.

anyway. The air would be flowing normally. we rarely use AUTO. and the air would then be a trickle with lots of fan noise. We'd raise the heat to max and back to min, and no help.

we'd stop for any reason, and sometimes it would resume normal behavior. other times no.

leaving the fan set to vent only and never using auto seems to help, but occasionally I'll start the car, and drive, put the speed near max and..... trickle of air lots of noise.

I think the air flow doors under the dash get stuck or send the wrong signal. If the fan wasn't spinning, it wouldn't roar.

I'm really glad someone else is having this problem.

to add to this issue. I was changing the cabin air filter one day right after this issue happened.

the a/c was NOT on as it was early spring this year. The car was 'on' but not running, so I could listen to radio.

I removed the glove box, etc and the cabin filter. There was a leaf in the back, so I turned on the fan. The air blew out the leaf. shut off the air, installed new filter, cover, etc.

on a whime, I turned the fan back on, and their was the roaring.

popped off the air filter cover, and a blast of air hit me. The air was quit forceful. Cover back on, lots of noise, and no air from ANY vents.

tried changing vents and cold to heat (remember, engine was off, no a/c and condenser was dry)

so, it' something inside the air control baffles (doors) that are in the wrong position.