I have a 2006 Ford Five Hundred that is having some air conditioner problems. I am not sure if it is the compressor or the clutch.
I had the freon pressure checked and a little bit added. It is in the green zone and not overcharged. No loss in pressure or freon, we checked again a few day's later.

Here is what it is doing. I can hear a growl. It is not very loud but starts as soon as I turn the air conditioner on. Then when I drive I can feel something kick in and out. When it kicks in I can feel the draw, almost like the motor is having to work a little harder. The kicking in and out is not consistent, some times it is quick back to back then it may have a longer period between the different periods. The air coming out of the vent is cool but even when on high it will not blow cold like it should.

Any insight on this is greatly appreciated.

 

The better way to answer your concern is to have a set of gauges connected to the system to differentiate between internal and external system problems. "Shooting from the hip" , can get expensive if you guess incorrectly.

 

A couple of days ago I noticed a wet driver side mat. No smell, so it's not from the heater core. Passenger side is dry. Just wondering where the tube is. Can't get it to the dealer until Aug 3. Is it a hard thing to fix? Thanks for any ideas.
UPDATE (7/31): My 500 was gone over pretty well a couple of days ago. I did notice that there are floor vents to the back. There is is a slight wetness under the driver side floor mat. i have a feeling it is condensation from the AC. It has bee somewhat hot and humid. Does anyone in this forum knows how to partially remove the floor mat? I just need to get to the middle of the driver side.

 

I have an '06 Mercury Montego, and would completely lose my a/c when idling, after going to several forums, I learned their is a pretty cheap (like $28) valve that goes bad and is located on the back side of the compressor. My mechanic didn't think it would work, but I had him evacuate the Freon, replace the valve, and recharge the system, now I have a/c and didn't have to pay for an entire new compressor.

Sounds like you just need a new valve.
https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-Soluti...mpressor+valve

 

richman: My AC works perfectly! I think you are answering odette. I received an email that was answering my post. By the way you did a smart move by having someone check it out. My Mom (EmmaJean) paid a dealership about $1300 to replace a compressor in Aug 2014.

 

Hi Emma,
I had the same problem of water on the driver side floor mat. It was water entering from the sunroof and not draining down the drain tube that goes to the grill area in front of the windshield. I opened the sunroof and pushed some weed eater line down the tube (there are one at each corner) and pushed out some crud that blocked the free draining. When it was blocked it ran over the edge of the sunroof and down the front window pillar, through the dash, and onto the floor. Once the tube was cleared the water problem stopped.

Good luck on your repair.