Air Conditioner Dodge Caravan 2002 3.3L

I have a 1998 caravan and I have to push a button in for the A/C to come on and a yellow lights up to tell me it is on. Sounds like a switch problem? You are pushing the switch all the way in ? does the light go out on the switch? Start it up and look under the hood at the A/C compressor if the pulley and the clutch on the end of it are all turning the A/C is on. Go inside and push the switch in and come back out and see if the clutch / very end of compressor stopped turning. If it stopped the A/C is off if not the switch is not telling it to cut off.I have never installed one but it looks like it is just a push button switch.But it may be all made together to make you buy the hole switch assy. I had to have the whole control panel replaced on mine, thank god for extended warr. it paid for the whole thing I think it would of been 200 bucks parts and labor at the dealer. Hope this helps you good luck

Thanks Greasemonkey! I did confirm yesterday under the hood that the A/C compressor clutch is cycling on and off with the A/C switch off as I thought. The switch seems to work since the light comes on and goes off accordingly and when the compressor clutch disengaged, I had a helper turn on the A/C button from the dash and the compressor clutch immediately engaged. However, it won't shut off when the A/C button is off.
What do you think now?

I Just thought of something. Looking at the picture I posted off my control panel. The one you turn to make the air come out the dash vents , floor or defrost. If you have the switch in any of the last two settings "defrost"modes that by-passes the push in button switch. Because any time it is in defrost mode the A/C compressor is engaged. Remember the old cars pre-1980 when you turned on the defrost the windshield fogged up that was because it had moisture from the heater in it. Todays cars kick the A/C on because they want to to mix the warm air with the A/C air to make dry air to clear the window quicker.
So make SURE the vent switch is on the dash vents or floor vent and not any one of the defroster modes.
Try that and let me know

Thanks again grease monkey. Good thinking but unfortunately that is not the problem.

It has to be the push button switch we talked about. Or the whole control modgel . One of the two is sending power to the A/C Compressor to tell it to turn on.
You need to get a shop or dealer to test it to know for sure. I have always been one to find the problem and not throw parts / money at it and still not fix it!

Sorry I could not help,

Question for ya Greasemonkey, when you turn your air direction control to windshield does the A/C compressor come on? AND, does the A/C light come on? My A/C light doesn't come on when I move the air direction control knob. However, in my Honda Accord, when I select the windshield, the A/C automatically comes on and it blows cold air.

Great question, I had to go fire up my van and see. Yes the A/C does come on when I turn the vent control switch to any of the defrost modes. But the light does not come on. I have a noisy A/C clutch so I know when it kick on.Thanks for the question

Hope I helped.

That is very interesting. Maybe that was my problem. I thought that since this problem was going on for a few weeks, it was highly unlikely that the controls were always on the defrost modes. My wife is the primary driver of the van so I can't say for sure. But I have noticed the condensation dripping on the floor in the garage on days the air conditioner would NOT have been used.
After your reply above regarding this, we went on a trip and I quickly popped the hood and checked and didn't hear or see the clutch engage when the control knob was NOT on the defrost modes.
I thought that the light would come on as it does with my Honda to notify the driver that the A/C is on and therefore more gas and less power. This is something that Dodge should have done. Thanks very much Grease Monkey.

I have a 1996 Honda Civic and it does what you said the little green light comes on to tell you the A/C is on when I push the defroster button in. I have to say Honda thinks about stuff like that and designs it in to the car. I hope I have helped in some way ,If so please leave feed back

Yes, I agree. My Honda is older than my Dodge and you would think that they would have figured that out by now.
Anyway, thanks very much. I gave you some positive feedback (well deserved) Let me know if it worked because I got an error since I put in too many points not understanding what that is all about.

Thanks for trying to place feed back Points !! But the error must of messed it up because I did not see them?
If you ever have a problem please drop me a email.
It has been great talking to you!

The stupid "give feedback doesn't work for me". It tells me I have 0.4 points and when I try to enter anything over that it says I can't give more points than I have. When I give less it says, why give zero points. Each time it says general error. So, I kept hitting the back button to try a different point. I tried with the zero in the front like 0.4 and then just .4 and then just 4. I read the FAQ's and nothing explains this.

Sorry, I tried but I must be too new to give feedback or must need more points.