Why does the engine "choke out" when running the defrost / AC unit?

MBATFISH

MEMBER
2005 SATURN ION
118,000 MILES

When I run my defrost and drive with rpms over 3.5 my engine does not respond to giving it gas and feels like it chokes itself out. I have to turn off the defrost and put the car in nuetral, then it engages and then runs fine.

Tuesday, December 13th, 2011 AT 2:04 AM

4 Replies

RASMATAZ

MECHANIC
75,992 POSTS

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Tuesday, December 13th, 2011 AT 2:07 AM

SATURNTECH9

MECHANIC
30,870 POSTS

So are you running heat set to the windshield?Or the ac when this happens?

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Tuesday, December 13th, 2011 AT 2:08 AM

MBATFISH

MEMBER
2 POSTS

The heat for the winsows.

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Tuesday, December 13th, 2011 AT 2:49 AM

SATURNTECH9

MECHANIC
30,870 POSTS

I would have the battery and alternator tested. Also make sure the battery cables are clean and tight. The only thing that makes sense since the only thing that is running is the blower motor with the heat on. Would be a charging issue or the blower motor is stealing a ground from somewhere else.

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Tuesday, December 13th, 2011 AT 2:55 AM