Air Conditioner noise?

Tiny
JLAR12
  • MEMBER
  • 2017 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE
  • 3.6L
  • V6
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 77,000 MILES
When the air conditioner is running, the car sounds like it is taking a "deep breath" every 15 seconds or so. Like it is being pressurized over and over again. The system stays cold and everything else seems to be working fine.
Thursday, August 3rd, 2023 AT 7:36 AM

10 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,949 POSTS
Can you please shoot a quick video with your phone so I can hear the noise? That way I can tell for sure what's going on. You can upload it here with your response. Do you have any warning lights on?

The "deep breath" sound you're hearing every 15 seconds or so when your air conditioner is running on your 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee could be related to the normal operation of the AC system, or it could potentially indicate a problem. Here are a few possibilities:

Normal Operation: The air conditioning system in a vehicle operates by compressing and then expanding refrigerant. When the AC compressor cycles on and off, it can sometimes create a noticeable sound, especially if the ambient noise level is low. This on-and-off cycling is normal and is part of the system’s design to maintain the desired temperature. The frequency of this cycling can change with the outside temperature, humidity level, and the temperature setting inside the car.

Possible Problem - Compressor: The AC compressor could be cycling too frequently. This can happen if the refrigerant level in the system is low, causing the compressor to work harder and turn on and off more frequently. The low refrigerant level could be due to a leak in the AC system.

Possible Problem - Expansion Valve: If the expansion valve is sticking or not working properly, it could create a pressure buildup in the system that might create the sound you're hearing.
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Thursday, August 3rd, 2023 AT 1:55 PM
Tiny
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Thank you for your quick reply. See attached video. It happens around the beginning of the video and again near the end. This has been happening for about the last month on both extremely hot and cool days.
It’s also worth mentioning that this past weekend I was driving about an hour away (very hot out) and the fan speed dropped to 50% and I had the white mist out of the vents (still cold). Car never overheated however the coolant was low. Added coolant the next day and those issues went away but this sound stayed.
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Thursday, August 3rd, 2023 AT 2:24 PM
Tiny
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Video
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Thursday, August 3rd, 2023 AT 2:43 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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I didn't see the video, but the fact it loses air from the vents and white mist is telling us the system is low on refrigerant. The low side pressure is too low, and it causes the evaporator to ice up. Please go over this video to see how to charge the system.

https://youtu.be/4EqdrBVb0sY

This should fix the problem.
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Friday, August 4th, 2023 AT 10:59 AM
Tiny
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Thank you very much. The low air flow and white mist only happened one time and once I added the coolant that went away. The attached video (should work this time) is currently the only issue. Which is the “deep breath” sound.
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Saturday, August 5th, 2023 AT 4:14 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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Thanks for the video. It sounds like the expansion valve maybe cycling, I would like to install a set of A/C gauges to see if the high side pressure changes when this sound occurs. When you said I added coolant did you mean refrigerant? The system may be overfilled?
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Monday, August 7th, 2023 AT 9:30 AM
Tiny
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No, I added antifreeze / coolant (50/50) it was very low. When it was added the other issues went away but not this issue. I really appreciate you looking into this.
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Monday, August 7th, 2023 AT 9:37 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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No problem, I think the A/C system may be a little low on refrigerant but if you connect a gauge set, we can tell for sure. Please check out the video in the above post.
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Tuesday, August 8th, 2023 AT 10:00 AM
Tiny
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I hooked up the gauge and it seems to be okay. (See photo)
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Wednesday, August 9th, 2023 AT 4:45 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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You need to see the high-side pressure, but I would give a little more to be closer to the top of the green area. Please let me know.
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Thursday, August 10th, 2023 AT 10:43 AM

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