How to Get AC Compressor to STOP Turning ON & OFF Repeatedly

Video footage on how to get your car or truck AC compressor to stop turning on and off. RPM changing at idle, and/or just annoying, here's how you get it to stop!
NOTE:**The system is working correctly by turning on and off. It is building up pressure and conditioning (drying) the air going into the defrost blower vent. This is only to stop if it annoys you**
Vehicle in video is a 2001 Ford F250 Superduty with 5.4 Triton V8.

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[mitchcozzens]

Man you guys are taking this video too literal. I would turn my ac OFF and the compressor kept coming on and off even with the heater on! Watched this video, turned the vent to feet, and bam quit that very instant! Thanks for the video!

[JohnSmith-vbjx]

Well, I came here because my a/c clutch was coming on intermittently when I put the a/c on...and warm air would come out the vents. I learned watching this video that it is normal for the a/c compresser to cycle on and off in defrost mode, but it did not directly address why that was happening to my truck in a/c mode. On another youtube video I learned how you can jump the low pressure switch connector with a paperclip to see if the low pressure switch is bad. When I did that the a/c compressor clutch engaged and stayed in, and cool air started coming through the vents.

Conclusion: the a/c compressor will function normally in defrost mode and function similarly (cycle the clutch on and off) in a/c mode with a bad low pressure sensor.

So, I did benefit from this video but if I did not try jumping around the low pressure switch with a paperclip I would still be stuck in the problem.

I hope this helps someone else that might have stumbled in here with the same problem I had.

Here is the link to the paperclip trick:

[geoffreyfowler]

Big thank you! This isn’t in my Jeep Liberty owner’s manual.
One video said not enough coolant, another said too much coolant. Or maybe the low pressure sensor is bad, or the compressor clutch.
How about turn the vent setting off defrost! Sir you’re a genius!

[days]

Wow really? I have been having the exact same problem with my 02 mustang. After a few weeks of being annoyed by it I finally decided to check on YT to see if anyone had the fix for it. Now I am looking forward to giving this a try. I would have never thought to try that. Earlier today I disconnected my battery to see if it was something screwy in the electrical system that would resolve itself. No luck with that. This video currently has 774K views. That tells you that this is not at all an uncommon problem. Thanks for making the video!

[bobmcl]

A/C is designed to cut in on defrost setting. It reduces the humidity in the air being blown on the windshield, and so cuts down on frost formation. It is not a problem, it is a feature.

[newfie-dean]

The AC compressor runs in defrost mode because the AC system is used to dry the air to help defrost the windshield quickly. So that’s why the compressor runs in that setting. You will also notice that the defrost setting turns on the cooling fan in the same way that the AC turns on the cooling fan. Again because defrost is using the AC system and that system is designed to have the cooling fan run at high speed whenever the AC is turned on.

[mohammedalmukhtar]

Just want to take a moment and say THANK YOU SO MUCH! I noticed this behavior on my 2004 Camry today and I thought I had a bigger problem with my AC/Heater system so I been searching on YouTube and Google to find answers as to why the compressor was kicking on and off and here you answered it! thanks again man!

[windage]

I didn't realize that so many men didn't know that the defrost cycle engages the AC too (no matter the temp setting), pulls the moisture from inside of vehicle..it's also stated in the owner's manual

[dariomendoza]

1997 Astro Van thats Me !! it clicks, cycles on and off!! Thanks for Sharing!!!!

[VonAndreAcabal]

Is it a YT bug or just my iphone, but the audio repeated at 2:24 to when you were outside talking about cold line and 60 degrees.. weird

[joshua]

Forget the rude people, you just saved me $300+ dollars for thinking I was going to have to replace a faulty ac compressor. Thank you!

[chavronchavron]

A/C clutch engages by design to keep all the compressor parts and a/c system lubricated and working. If your clutch goes 3-4 months without moving at all you probably won’t have air conditioning the following summer.

[manuelcuevas]

I HAVE A 1994 F 250 5.8 2 W DR XLT
AND I BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS INFORMATION FOR DAYS I HAD SO MUCH STRESS LOOKING HOW TO STOP THAT ANNOYING CLICK I LIVE IN A COLD PLACE NEAR SEATTLE WASHINGTON THEN THE CAR MECHANIC ASKED MUCH FOR HAVING A DIAGNOSE, AND PLEASE I HOPE YOU CAN CHANGE THE TITLE OF YOUR VIDEO TO THE COMPRESSOR KIKING IN WHILE IT IS ON HEATER POSITION, AM SURE YOU WILL HELP MORE MORE PEOPLE I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR KINDNESS IN SHARING THIS SO MUCH VALUABLE INFORMATION YOU SAVE ME AT LIST ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS THANKS SO MUCH AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL THERE

[Magny]

I am not gonna go through the endless number of comments to see if it has been said. So I am gonna say it again if it hasnt already.

If you put your switch on defrost(windshield), and have the thermostat on heat only, it doesnt do what you think it will do, which is blow heat only. Defrost uses a blend of ac and heat to "defrost" your window without cracking it due to temperature shock. There is no way around it.

Even in older vehicles where there is an ac switch, if you put it in defrost mode, the ac will engage regardless of the switch being on or off. And yes, even if the switch is on floor and defrost, the ac will still engage. If its on any other setting(vents only, including the feet mode, in most vehicles), the ac will stay off.

[arfarms]

My Peterbuilt 379 is doing this where it repeatedly cuts on and off and I kept thinking it was low in coolant. BUT! My selector for vents is messed up and it’s stuck on defrost, now I know why. Preciate it!!! Screw the haters

[BradTheMaddMan]

I just happened to stumble across this video and I am honestly shocked at the amount of people are absolutely clueless about how defrost works. It is mind boggling. -Madd Man

[davevandenbranden]

Was hoping to find an answer for a compressor kicking off and on when I want it to stay on. This seems like a solution looking for a problem

[PVTKUCHI]

I am new to cars so I was wondering about this.  With all the criticism you have received on this video it actually helped me out I thought something is wrong when in fact it is normal.  So thank you.

[johnelder]

Ignore any of the negative comments. I was wondering about this with my old (2000) Ford Explorer because I figured it would hurt my already less than stellar mpg.
I got three different answers before watching this video, all of them dead wrong. Thanks for the information/explaination.

[jeffrandolf]

The AC compressor is supposed to run in the defrost mode to dry the humidity from the air before it gets blown onto the cold windshield where it would otherwise condense and cause fogging.