What are the reasons for the Citroen C4L air conditioning compressor not working?
3 Answers
The reasons for the Citroen C4L air conditioning compressor not working are: excessive refrigerant, poor heat dissipation, blockage in the pipeline system, dust and scale accumulation on the evaporator or filter. If there is excessive refrigerant, the refrigerant amount should be reduced. For poor heat dissipation, check if there is dust on the condenser pipe and clean the condenser. If dust and scale accumulate on the evaporator or filter, causing reduced airflow and imbalance in system pressure and temperature, the evaporator or filter can be cleaned. Taking the 2021 Citroen as an example, it belongs to the mid-size car category with body dimensions of: length 4980mm, width 1858mm, height 1475mm, wheelbase 2900mm, and fuel tank capacity of 70L. The 2021 Citroen features a MacPherson strut front suspension and a multi-link independent rear suspension. It is equipped with a 1.8L turbocharged engine with a maximum horsepower of 211PS, maximum power of 155kW, maximum torque of 300Nm, paired with an automatic manual transmission.
Once when I was driving a Citroen C4L, I encountered the air conditioning compressor not starting. After checking for a long time, I found there were quite a few possible causes. The most common one is a blown fuse—just locate the corresponding one in the engine compartment fuse box and replace it with a new one. Another issue could be a faulty relay; the compressor's inductive control becomes unstable and may fail to start. Poor electrical contact is also annoying, like loose or corroded connectors. I once experienced belt slippage or breakage, which directly affects power transmission. Low refrigerant levels can also trigger automatic system protection due to insufficient pressure, causing the compressor to stop working. The worst-case scenario is the compressor itself seizing up or a coil short circuit—repairs are expensive and require professional tools for diagnosis. For safety, don’t force it to work.
If the air conditioning compressor fails in a Citroën C4L, it's mostly due to refrigerant leakage; the pressure sensor detects the imbalance and prevents the system from starting as a protective measure. Electrical circuit issues, such as blown fuses or short-circuited relay coils, are also common. If the air conditioning control panel malfunctions, signal interruption can cause the compressor to stop. I've experienced cases where the compressor's brake clutch sticks, preventing startup when the car is cold. Citroën-specific sensors, like faulty temperature probes, might mislead the system. To diagnose these issues, it's best to use a diagnostic tool to read error codes rather than replacing parts blindly. For daily driving, remember to recharge the refrigerant periodically to extend the system's lifespan.
