Toyota Camry Flashing A/C Quick, Easy, Cheap Fix
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- Опубликовано: 27 авг 2024
- Originally recorded September 11, 2013.
About a year ago, the A/C on my 2002 Camry started acting up. Sometimes it would start up and run for a while, then just cut out and flash the A/C light. Other times it wouldn't start at all.
I diagnosed that I had a bad MAGNETIC CLUTCH RELAY, (marked MG CLT) in the fuse box under the hood.
You can swap the HORN relay into the MG CLT position as a test to see if the problem goes away. If it does, then you know you just have a bad relay. You can replace the relay, or smack it with the handle of a screwdriver and keep testing until it works again.
The reason this occurs is the current draw of the magnetic clutch on the A/C Compressor. Because there is so much current passing through, the contacts in the relay have a tendency to arc over, preventing good contact in the future. When this happens, the clutch does not engage, the compressor does not turn, and you get the flashing A/C light.
Test the relay first, and save yourself a potential big repair bill.
10 years later and this video is still helping! Thanks soo much! Worked like a charm!
You're welcome.
@@jaykay18 seriously thank you!!!!
@@HappyTimes024 You're welcome.
Dude! I would like to personally thank you for this incredibly helpful video and helping me save hundreds of dollars at a dealership after doing these exact steps. Now I can finally enjoy the rest of this ridiculously hot summer with cold A/C. Once again thank you and take care homie.
No problem at all! Had to fix this one anyway!
NINE YEARS LATER AND YOU’RE STILL SAVING LIVES BROTHER THANK YOU SO MUCH I AM DYING IN CALIFORNIA HEAT FFF
You're very welcome. A lot of people think that once a video is more than 30 seconds old, the information in it is obsolete. You are better than the rest, you found this old video of mine which still contains valid information and used it.
Today i took my camry to a mechanic to fix the A.C he checked and said it's compressor needs to be changed and he will order. On my way home i put the question on youtube and here you go. Then followed your instructions and it worked like magic. THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH
That's fantastic to hear! Time to look for another mechanic!
Dude. Thank you so much for taking the time to post this video. I just fixed my mother's car for free when the mechanic was going to charge her a hundred bucks just to check it. I was even able to reuse the old relay after beating on it with a screwdriver. I just kept smacking it until the horn worked and swapped them back.
There's a technical service bulletin on this issue. It affects a number of different Toyota and Lexus models. The original relay they used is bad and they recommend replacing it with a new / different relay. The TSB #s,, affected vehicles, and key text is below. A new updated OEM relay cost me just under $30 from Amazon.
Toyota Technical Service BULLETIN, June 3, 2005 EL011-05
Lexus Technical Service Information Bulletin # EL009-05
A/C LIGHT FLASHING - MAGNETIC CLUTCH RELAY
This bulletin is to provide information regarding countermeasures to the A/C magnetic clutch relay for A/C light flashing (inoperative A/C) issues on some vehicles equipped with a magnetic clutch compressor
Toyota Vehicles:
2001 - 2004 model year Camry, ECHO, and Celica vehicles.
2002 - 2004 model year 4Runner, Corolla, and MR2 Spyder vehicles.
2003 - 2004 model year Highlander, Matrix, Sienna, and Solara vehicles.
Lexus Vehicles: ’02 - ’04 ES 300 & ES 330, ’03 - ’04 GX 470J une 3, 2005
1. Locate the A/C magnetic clutch relay. (My note - it's in the main fuse box under the hod and is labeled "MG CLT" for magnetic clutch)
2. Verify the part number printed on the side of the relay.
A. If the part number is 90987-02022, please replace the relay with the countermeasured relay P/N 90987-02028.
B. If the part number does not match 90987-02022, then please diagnose problems by referring to the Technical Information System (TIS): applicable model year and vehicle Repair Manual:Air Conditioning: Troubleshooting.
Thanks for the hints on looking at the compressor wheel and also using the Horn relay to verify the relay is the problem + whacking the old relay to buy time while ordering a replacement. If anyone else finds this useful, please give it a thumbs up so it stays at the top of the comments and others can learn about the new part.
+Matthew Jenkins Thanks for all the detailed info!
+jaykay18 No problem. Putting this stuff out through forums and RUclips helps a lot of people. I'll edit the above to pull in the Toyota models from Toyota's TSB. If you like it, give the comment a thumbs up so it stays at the top and other people learn about the TSB and replacement relay. (Your video's popular and there are a lot of comments ;-)
Matthew Jenkins No problem, thumbs up!
Matthew Jenkins crazy
Worked for me today. Thanks!
Sir you are the best! after being told it would cost 1000 dollars to fix this I had given up on life and then I stumbled upon your video. There was hope starting sprout back in my life as i rushed to my car to do exactly as you instructed. I turn on my car and the desire to live again ensued my body as the blissful air hit my face. I went to the auto store and bought a new fuse. Many thanks you are god sent!
Bilal Khan That's what I like to hear! Glad this worked for you!
Dear JayKay 18. Thanks so much for taking the time to share this video. Six years latter it is still helping others to save money and time. Your willingness to take the time to make your video is greatly appreciated. Thanks so much for your kindness!
My pleasure! I had to fix mine anyway, so why not make a video to help others--it's no more time or trouble really.
Thank you!! As a recent college grad that couldn't afford to take my car to the shop when my AC stopped working, this really helped me save some $$. This really helped me out! Thanks again!
No problem Mandy! Stay cool!
Thanks so much for this straightforward and easy-to-understand tutorial! The simple horn relay swap cost me nothing to diagnose and I had the new relay in hand and installed within an hour at a cost of $15. My particular 2002 Camry has 235,000 miles and when I saw the AC compressor clutch wasn't engaging, I immediately assumed a new compressor was in the cards. Instead, the old girl is again pumping out cold clean air!
That's great to hear Jon!
I just fixed this in my 2002 Camry and it worked! And I'm not handy with cars at all. But I watched it three times and took my laptop to the car, did the test, bought the switch at the parts store, and had it installed in five minutes. Worked like a charm.
YAY! I don't even want to know what this would have cost to fix, and it's 98 degrees outside, and hotter inside the car. THANK YOU!!!
This could have cost hundreds to even a thousand or two, depending on how uncrupulous your mechanic is. Imagine an honest mechanic, familiar with this problem, and him telling you it would be maybe 50 or 75 dollars to fix the A/C. For that small amount of money, you'd remember this guy and what he did for you immediately, and the next time you have a problem with your car, that's where you'd go. Too bad they don't think that way. Sometimes it's best to do small, quick services that people will remember you by, so they will come again next time.
@@jaykay18 THIS is so true! An honest mechanic, handyman, AC person, really an honest anyone - is really valuable these days.
And I thank you for posting this video to help people - you saved me probably $500 to $1000 and I have rescue animals so every bit of savings helps the bottom line here.
@@TrishaK1111 You are welcome.
Add me to the list of your satisfied customers! I followed your clear and simple instructions, swapped the horn relay and determined the MG CLT was a bad relay, took the handle side of a screwdriver, smacked the livin' crap out of the relay ten times, plugged it back in, and my A/C works again! Dude you're awesome! Thanks!!
Beautiful! Stay cool!
agree. Thanks very much for taking the time to post this vid. exactly my problem and I'm cooler now bc of u
Paul Kelsey Thanks Paul!
Ditto !!! Quick @Easy !!!
I just watched your video and thought it was definitely worth a shot.
So simple!
I agree with Kambiz - REALLY appreciate your taking the time to share with others this simple, but effective fix (I switched with the horn relay as a temporary fix and will purchase a new MG CLT relay tomorrow).
Thanks again for taking the time to share - I like the saying that wisdom is knowledge rightly applied.... Thanks for sharing your wisdom!
Bob, those are some awesome words of thanks there! Thank you! A friend of mine once told me the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Being the big shot he is, he said that he has a lot of knowledge--ask him a question and he _knows_ the answer. He also explained that I was wise--in that I may not know the answer directly, but I DO know where to find the answer!
So yes, a great line, "wisdom is knowledge rightly applied".
Try smacking around the old relay, even throw it on the ground really hard a few times, it's pretty robust and you might be surprised. Even if you do get it working, but still don't trust it, you can keep it as a spare. I've trusted mine and it's been working just fine. I know that if it's a REALLY hot day and it fails, I can just pull over and swap the horn relay in using the screwdriver I keep in the trunk until I get home. I probably have some spares somewhere also, there's all kinds of stuff I forgot I had. Regardless you can get a generic replacement at any auto parts store for not too much money. I think I priced it at about 12 dollars, but with the wisdom, I have saved that money too!
Thanks again Bob, I really appreciate your watching and the nice things you've said. Glad I was able to help. Now you have the wisdom as well--go ahead and share the wealth!
Thanks so much! I found the relay at O’reilly for about $18, popped it in and it was blowing cold again. The only other video I found for this make and model involved recharging the Freon. This was much more simple.
Moreover, it was the correct solution to the problem. A mechanic -could- would have made up all kinds of stuff and charged hundreds and hundreds of dollars, when in reality he just changed a relay.
Jakay - I guarantee you just saved me $300 - $800+. I'm sure had I taken this to any repair shop they would have told me the compressor had to be replaced. An OEM ranges from $450 to $800 parts only.
This was exactly the problem. It started last year, but was intermittent. This year...completely gone. I ran across this post when goggling for the cost of the A/C compressor.
Thank you so much for taking the time to post this!!!
+Christopher McKinnish No problem Chris! Sometimes the problem is simple, and with over 93,000 views it looks like the rest of the system is pretty good. Glad I could help out; I had to fix mine anyway so I might as well have made a video about it at the same time!
Thank you. This is a great video and walked me through the simple steps to get my wife's car AC issue addressed. We went through the flickering on and off with no AC for a year. Many said that compressor might be out, Freon might need to be recharged and so forth. Simple relay change solved the problem. Again, thank you.
Raju Bangalore That's right, it about asking the right person, the guy who actually KNOWS what's wrong. Anybody can guess. Glad you came to the right place and got the problem resolved quickly and inexpensively!
Fixed my broken AC in under five minutes thanks to this video! Thanks so much, you are a life-saver
No problem, stay cool!
Did this with my brother’s Camry, and the AC was blowing non-stop. Bought a new relay and now he can cool off AND use the horn at the same time. Thanks so much!
You're welcome.
Can't believe it. A/c has been out for a few month but have not missed it until the summer arrived. Have been threatening to bring the car to my mechanic for weeks. Found some fixes suggesting changing the air filter. Changed the filter this morning with no luck. Found this post and went out to my car. Not sure what I was looking at when I opened the hood, but found the fuses and switched them around and the a/c now works. Thanks a million!
You got it! Stay cool!
Was so confused as to why this was happening. Your video was such a logical solution. Big thanks!!! It's hot today in California so you saved me big time
+Clinton Roach Awesome Clinton! Yeah I did all the hard work for you! And this is actually a fairly common problem. Replace that relay and you'll be good to go. I only smacked mine and it's still working on that original relay, but here in NY it's only hot a month and a half out of the year. Stay cool!
Thank you so much! - 2003 Corolla - just looked for the Magnetic Clutch Relay, tested it with the Horn Relay, smacked the MG CLR around a bit. It works!!! $ saved.
I fixed the AC of my son's car. I saved him $$$. I watched your video and sure enough the exact same problem. AC light is flashing and AC clutch not turning. I told him to buy a new relay for the AC and I will swap the relay back to the horn relay once I get a new relay for the AC.
Thank you for sharing!!!
Great job!
This totally worked for my 2003 camry. Took out the MGCLT and bopped it - plugged it in - WORKING! Ordered another. You rock! God bless you!
No problem, stay cool!
Thanks for posting the video. Turns out it was exactly what my wife's 03 needed. Even though I had to replace the relay it was only about $15. Most useful vid. I've came across on youtube in a while.
$15 sure beats $1500 or more any day. Thanks very kindly for watching!
Thanks so much for posting this! I was visiting my parents and the AC stopped working again. My dad took the day off work and after doing a bit of research I found your video and played it for him. He was so impressed and wanted me to thank you on his behalf as well!
This is why I LOVE RUclips! The A/C on my 1999 Camry with 313,000 miles on it was "clunky". Swapped the horn and A/C clutch relays, and now the A/C runs perfectly. As suggested, I gave the old A/C relay a few hard taps with the handle of a screwdriver and inserted it where the horn relay was, and the horn works, too. I love my mechanic when there are things I can't fix, but this saved me a trip to him with the attendant costs, and being without my car for a day. THANK YOU!
Glad this helped you out! Stay cool!
Thanks again. I thought the symptoms suggested some kind of connection or relay problem, but I didn't know where to look until I found your video.
My son is big on people helping themselves up......having said that, he fixed a car for me. The A/C went in 92 degree weather😁. Watched this video.....said hey lets try this😆. He says okay.
Fixed!!!!Thank you so much!
You're welcome.
You nailed it! Thank you. The problem was intermittent so I took your advice and gave the relay a few good whacks. Instead of fixing it, it killed it but that help identify that it was a problem with the relay. A quick trip to the auto supply store and the A/C was back in business.
Thank you thank you thank you!!! I've had no A/C for three years and I fixed the issue with $14 and two minutes of work!
***** Great to hear James! Search, and you shall receive! Stay cool!
Mother in law had the same problem! Quick and easy fix! Thank you!
jordan manser You got it!
Thanks so much! 10 minutes ago I found out my wife's car was doing this. I used the relay swap procedure you indicated and sure enough that solved the problem. Now all I have to do is replace the relay with a new one. No shop time required. Thanks for posting this useful info!
Dude you nailed it. Swapped out the horn relay to test it. That worked and Auto zone is about two minutes from me. Had to coach the kid behind the counter on what to find. Fortunately there was a Mexican guy there who knew exactly what I needed and found it in about 5 seconds. Anyhow, five minutes and $20 and we had A/C. Thanks.
Ha ha ha, sounds like the same kind of people work at your Autozone as they do mine! Best 20 bucks you ever spent! Enjoy!
Thanks for posting the video. I was able to fix the issue. Got a relay from Advance Auto Parts for about $13.00 (Part # 35874). Take care and have a blessed day.
Thanks so much! Glad this helped you out!
This WAS AMAZING! Thank you! Is there any reason I can't continue to use my horn relay until the new one arrives?
Thank you! As long as you're replacing the bad relay, you can continue to use the horn relay. In fact you can even leave it if you want, and put the new one back in the horn slot. The relays have exactly the same rating, so it's as good as factory.
Awesome! Again, thanks!
Brethren, here is a special thank you from a beneficiary of your video here in Lagos State Nigeria. 🙏
Glad I was able to help!
This is probably my 3rd youtube comment since around 2012. from the bottom of my heart, my wallet, and my finances thank you so unbelievably much!!!
You're welcome. This may have been your first reply to a comment of the 3 you've left. I do things *differently* on this channel and engage with my audience. Please consider that and see some of my other videos, and you may wish to subscribe if you like what you see.
Thanks for posting this. It worked!!!! I don't know a thing about cars and my mom is 85 and could not drive her car as her ac was flashing too. You saved us so much money that we don't have. I couldn't get the relay out without pliers but I did and wow, my moms ac froze us out of there again!! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Oh man, I LOVE hearing comments like that! Thanks for watching, so glad this helped you all out, and that you'll stay nice and cool as you travel in style! Enjoy!!!
Jan 12 2015, thank you I swapped out my horn relay with the magnetic Clutch relay. A/c worked great after the swap. I tapped the old relay with a screw driver and freed up the old relay that works fine now. Thanks very much, got to have A/C. That free fix made my day!
Thanks, glad this helped!
Our very good local mechanic couldn't figure out for sure what the problem with the blinking AC light was on our '03 Camry, so we Googled it, and your video came up. Worked like a charm. Thank you!!
That's great! Deric Kettel commented earlier today that he used Google and my video came up. Looks like Google's learning!
Thanks for watching, stay cool!
Just wanted to say thank you so much for this. My A/C literally just started blinking on my ride home. I looked it up and your video was the first to pop up. Very clear and straightforward instructions, and it worked thank God! Smacked it quite a few times with some pliers. Im not sure if this is just a tenporary fix, but wither way I intend to just go buy another relay as well for when this one eventually finally dies out. Thanks a million! 😊🤙🏻
No problem at all! Yeah, keep the old one in service, keep the new relay in the trunk. If it cuts out on you on the road, pull over, swap it out, takes 2 minutes, and you're back in business!
This is one of the best DIY car repairs video I've ever watched. Just followed your excellent instructions and fixed my wife's AC for $14. Thanks so much!
agardonzed Those are some very kind words, my man! Thank you, I'm sure you were thrilled it only cost $14 to fix, and it will run for many more years! Enjoy, and stay cool!
I am ecstatic! I did this and now it works great! I have spent 3 years with no air con in hot conditions as mechanic said it could cost a fortune to fix. I wish I had you tubed it earlier! Thank you soo much!
You're very welcome!
Hey, I wanted to thank you. This video saved me a couple hundred dollars in repair bills. A $16 relay fixed the problem. Tried banging the old one with a screwdriver, but it didn't work for me. Many thanks again!
You're very welcome, stay cool!
Thank you! Thank you! My daughter found this video and she was able to fix her A/C. She had been driving in temps over 90 degrees, and it was terrible. She had been told by a mechanic that it would cost at least $1,000 to fix. Who would have believed that she could fix it herself? Well done!
You're very welcome!
Thanks!! The light came on today- stopped off at a dealer but didn't have time to leave it. He quoted me a couple hours and $600-$1200 to fix. I followed the video and everything's back to normal- 5 minutes later and free!
+Scott B Free beats that kind of money any day! Stay cool!
You just saved me at least $400. I would have spent that much at the local Toyota dealership trying to get my AC working. I laughed when you said 'smack the crap out of it' but it worked. I can now drive to work without sweating. Thanks so much.
They would have charged you $400 to look at it. You might consider picking up a new relay to have on hand. Mine failed a second time, I did the same repair on the side of the road and I was back on my way in 2 minutes.
@@jaykay18 Thanks. You are a gift to the working man's world.
@@jimfowler278 You got it! I'm one myself. But I like nothing more than to "give back". Stay cool!
Just wanted to thank you for posting this. I checked this first, before going to the usual can of freon. Saved me $40. Thanks!
My pleasure, stay cool!
My mechanic told me he wants to check everything including electrical systems but I decided to try your way and ofcourse IT WORKED FOR ME!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU.
I guess that explains why my mechanic charges me double when I come in! Thanks for watching--stay cool!
July 10, 2024 - Having this problem now. My shop wanted to put in a new compressor without ANY diagnostic testing after I explained the blinking AC green light, cost $300.00. At times, men at repair shops talk gibberish to women. Today, went to a Toyota parts department, bought new cabin air filter to start off with, $20.00. Was explaining all to the employee in the parts department. He told me how he had th same problem, he switched the Relay Switch with the Horn Relay Switch. He told me to search YOU TUBE. Can't wait to to try this tomorrow. From New Jersey
I can guarantee you the cabin air filter won't solve anything, but probably should be changed anyway. The most common problem with the A/C is this magnetic clutch relay, this is especially true if the engine uses a serpentine belt (meaning one single belt that "snakes" around all the pulleys, instead of separate belts.
If the A/C was otherwise blowing ice cold right before this problem happened, there is an excellent chance this will solve your problem. Let me know.
Man it’s 92 degrees in Tampa today and the AC cut out on me and your tip worked like a charm. You saved my bacon I was literally dripppimg with sweat on the way home. Thank thank thank
Awesome Mark! Glad this worked!
This worked! I'm 8 months pregnant and just bought a 2002 Camry with the flashing A/C light. I was afraid it was gonna be something more. The hardest part was getting the relays out. Fixed in under 5 minutes. And I'm definitely not a mechanic.
Great job, stay cool!
Thanks to your AC knowledge, someone will have to pry my 03 Camry from my COLD, dead fingers.
Seriously, you're the best.
Thanks very much. This one is an 02. It had the 4-cylinder 2AZ-FE engine. Toyota dropped the ball on that and didn't make those right. This one lost oil pressure and never warned me. The oil pressure sender was sluggish and didn't warn, if it did I could have shut it immediately and saved it. Still ran for 3 or 4 years, clanking away until it failed.
It's been replaced with an 03 Camry, with the V6 engine. Completely different animal, well worth the upgrade. But now they don't even offer the Camry with a V6 anymore.
My 77 y/o sis has this car, with only 77K miles on it. She loves it like crazy and was so afraid this would be a huge expense to fix. Thx to you, it’s not! She said to tell you that she is very very grateful!
That's great to hear, glad this helped out!
You just saved me so much money. If only I would've stumbled across this video 3 months ago. Lol.. It's hot here in South Carolina. Thx again!
No problem Robert! Search and you shall find!
Omg thank you. I am a delivery driver and my ac went out. I watched your video and it was my relay. My husband swore it wasnt it. But i showed him lol. Thank you
You're welcome--stay cool!
Hey brother, thanks so much for this info. Had this exact same problem on our 2002 Camry; the manual says to take it in to a dealership. With confidence from watching your video, went to Advanced Auto and bought the $14 relay, and easily replaced it. Worked like a charm. I didn't even know what a relay was before, and you saved us a ton of money. Can't thank you enough!
Google User Awesome, great to hear! Thanks for watching!
My brother just bought a 2003 camry. The main issue with the vehicle was that the AC wasn't working. Well thanks to this video I got it working, with the relay. We're able to snag this Toyota for a pretty good price due us living in Texas, nobody wanting to get a car with no AC.
That's great to hear! Glad this helped!
I actually picked up an 03 Camry V6 back in November, from an old lady that was barely driven. Everything on that car works perfectly, except the door for fresh air or recirculated air, which had broken off inside the housing. It fell to the bottom and blocked off 90% of the airflow. I removed it, and it works fine on outside air, at least here in NY.
Just got my 2003 Celica and did exactly what you said and it's fixed!! I don't know you so I can't say I love you for this..... But I love that RUclips allows people like you to help guys like me 😊
I've learned that knowledge is no good unless it's shared. That's why I do this.
i know this video is 9 years old but i just wanted to say thank you, you made it so much more clear and understandable than other people did. i understood everything with just one watch through, and im just a teen and not at all a car person. with this video i was able to fix the one problem left in my first car. thank you so much
You're very welcome! Just because a video is old, doesn't mean the information within is outdated, this is still very useful and might even be able to help people with much newer cars that have the same problem.
What an awesome, succinct, highly informational and relevant video! Well done! The A/C in our 2002 Camry quit working years ago, and at one time I got a repair estimate but it was too expensive. Today I checked on RUclips to see if there were tips to diagnose the problem. I did exactly as you did--I pulled the A/C relay, then replaced it temporarily with the horn relay. It is engaging the magnetic clutch and blowing cold air again! The relay replacement is $10 (for a package of two), and will be delivered tomorrow.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
You're very welcome! Glad yours is working again for an extremely affordable price! Stay cool!
You are the greatest help. Followed the video and picked up a new relay $16. From video, pickup parts, fix AC, and change the cabin filter, done in 2 hours.
Thanks for the help
No dealer involved
Just to echo everyone here… was able to use this video today to fix my AC right before the heatwave!!! Thanks for sharing this easy and super helpful tip!
You're welcome.
Worked just as you showed. Thank for helping me avoid a trip to the mechanic for something easy like this. 2003 Camry.
Aaron Howard Excellent! Keep cool!
subscribed! and my ac isnt even broken still i need this in the future with my 02 camry. 11 years later and still this video is timeless. take care out there
Thanks for the kind words!
I just want to say thank you! Because of you today I got my ac to stop flashing. You're a life saver. It was 102° outside.
That's great to hear, Heather! Stay cool!
Watched this video last week. Tested with the horn relay... bought a new one on amazon and bam... I'm back in business for 9 dollars. Thanks!!!
Great to hear, stay cool!
Thanks very much for the tip. My daughter’s 2003 Camry had this issue. Pulled the relay and banged on it 3 or 4 times. Plugged it back in and the AC started working again. Saved me a bunch of money!
Great to hear Rick!
Dude, thanks a lot for this video. Originally I was planning to pay $1000+ assuming it’s the compressor that doesn’t work, but it turned out that after I tested with your method, I spent $only 30 for a new relay and now AC works just fine. What a life saver!
Thanks so much Yves! It's comments like yours that really keep me going. Stay cool!
Just used your video to fix the AC on my 2003 Camry. Thanks for the help! I'm so glad it only took me 15 dollars to repair my AC instead of a trip to the mechanic.
+Ryan Lafond Thanks for watching Ryan!
Outstanding advice. I just fixed my 2003 Camry's A/C using this video. Summer in Atlanta - not time for no A/C!! Thanks.
Thank you so much. I just tried this simple steps as shown in your video and suddenly I have a solid green light for my a/c and the cool air started blowing again. i am not sure how long this will last but for now I have my A/C back. The hold thing took me about 5 minutes and my wife thinks i am a genius. Thank you ,thank you, thank you!
No problem Michael! You can either keep some simple tools in the trunk to remove the relay and bang it around again, or buy a new relay at an auto parts store, usually under $20. Stay cool!
Fixed my broken AC in under five minutes thanks to this video!
Great to hear, stay cool!
Jaykay, You rock man! about 2 years ago my A/C stopped working and the light started flashing, I called the dealership and they said it was probably low on coolant. I figured it just had a leak, and really I kind of put it on the back burner. Besides money is pretty tight these days so I thought I would just do without it. I have two trips planned for eastern Washington this summer and one to Seattle in July, I thought I would revisit this issue. So I Googled "2002 Toyota Camry Air conditioning light flashing" and the very first link was your youtube video. I told my wife about it and we walked out to swap the relays and bam! its working again. Thank you so much for posting this. :)
YEEESSS!!! Absolutely awesome. Thanks for the very kind words. Stay cool--happy motoring!
Please consider subscribing, you never know what else might break!
Here i am in 2022 and I came across your video. You just saved me in 104 degree heat!! Thanks!
No problem! Stay cool!
My 2003 Camry 2.4 liter had the a/c light blinking for the past few days. Your clear video and explanation enabled me to switch the "horn" relay with the "MG CLT" relay to see that the a/c then worked fine. I took the "MG CLT" relay and knocked it against the brick siding of the house a few times, and Voila! When I replaced the "MG CLT" into its place, the a/c worked fine!! Thanks for making me feel like Mr Goodwrench! Till now I could just switch out the engine and cabin filters. Should the "MG CLT" relay fail again I'll just get a replacement part at Auto Barn or some such. Thanks again for your thoughtfulness in posting the video. By the way, I've got 184,000+ miles on the car.
It worked. Cost $18. Saved hundreds. God bless you sir.
Thank you!
I fixed not one but both of my Toyota Camry air-conditioning problems with this video, thanks again man! Hard to believe they both blew out there relays in the exact same way
+Martin Osvath Wow, you did better than most, two for the price of one! Yes apparently this has been a common issue on older Camrys for years, they use the same relays (or contact ratings), which are just slightly above what is needed; the contacts arc each time the mag clutch is engaged, and eventually they stop working. If they used relays with higher-rated contacts it would cost probably 25 cents more for the car, but apparently that quarter is better in their pocket than ours.
OMG I used the exact steps to correct A\C issue with my 2002 Camry and in less than 5 minutes it's working again! Dude you are a genius!! Thank you so very much!!!
No problem at all!
Thank you so much. I drive a 2002 Camry for a reason, 'cause I don't have a bunch of money in my pocket. Thanks to you, I don't have to find money for a Stealership to repair it. relay swap worked, and my horn works with the "bad" relay there, so happy sailing!
+Brian Jarvis Perfect fix! I found out the hard way that driving the 2002 Camry actually cost more money than I was going to spend, and since I had a lead on a newer car ('07 Camry), I jumped on the deal. However this problem actually affects many more years and models of Toyota cars and SUVs, they use practically the same relay throughout.
Regardless, a relay swap, if if you had to buy one at the stealership sure beats $700 for a new "compressor and condenser" you don't need.
awesome that fixed my A/C ! I was scratching my head trying to figure it out! youtube content creators are awesome!!!!
RUclips content creators that have the CORRECT answers are awesome. That's all I post. I don't create shorts, I don't fluff my videos with fancy editing, it's straight and to the point. You'll get your problem solved fast and easy, and I can't think of anyone who doesn't want it that way.
@@jaykay18 yeah people dont care much for long winded videos. like mine are most of the time. lol
@@daveknowshow That's because everyone needs instant gratification these days, you can blame smartphones for that. They get the information they need instantly, with no idea if that information is correct or not, or how the person arrived at that conclusion. That's why I, also, make long-winded videos. It proves to those who have an attention span longer than a goldfish, how I arrived at those conclusions. Good for you.
Thanks a bunch! I'm a US Marine stationed in Okinawa, and this worked on my 2002 Toyota Voxy.
Glad to help Aaron!
You are the man!! Thank you so much for this video. I now have my AC back. A two minute, zero dollars fix. Thanks again
You're welcome.
This video made my day! It's entirely to hot in Arizona to be driving around without a/c. A few good whacks with my pliers after testing the horn relay in its place, and I was back in business!! Thanks so much!
That's great to hear Dennis! Stay cool!
I am a 65 year-old woman with absolutely no mechanical skills. I just showed my boyfriend how to fix the
A/C thanks to your amazing tutorial.. THANK YOU!!!!! This fixed my problem in less than 5 minutes. Dori from Green Bay, WI
That's great to hear! It's pretty rare these days that you'll find a video with an amazin hack or trick that actually works. But now you know where to come first.
I was thinking about trading in my Camry instead of putting money into fixing the A/C. Thei fix worked perfectly for me.
Fairly common problem. The issue is the huge current draw from the magnetic clutch. On certain cars you can actually see the lights dim when the AC engages, despite the fact the engine may speed up to cover the load of the compressor.
Often I've found that auto manufacturer's will actually use the cheapest wiring, switches, and relays they can that will run the equipment. Take a look sometime at the Christmas light wiring to your headlights. You'd be amazed.
Glad you were able to fix it no problem. You're better off keeping what you've got instead of trading in and then having a car payment!
I've used this fix twice now. Once in 2018 and again in 2020. Not sure how many times you can whack a rely but maybe it'll work till 2022. Thanks for this video!
You can whack it until it no longer works! Then you can get a new one, most times they're $20 or less.
Many thanks for posting this! My 2002 Camry with 170k mi has NEVER had the AC serviced, but has always blown cold. Light started blinking today and I saw $$$ signs. This worked perfectly. God bless you!
Thanks David! The one shown in this video has similar mileage. I gave it to my dad. A/C is still working since I fixed it! Meanwhile I upgraded myself to a 2007 Camry with 80,000 miles (now) with the 268HP 2GR-FE V6 engine. Huge upgrade. Though interestingly enough, I came across a great deal, I picked up a 2003 Camry with the older 1MZ-FE 6 cylinder engine with only 32,000 miles on it. Exactly the same car, and if the A/C quits on either of those cars, that relay is the very first suspect!
jaykay18 Wow! Great find on the 03 V6...I inherited my 02 w/2AZFE 4cyl from my Mother with approx 40k. Was gonna sell it, but realized it was the ultimate beater car. I do take meticulous care of it mechanically. I drain and fill tranny every 30k with Valvoline MaxLife ATF. Pennzoil HiMiles 5w-30 syn every 6-7k. Thanks again!
jaykay18 Quick question...the 02 you gave to your Dad...did you ever have the dreaded “stripped head bolts issue”? I’ve read about it but haven’t seen an issue on mine. Stay safe! 🦠
Yeah that 02 I had used the 2AZ-FE engine. I had very bad luck with that car. First I had issues with the power window in the driver's door. That was under warranty. Then later on, around 100,000 miles I think, the transmission just quit. No warning, wasn't having any trouble, was perfect all the time, then just quit. Made a whining sound out of nowhere and within 10 miles the car didn't move. That cost $4000 to replace.
Somewhere around 120,000, the engine lost oil pressure, but NEVER WARNED ME with the oil light. If I ever saw that light go on, that key would have been shut off immediately, I don't care if I was going 70! As a result, the engine still ran fine, but it clanks. Real death rattle sound. The oil level was at the add 1 quart mark, and it did start clanking after I went up a small hill. Perhaps the oil it had sloshed back and starved it. Regardless, it never warned me! I'll get back to that later.
Then 10,000 later the instrument cluster died. Died? Yes, no tach, no fuel, no temp, no speed. Some idiot lights worked, some didn't. If I removed the cluster and unplugged the connector on the back slightly, I could get it to work again, until the car was shut off. I was done with that car at that point. There was no reason for ANY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE THINGS to go wrong at the mileage it had, it's a Toyota after all.
I started looking for another car and found the 07 Camry with 58,000 on it, that car has had $140 in repair costs in 5 years. One for a faulty TPMS wheel sensor, and one for a broken sun visor. I gave the 02 to my dad.
I had noticed later that the oil light was "sluggish", or more correctly, the sender was. It would shut the light immediately when it got oil pressure, but when it lost, like when you shut the engine off, it didn't. I was curious as to why it didn't warn me and I had the engine running, light off, shut the key, and as soon as the engine stopped I turned the key back to the run position so all the lights would come on. NO OIL LIGHT FOR 15 SECONDS. Once it came on, I cranked it up and the light went out immediately.
The 02 also had a persistent P0420 code for years, probably since 70,000 miles. One day I was seeing my dad and he asked me to bring my scan tool and reset it for him. I had noticed that the oil light wasn't even on at all anymore. I started it, THEN it came on for a brief second and went out. Shut the key off and back on immediately, 15 seconds later, it came on. So that entire escapade could have been avoided if it only warned me.
The 2AZ-FE is an OIL BURNER, doesn't matter what the mileage or what year. 2007 was the worst for it, Toyota claims that burning 1 quart of oil in 1000 miles is normal. NO IT ISN'T, that means the engine wasn't manufactured correctly. The 2AZ-FE came out in the 2002 model year.
LESSON LEARNED--NEVER BUY THE FIRST MODEL YEAR OF ANY NEW DESIGN.
2AZ-FE is known for oil burning, it's known for stripped head bolts (actually it's the threads in the block that pull out), and it's also known for blowing head gaskets, these all start around 100-something thousand miles. The 4-speed AISIN transmission is NOT KNOWN for any major faults, I was the lucky one that it went out on.
I absolutely swore off 4-cylinder engines from that point on. I bought my 07 BECAUSE it was a 6-cylinder. I bought the 03 BECAUSE it was a 6-cylinder. The 1MZ-FE is a venerable workhorse engine used for years. Older design with a timing belt, but it's non-interference. The 03 is a spare car, the wife has a 2000 Camry, yes 4-cylinder. That has the 5S-FE engine, which was the same basic engine since I believe 1986 they used through 2001, different designations and improvements over the years. Timing belt on that as well. But it was the older GOOD DESIGN 4-cylinder that ran forever. That's got 163K on it, and has its fair share of problems, but runs and drives. Super reliable.
So the 1MZ-FE was a workhorse, and the 2GR-FE was rated as one of the best 6-cylinder engines ever made. They still use the same design, with a different model, today.
It was as if in 2002, Toyota had their heart in the right place, but just didn't do that kind of real-world testing and durability they were known for. My sister has a 2005 Scion TC with the 2AZ-FE engine. At least 150K on that, and it's had _issues._ I told her my story, and told her to look NOW for another car. If I know my sister, she'll drive it until it blows up, then borrow my 03 for a year while she's busy NOT looking for another car.
Best of luck to you, keep being meticulous with that and maybe, just maybe, it'll last. My dad's 02 that I gave him still clanks, but still runs fine, and the A/C still blows cold. The paint, on the other hand, has about had it.
Thanks! For everyone reading the comments that trick works. Saved me much sanity and money that I don't have for a car going on nearly 300,000 miles. Thank you again very much. I know $25 is not even close to what this is worth this is just what I have.
No problem!
The trouble shooting procedure worked exactly for me as shown in this video. Smacking around the relay fixed the problem. Mahalos from Maui!
Very happy to hear that!
Thanks! Pulled the relay, replaced with horn...A/C came on. Banged relay and re-installed both, back in business. Awesome video!
+Peter Lisker Exactly the way it should work! Thanks for watching Peter, stay cool!
Jaykay18 - Thank you very much for posting this video. I called a few A/C repair shops first. Just to look at it, the prices ranged from $120 to $150. Then, I came across your video. Even though my 2002 Camry had a different setup...I pulled the A/C clutch relay out, smacked a couple times, & voila! It works. My dash design is different, & my horn relay is not the same as my A/C clutch relay. Nevertheless, your fix worked!...and saved me at least $120. Thanks again.
+Dana Cowe No problem Dana, perhaps you have the XLE vs the LE model.
+jaykay18 yes.
Thank you sir. took me 5 mins, smacked the relay a bit and we are back working, ac running strong. Very detailed video, well done.
Thank Garrett! Glad this helped you out!
jaykay18, you are the man! I swapped the horn relay, and bingo it worked. I found the replacement part at Autozone for $13.99!Saved me some money, thank you very much!
+Rob Kenney Great job Rob! Thanks for watching, stay cool!
Big thank you. I know very little about cars but with your video I was able to fix my AC by hitting the relay a few times with a hammer. Even still have my horn!
Thanks for taking the time to explain this fix. I didn't have to spend a cent repairing my father's car. Taping the relay worked for me.
Beautiful! Stay cool!
Thank you so much. I’m a girl on a low budget who’s trying to figure how to do stuff on her own. This video was a great help.
You're welcome.
JayKay you're a legend! I did what you said and fixed my ac problem! I even hit the magnetic clutch a few times and it started working again. Thank you!
You're welcome!
Thanks for taking the time to post this, saved a ton of hassle. My son's 2003 Camry AC back on. will get a new relay!
Great to hear! I actually have an 03 now, some old lady was selling it with ridiculously low mileage for a good price. V6, too.
You saved me at least a few hundred avoiding taking it to a shop. THANK YOU! $17 for a new relay and it works perfectly again!
Those are the kind of testimonials I like to hear! Thanks for watching!
Wow! I just fixed the a/c in our 2002 Camry for $18, using only a pair of pliers to pull the old relay and swap in the horn relay to troubleshoot. Tapping didn’t fix it so I bought a generic replacement at NAPA. Thank you so much for making this very helpful video!
No problem Tim, stay cool!