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Pulsing A/C

Discussion in '1st Gen Tundras (2000-2006)' started by Fieldnstreamer, Jun 24, 2025.

  1. Jun 24, 2025 at 11:48 AM
    #1
    Fieldnstreamer

    Fieldnstreamer [OP] Cold Researcher

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    The other day I got in my truck after the AC was working flawlessly and I started my truck and the air wasn't blowing at all. So I just rolled my windows down and thought I'd figure it out later. The next time I got in my truck the AC was blowing great. Now it's blowing but it's blowing erratically at different speeds and it blows harder if I hit a pothole in the road. Do you think my blower motor could be going out or something weird like that? I've had a lot of different AC issues in different vehicles and what not some Toyota and some not, but I've never had these symptoms. It's ice cold when it works though.
     
  2. Jun 24, 2025 at 11:57 AM
    #2
    shifty`

    shifty` We call it “riding the gravy train”

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    Does the A/C light blink at all, ever?

    I think I'd start by checking the ground point for the AC, to ensure the ground and surrounding brackets are good. See this post: https://www.tundras.com/threads/a-c-blinking-light-over-pressurized-bad-ground.110897/
     
  3. Jun 24, 2025 at 12:34 PM
    #3
    BubbaW

    BubbaW Blessed 2 B above Ground

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    Ground can definetly be 1 of the possibilities when not working at all.

    When running erratically at different speeds, is it more than 2 different speeds, given we have L-M1-M2-H....if you can tell ?

    With the different speeds and pothole, I personally would be checking that the 4 pin blower resistor connector is plugged in good and even remove the resistor and see how it looks. I'd also check that the blower switch has not gone south on ya after 20 years. Might have to drag out a voltohmmeter to check resistance as you rotate switch or spray some electrical cleaner into the switch to clean contacts.

    Since you did not specify, I'll add that the pic below is from 2000 EWD but can well apply to your 2006 you also show having.

    AC Blower.jpg
     
  4. Jun 24, 2025 at 2:37 PM
    #4
    Fieldnstreamer

    Fieldnstreamer [OP] Cold Researcher

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    This is in my 2006. I'll look at the resistor. I only ever had to change it one time in my 2000 but it's very weird. Just a few minutes ago I got in my truck and drove down the interstate for a few minutes and it was blowing strong. But when I was on the interstate previously once I got up to Interstate speeds the AC progressively got weaker and weaker and it eventually completely quit. Interstate traffic got real thick and I came to almost a stop and then all the sudden it started blowing good again. So sometimes it pulses and sometimes it completely quits. But at the moment it's blowing full blast. It seems like if I hit my brakes real hard also or take a turn real quick it affects it which is super weird. I wondered if my blower motor might have a bad connection if it's plugged in or has a ground somewhere but I've never worked on that part of the truck so I would just be diving in to a new territory with trying to find ground wires etc.
     
  5. Jun 24, 2025 at 2:40 PM
    #5
    Fieldnstreamer

    Fieldnstreamer [OP] Cold Researcher

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    As far as I can tell it's affected at every blower speed. It was blowing so weak that I had to leave it on high just to get what I felt like was low or M1. The last time I changed a resistor in my other tundra, it quit working at everything in between and only worked on high but this works on all settings, it's just a weird erraticness.
     
  6. Jun 24, 2025 at 2:43 PM
    #6
    BubbaW

    BubbaW Blessed 2 B above Ground

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    While it's easy for me to suggest(I get down there and can't get up), I'd stick my head down in that area of motor and resistor to check connections and also can see if conductors are still in good shape. We've had folks with conductors semi melting down there for God knows what reason.
     
  7. Jun 24, 2025 at 3:03 PM
    #7
    shifty`

    shifty` We call it “riding the gravy train”

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    Wait, clarify really quick: I assumed when you were saying it's dying, it's blowing hotter air. Are you saying it's blowing at slower speeds?
     
    Fieldnstreamer[OP] likes this.
  8. Jun 24, 2025 at 3:14 PM
    #8
    Fieldnstreamer

    Fieldnstreamer [OP] Cold Researcher

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    I've never seen the AC light flicker or anything. I've wiggled the knobs and everything trying to get something to change but it never did. The only thing that I noticed a pattern with was I was driving in a field and every hole or off camber place I drove over effected
     
  9. Jun 24, 2025 at 3:15 PM
    #9
    Fieldnstreamer

    Fieldnstreamer [OP] Cold Researcher

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    Yes like the fan speed is changing how hard and fast or if at all it blows
     
  10. Jun 24, 2025 at 3:16 PM
    #10
    shifty`

    shifty` We call it “riding the gravy train”

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    That's curious. Bad resistor? Bad fan motor? I bet there's a test for both! :rofl:
     
  11. Jun 24, 2025 at 3:16 PM
    #11
    Fieldnstreamer

    Fieldnstreamer [OP] Cold Researcher

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    I'll check it out when I get home. Crossing my fingers it's something simple and obvious
     
  12. Jun 24, 2025 at 3:19 PM
    #12
    Fieldnstreamer

    Fieldnstreamer [OP] Cold Researcher

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    Well I know where the resistor is located. When it comes to testing stuff...well, I'm pretty dumb to how to do that without a little direction but I can follow directions :rofl:
     
  13. Jun 24, 2025 at 3:54 PM
    #13
    BubbaW

    BubbaW Blessed 2 B above Ground

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    Pretty sure their is a link to an 05/06 FSM(factory service manual) in what they call the Mega thread that has other checks but the below pics are some you can do.

    However, with the erratic behavior you're explaining, I don't see how that can be conclusive with all shake rattle and roll you're experiencing :)

    06 AC Blower.jpg

    To eliminate a ground problem that's been mentioned, if you have a volt ohm meter you could unplug the blower resistor, attach one lead to harness connector pin 1(white/black) and other lead to a known good ground close by. You should see a short to ground. Drive around and hit some bumps, if meter leads stay intact the ground will either stay or it want. Might have to have a passenger to hold meter and make sure leads don't come off.....simply spitballing.
     
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2025
  14. Jun 24, 2025 at 4:40 PM
    #14
    Fieldnstreamer

    Fieldnstreamer [OP] Cold Researcher

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    I'll try all that. Basically with this miserable East Tennessee Heat and humidity, even rolling the windows down barely helps so I was hitting every pothole and slamming on my brakes randomly and swerving trying to get the AC to come back on and it worked:rofl:
     
    Jack McCarthy likes this.
  15. Jun 24, 2025 at 4:58 PM
    #15
    BubbaW

    BubbaW Blessed 2 B above Ground

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    Don’t feel like Lone Ranger, other end of state just as bad :eek:

    IMG_6176.jpg
     
  16. Jun 24, 2025 at 7:59 PM
    #16
    Fieldnstreamer

    Fieldnstreamer [OP] Cold Researcher

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    :nuclear:

    I swear I've been to places out west and even places internationally that had actual temperatures well into the triple digits but in the Southeast US... and I hate to make a cliche and say it's the humidity that gets you, but these temperatures make the deep triple digit temperatures out west seem amateur. All these Californians that have moved into the state probably didn't know what they were getting themselves into.
     

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