2011 xf recharging AC how to

 

Habu, the first thing you need to ask is why is the car needing the A/C recharged. If it is due to the A/C system not performing like it should, then you need to ask why it isn't. If you are getting low on freon, you need to find the source of the leak before just dumping freon in as you are simply delaying the inevitable. If you are needing to recharge because you replaced a component, then you need a lot more tools than just a can of freon. For starters, you will need a vacuum pump to pull a near perfect vacuum on the A/C system before you do anything else. This does 2 things for you. 1) gets rid of any air in the system as normal air will reduce the ability of the freon to do its job, and 2) by drawing a vacuum and being able to maintain the vacuum without the pump running indicates that the system is tight and will not require additional freon in the near future due to it leaking out. Once you have the A/C system at a vacuum, you add the freon to the recommended amount (ie, under your hood should be a sticker that says that the system holds XX ounces of freon - where XX is some number, should be around 22 for your car).

If you are simply topping up the system, then you have to go off of pressure gauges. Most cans that you are going to buy at the auto parts store have a single gauge on them and you have to start the car and turn on the A/C system to maximum cooling. From there, you attach the freon can to the system (it will only fit onto 1 port, the other is a different size and will be impossible for the freon can to stay on it without you holding it in place). Add the freon in short bursts until the gauge on the can stays in the green band. Adding more and more freon beyond the green band does not make it run colder. If anything, it will cause it to run hotter.

There's videos on Youtube that go into a lot of detail about this. May be worthwhile to watch a few of those to get some more details about what you will be doing. The big thing that you need to understand is that there are many different freons out there right now and you need to get the correct one. You get the wrong one and add it to your car, you can destroy the whole system which will be a major repair bill. The type of freon you need is written on that sticker that says how much freon should be in the car when properly charged.

 

Or Thermo, if not cooling properly, you forgot the "a/c compressor reverse spring/plug thing", lol.

 

Here is the TSB

 

All, keep in mind that we are talking about a 2011 XF, not an X-Type.

 

Ah so.......

Assumed OP was posting in the correct forum, lol

 

Check out the AC compressore clutch relay too, my daughter's car AC not getting cold, she turn the air on, I look at the compressor, it's not running, I switch the AC clutch relay with other relay, compressor turn right on, she went out to auto parts store bought another relay, I fill up the freon, now she have the cold air.