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Jigsaw did a great job. I fixed my 2002 Escort if about two hours by resoldering a cold solder joint on the pin that goes to the armature. I would just add that this is mostly mechanical work if you don't have to replace the relay. My module is located under the engine air cleaner just forward of the battery. As would be expected, you have to remove the air filter and then removed the housing for the air filter. There are three large (12 mm, if I remember correctey) bolts that hold the housing to the car frame. Those have to come out. You also must take out two very small screws to disconnect the module from the car frame. To disconnect the 24-pin socket, you need to removed the small plastic retainer; then the screw with a very small head that holds the male connector to the female (the female is on the module.).
After I got the module out of the car, I used a 1/4-inch drill bit to drill out the rivets. I did the same things with the boad rivets after I got the cover off. I just gave the drill a short spurt and checked to see how it was going. After you remove the rivets from the PC (printed circuit) board turn the board over and inspect the solder connections on the under side of the board under the relay. There are 5 connections. Starting from the end with the one pin, the next on opposite sides are the realy coil and the other two are the normally closed and normally open contacts. You can check the coil with an ohmmeter. I got 180 ohms, but I'm not sure there isn't something in paralles the coil. Some designers place a diode in parallel with the coil to supress transients. Of course, you could switch polarity and compare then readings. I forgot to do that. You can also check between the normally closed contacts and the armature. I got a few tenths of an ohm, but I think my meter doesn't zero exactly. Of course, you can't check the normally open circuit unless you apply voltage to the coil. I wanted to do that, but I didn't have a schematic, I didn't know if there might be somethimg else in parallel and I might damage something if I applied the wrong polarity.
Anyway, I used 6-32 x 3/8 screws. to secure the board and cover where the rivits had been removed. You can always ream out the holes a little with a hand reamer if they holes are not bit enough. After I put everything back together, and with the new refrigerant charge which I'd had when the trouble started the air was really cold.

If anyone has a schematic of that module or of the AC circuit, I'd love to have it. This seems to be some top secret deal. I've tried everywhere and can't find one.

frank29
 
I have made a schematic of the CCRM taken from my 2000 SE sedan.
I believe it is accurate, please report any errors.

http://sdrv.ms/LFSlAV

Edit:
Troubleshooting notes. All the inputs into the CCRM from the PCM are an active low. In other words the relays coils inside the CCRM have 12V on one side all the time, the PCM supplies the ground for the coil to operate the relay so a device (fan, AC clutch or other) will turn on.
 
First of all I want to apologize for keeping this thread going by asking additional questions!

Now to the good stuff:
I have not had A/C for about 4 years now... I finally had it over the weekend and did a lot of reading, etc. After reading this whole thread I knew my problem had to be related to either a seized clutch or the CCRM (or A/C Relay for those who are looking for parts from AutoZone, etc). So I climbed up under the car to attempt to rotate the clutch by hand. I was able to do so. Therefore, it had to be the CCRM.

At that point I ran to Advanced Auto and picked up a new module. I chose not to go the route of repairing the module on my own because I have a tendency of breaking such things. I pulled the old module out and plopped the new one in. BINGO! COLD AIR!!!

Here is where my concern lays. I was driving down the road and I got a little bit of hesitation from the motor. Not really sure what brought this on as this was not a problem when I had the old CCRM in. Then I remembered that before the old CCRM fully took a crap and when my car blew nothing but warm air; the car would do this when trying to use the A/C. I did some research and there is a TSB out for this very issue... Its number is either TSB 618643 OR TSB 612944 and are listed below.

I am wondering if there is any cause for concern? Do I need to worry about my new CCRM burning out like the last one? Is there anything I can do to address this hesitation? Thanks in advance!


TSB 618643 reads:
VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE INOPERATIVE OR INCORRECT A/C OPERATION AFTER REPLACING THE CCRM. *JB

TSB 612944 reads:
VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT ENGINE HESITATION OR SURGE WHEN THE A/C COMPRESSOR CYCLES MAY OCCUR. *MJS
 
I have followed this and other forums directions on replacing the relay in ccrm, with no luck. I have a 98 ZX2, AC obviously not working. If I put 12v directly to the compressor, I get ice cold air. I tried to jumper from the low pressure switch to the compressor, and nothing. Got a replacement ccrm, nothing, soldered a new relay in old ccrm, nothing... my relay will click every few seconds, and pin 23 will have momentary power, but never constant power. My question is where do I go from here?
 
I have followed this and other forums directions on replacing the relay in ccrm, with no luck. I have a 98 ZX2, AC obviously not working. If I put 12v directly to the compressor, I get ice cold air. I tried to jumper from the low pressure switch to the compressor, and nothing. Got a replacement ccrm, nothing, soldered a new relay in old ccrm, nothing... my relay will click every few seconds, and pin 23 will have momentary power, but never constant power. My question is where do I go from here?
 
Sidju,
When you say apply 12v to the compressor, I assume you are running your own line off the battery. From what you describe, my thoughts would be that there is something wrong with the power supply going to the CCRM. You may have a bad wire somewhere or something like that. I would say that your next step is to use the schematic posted by bent_rod and check power coming to the CCRM (you can use a quick splice or something like that to check it).
 
I don't have any roblems with the CCRM. I was wondering if it is suppose to be insulated from the chassis. I have to move it out of the way for my turbo set-up. I was going to just bolt it to the frame but noticed it sat in a plastic cradle and has a metal case. Will bolting it to the frame cause a thermal nuclear explosion? :chin: Or am I just being superstitious?
 
I know this is an old thread but I wanted to say thank you to you all! After two years of no ac I finally decided to take it to a shop... they narrowed it down to the ccrm but wanted $500 for the ccrm and repair/programming? I just ordered the whole module for about $150 plus I can get $50 back if I send them my old one. I'm no mechanic:) but this looks like an easy enough fix for sure, so I might even attempt to take my old one apart and see how it looks...

Just checked and the Panasonic relay mentioned above (JSM1-12V-5) is still available for around $2+shipping on:
Mouser
Digikey
Allied Electronics

I'll try to send in an update if I try it in case anyone out there is still looking for more information...

Thank again to all of you for you details on this fix!
 
Ok so I've replaced my module with the one I got. And now I'm getting cool air but only when I turn the knob to top vent or bottom but it will turn the compressor off if the know is turned to ac or max ac, or both top and bottom, or either of the defrost settings. Would this be a problem with the module/relay? Or some other switch or something? I don't know if anyone's still watching this board but any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks guys!

I know this is an old thread but I wanted to say thank you to you all! After two years of no ac I finally decided to take it to a shop... they narrowed it down to the ccrm but wanted $500 for the ccrm and repair/programming? I just ordered the whole module for about $150 plus I can get $50 back if I send them my old one. I'm no mechanic:) but this looks like an easy enough fix for sure, so I might even attempt to take my old one apart and see how it looks...

Just checked and the Panasonic relay mentioned above (JSM1-12V-5) is still available for around $2+shipping on:
Mouser
Digikey
Allied Electronics

I'll try to send in an update if I try it in case anyone out there is still looking for more information...

Thank again to all of you for you details on this fix!
 
My problem is a bit wierder ... it just started on my 98 Escort. The AC cools ice cold from a cold start for a while, but after I've driven around for maybe 20 or 30 minutes, the compressor kicks out and won't kick back on until the car has been given a chance to sit and cool. It worked for longer on cooler days, and shorter on hotter days (pretty much exaclty the opposite of what you'd want :) ).

The pressures were just fine on both sides ... I tested it "off" and running. Running the pressures were SLIGHTLY low (32 or 33 on the low side, and also somewhat below the target spec on the high side) so I added an "oil" charge and a little bit of R134. Pressures are still fine, it still cools ice cold for a while, then kicks out when the car warms up. Next morning, same thing. Ice cold for a while, then it stops.

Sounds like a switch going bad, maybe -- when it gets hot whatever fault there is ... a crack, a bad solder joint, or some electrical component going out -- gets exacerbated.

Can you just replace the pressure switch? Or should I go for the whole CCRM?
 
The pressure switches, both high side and low side, and the CCRM are totally separate components.
More troubleshooting is required to determine which, if any, of these things are causing your problem.
 
i see this problem with the ccrm has been around for several years and because of the many postings and other forums i was able to fix my AC due to the faulty ccrm.....its now july 2013 and i did the solder fix so many others have detailed.... many thanks to all those who posted.... this is my experience: i paid several hundred dollars to have my ac fixed 2 months ago and it lasted 6 weeks.....and i was ready to pay more to have it fixed again until i read the easy solder fix in these forums.... i drilled out the rivets and found the loose solder joint. the solder there is hard to melt, my 40 watt iron would not do the job so i had to buy a cheap 75 watt iron which did much better....it is obvious this is a design flaw.... the high current that flows through the relay contacts generates enough heat to melt the solder at the terminal board... if i had read these forums several months ago i could have done the job right the first time and saved several hundred dollars. thanks again...
 
ok, I've been reading through this forum and first I'd like to say thanks to everyone that's contributed. I have no ac, which sucks. Checked all fuses, and replaced the ccrm. My problem is that the clutch wont kick in. My friend and i jumped the compressor to be sure it was working, and it is. Unplugged the power from the compressor and tested but not getting any power from there. Any ideas? Thanks again for the help.
 
i see this problem with the ccrm has been around for several years and because of the many postings and other forums i was able to fix my AC due to the faulty ccrm.....its now july 2013 and i did the solder fix so many others have detailed.... many thanks to all those who posted.... this is my experience: i paid several hundred dollars to have my ac fixed 2 months ago and it lasted 6 weeks.....and i was ready to pay more to have it fixed again until i read the easy solder fix in these forums.... i drilled out the rivets and found the loose solder joint. the solder there is hard to melt, my 40 watt iron would not do the job so i had to buy a cheap 75 watt iron which did much better....it is obvious this is a design flaw.... the high current that flows through the relay contacts generates enough heat to melt the solder at the terminal board... if i had read these forums several months ago i could have done the job right the first time and saved several hundred dollars. thanks again...
Not a design flaw. The normal arcing of relay contacts over time creates a build up that causes resistance. The resistance creates heat that dissapates out the metal relay connector to the solder connection. Resoldering is very temporary repair if at all. The relay needs replacing. Thanks to this website/thread I just fixed my a/c that had correct pressures but kept cutting off & finally quit. The contact strip had melted out the side of the super thin plastic cover. The circuit board was slightly discolored at that one solder pin that looked "loose".
The "Flaw" is the auto mfgs intentionally design costly repairs like this CCRM. it's nothing more than a hidden box of 5 relays riveted shut so most owners pay for a new black box. I don't single out Ford because GM 3.8Ltr V6 has an aluminum cam gear with "composite" teeth that shear after 60,000 miles of engine heat (It's amazing it even lasts that long) The dealers part is the same junk for $150.00 or you go to NAPA & get a steel one for $15.00
 
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