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Use our A/C recharge port finder to discover how to refill and recharge your car’s A/C. Our database has vehicle-specific advice on how to find the right low-side port.

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How to Add Refrigerant to a 2009 Dodge Journey SXT 3.5L V6

Dodge journey model years - 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019.

Where the low pressure A/C port is on 2009 Journey and how to add add freon

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When the air conditioner in your 2009 Dodge Journey starts blowing hot air, you likely have a freon leak. Recharging the freon in your AC system is an inexpensive and easy first step to restoring the cooling capacity of your A/C system. Most refrigerants include a leak sealer that will seal small leaks in addition to filling the R134a freon. The A/C system in your Journey consists of a compressor that is belt-driven, an evaporator and freon. If there is a problem with your compressor or evaporator, adding freon will not restore cooling.

How do you recharge AC in a 2009 Dodge Journey? The low side AC port location is the first thing to find when you are looking for how to put freon in a car. Once you find the 2009 Journey AC low pressure port cap, hook up the can of refrigerant to the low pressure port. When your compressor kicks on, add freon to the correct pressure. In addition to cooling, freon lubricates the compressor when it runs. Typically the AC recharge kit you buy will have enough capacity to add enough freon to get the AC in your Journey to blow cold air.

What type of refrigerant does a 2009 Dodge Journey use? Air conditioning systems can vary so it is critical that you check the sticker in the engine bay to determine your Journey refrigerant type. There is an AC sticker in the engine bay of your 2009 Journey that indicates if it requires R134a refrigerant or the newer R1234YF type to do a recharge. You cannot add R1234YF refrigerant to a R134a system nor can you add R134a refrigerant to a R1234YF system. R134a and R1234YF have different low pressure port types, so you should never use a recharge adapter to add the wrong type of refrigerant. Recharging your Journey with the wrong type of freon can make the AC recharge cost much higher!

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Home » Troubleshooting » Dodge Journey AC blowing hot air – causes and how to fix it

Dodge Journey AC blowing hot air – causes and how to fix it

Driving your Dodge Journey in hot weather with a broken air conditioning system is not only uncomfortable, it can also be dangerous for your health when sweltering heat builds up in the cabin. There are several causes for AC only blowing hot air in Journey, which we will cover in this article.

The most common causes for AC blowing hot air in Dodge Journey are low or overcharged refrigerant, compressor malfunction, dirty condenser or evaporator coils, faulty blend door actuator, defective evaporator temperature sensor, bad AC pressure sensor, and bad fuse or relay. Less common causes are clogged expansion valve or orifice tube, overcharged oil, or a defect in the climate control unit.

1. Low refrigerant

Insufficient amount of refrigerant in the AC system is one of the leading causes of AC blowing hot air in Journey. This can happen due to a leak or if the AC has not been recharged for a long time.

Refrigerant leak

A low refrigerant level in your Journey does not necessarily mean there is a leak. Ideally, the refrigerant should never leak in a properly sealed AC system, but most car AC systems do leak small amount of refrigerant over time due to minor imperfections and will need recharging after every few years.

If you don’t service the AC system in your Journey for a long time, the refrigerant level will eventually get so low that the system loses its cooling capacity. Just have it refilled and you can drive with pleasant temperatures again. If the refrigerant level goes down again quickly, it means there is probably a leak.

Refrigerant leak causes

Refrigerant leak in Journey can be caused by leaking O-ring seals, leaking condenser or evaporator core, or a cracked hose. The leak can be diagnosed by injecting small amount of fluorescent dye into the AC system. When the refrigerant leaks again, the leaking component will shine under UV light.

How to recharge AC refrigerant in Dodge Journey

There are two ports in the air conditioning system of Journey. One is labelled H for high-pressure and the other one is labelled L for low-pressure. You can recharge your AC through the low-pressure port with a do it yourself AC recharge kit.

• Open the hood of your Journey.
• Check which type of refrigerant your vehicle uses. This information is typically located under the hood and/or in the owners manual.
• Start the engine.
• Turn on the AC and set it to the coldest setting, and the fan speed to maximum.

• Shake the canister briefly and release the refrigerant into the system until the recommended pressure has been achieved. Note: See next section for recommended pressure values.

Recommended video

Warning: Wear gloves and safety glasses before recharging the AC to avoid accidental exposure to harmful chemicals in the refrigerant. It is also cryogenic and can cause severe frostbite when it comes in contact with the skin.

2. Overcharged refrigerant

Just like with low refrigerant, the AC in Journey will blow warm air only if the AC system is overcharged with refrigerant. An overcharged system not only affects cooling performance but can also damage the compressor and sometimes can cause a major leak.

Ambient temperature affect on refrigerant pressure

The refrigerant pressure is affected by the outside atmospheric temperature. So, even if you recharged your Journey AC at the recommended pressure, the system could still over pressurize when the ambient temperatures get warmer.

Most modern vehicles use R-134a refrigerant, but newer vehicles are increasingly using R-1234yf as a more environmentally friendly replacement. The pressure values based on ambient temperatures differ depending on the type of the refrigerant. Check your vehicle’s owners manual or look under the hood to find the type of the refrigerant your vehicle uses.

Low side pressure values R134a vs R1234yf

Check refrigerant pressure.

Connect the pressure gauge to the low pressure (L) port in Journey. If the pressure is higher than the recommended pressure, let some refrigerant out preferably into a rag to avoid exposure.

3. Dirty condenser

The air conditioning system in Dodge Journey has a condenser coil that sits at the front of the vehicle, and is responsible for releasing the heat from the refrigerant into the ambient air. Over time, grime, bugs and other small particles can build up on its surface and in the gaps of its mesh. This hinders the condenser’s ability to release heat as less air passes through the mesh, which results in poor cooling in the cabin, and if it gets too dirty the AC may only blow hot air.

Clean the condenser

If the condenser is dirty on your Journey, the simplest solution is to clean it. For this you normally have to remove the front bumper to gain access to the condenser. You can use pressure washer for cleaning, but make sure its at low pressure setting, as high pressure can damage the delicate fins on the condenser.

4. Dirty evaporator

Dirty evaporator can also cause Journey AC to blow hot air. The cabin air filter captures most of the dirt or other airborne particles, but some particles escape and can get lodged on to the evaporator. Over time, these particles build up on the fins and block the air flow through the evaporator, causing reduced air flow in the cabin and poor cooling.

Symptoms of a dirty evaporator

The two most prominent symptoms of a clogged up evaporator in Journey are: the air flow from the AC vents is choppy and not smooth, and the inside of the vehicle is developing a bad moldy smell.

Clean the evaporator

Cleaning the evaporator in Journey is not a simple task. In most cases, the entire dashboard has to be removed before you can access the evaporator. Therefore, it is recommended to do this in a workshop.

5. Bad AC pressure switch

The AC pressure switch in Journey detects and monitors the pressure of the refrigerant in the AC system. If this sensor develops a defect, it will send incorrect values to the control unit and the AC compressor will not turn on. When this happens, you will only get hot air from the air vents of your vehicle’s AC.

Bad AC pressure switch can be diagnosed with OBDII scanner. If you see any error code from P0530 to P0533 after connecting the diagnostic device to your Journey, it indicates a problem with the AC pressure switch. Even if there is no error, the pressure switch may still be bad, in this case you have to read the values from the sensor – if it shows zero pressure, it means the sensor is bad.

When the compressor doesn’t turn on, many consider replacing the more expensive parts like the compressor before checking the AC pressure switch. So if you’re facing a problem of compressor not turning on in your Journey, you should first check if this little, inexpensive sensor is working properly.

6. Bad evaporator temperature sensor

The evaporator temperature sensor detects and monitors the temperature of the evaporator coil in the AC system of Journey. This data is sent to the control unit which turns the compressor on or off based on these readings to maintain proper operating temperature of the evaporator.

If the evaporator temperature sensor develops a defect, the compressor may not turn on, causing the AC to only blow hot air in your Journey. Or, it may cause the compressor to run continuously and freeze up the evaporator coil resulting in poor cooling and reduced airflow.

7. Faulty compressor

The compressor is the heart of the air conditioning system in Dodge Journey. It is not only responsible for pumping the refrigerant throughout the AC system but also converting the refrigerant from gaseous state to liquid state as it passes through the condenser. If the compressor fails, the AC will only blow hot air.

Causes of compressor failure

Insufficient lubricant: The compressor in Journey needs lubrication to function properly and minimize mechanical wear by reducing friction. If there isn’t enough oil added with the refrigerant or to the compressor itself if it was replaced, the internal components of the compressor will wear out and cease to function.

Too much oil: If there is excessive amount of oil added with the refrigerant, it can cause compressor performance issues which reduces cooling efficiency, and can also cause premature compressor failure.

Keep in mind, an AC compressor can fail without any apparent cause, especially in older vehicles or in vehicles that have racked up too many miles. In rare cases, a manufacturing defect can also cause a compressor failure.

8. Faulty blend door actuator

Blend door actuator plays a role in controlling the temperature inside your Journey. If there is a problem with the temperature of the air conditioning system, it could be due to a bad blend door actuator.

The most common symptom of a faulty blend door actuator in Dodge Journey is a slight clicking sound (or other unusual noise) repeatedly coming from under the dashboard. The sound will be most prominent for a few seconds when you turn on the air conditioning or adjust the temperature.

Symptom: knocking sound

A knocking noise from behind the dashboard could be an indicator of a bad blend door actuator in your Journey. The sound is something like a light tapping on the door and it typically happens when you turn on/off the air conditioning system or start the engine.

Symptom: creaking sound

One side hot, other side cold.

A common symptom of a faulty blend door actuator in vehicles with dual zone climate control system is one side blowing hot air while the other side is blowing cold air.

Replace the faulty part

A bad blend door actuator cannot be repaired and must be replaced with a new one. Due to the complexity of the replacement job, it is not recommended as a DIY project. The blend door actuator may require recalibration after replacement.

9. Clogged expansion valve or orifice tube

Your vehicle’s air conditioning system has an expansion vale or an orifice tube, depending on the model. The function of both expansion valve and orifice tube is the same, to restrict the flow and reduce pressure of the refrigerant before it enters the evaporator coil. Both of these are at risk of clogging due to contamination, for example due to metal shavings from a failing compressor. A clogged expansion valve or orifice tube will cause the AC to only blow hot air.

In case of contamination, you may have to flush out the contaminants from the AC system of your Journey, including the condenser and the evaporator, before putting in the new part. In case of severe contamination, multiple components may have to be replaced, including the condenser, the evaporator and the compressor.

10. Blown fuse or bad relay

Check all the relevant fuses and relays related to the air-conditioning system in your Journey. Check the owners manual of your vehicle or the fuse box cover to find the exact location of the AC fuses. If the fuse is blown, replace it with a new one with the specified amp rating.

11. Bad climate control unit

Climate control module is the brain of the air-conditioning system in your Dodge Journey, responsible for controlling all the components in the system. In rare cases, a fault in the climate control unit can cause the AC to stop cooling.

12. Overcharged oil

If you are only topping off the refrigerant in your Dodge Journey with off-the-shelf refrigerant recharge cans and not repairing the leak, you may have flooded with AC system with oil since these cans often contains added oil.

The excess oil may pool in various places of the AC system and can coat the inner walls of the evaporator and condenser, diminishing their ability to absorb or dissipate heat, consequently reducing the overall cooling performance. Excessive oil can also reduce the performance of the compressor and can cause it to fail prematurely.

13. Clogged cabin air filter

The pollen filter, also known as the cabin air filter or microfilter, is responsible for filtering the air that the passengers breathe in Dodge Journey. A dirty filter causes the overall ventilation of the interior to deteriorate resulting in reduced cooling and air flow. It also puts unnecessary strain on the entire AC system which negatively impacts the fuel consumption.

There is no prescribed time for changing cabin air filter, but most manufacturers recommend a change after 10,000-20,000 miles. If you drive your vehicle in dusty or polluted environment, the filter can get dirty much sooner than manufacturer’s recommendation.

Can you clean a dirty cabin air filter?

Instead of changing the cabin air filter in Journey, it is often recommended to first clean the filter. This can be done, for example, with a vacuum cleaner or a compressed air system, removing at least a large part of the visible dirt particles. Unfortunately, this procedure does not allow you to get into the deeper layers of the filter. Therefore, the filter performance will not increase significantly even after cleaning. As a rule, there is no avoiding a change if the filter is dirty.

Note: Dirty cabin air filter mostly only leads to reduced cooling. If only hot air comes out of the air vents in your Journey, then the problem probably lies somewhere else. But since its the most easiest thing to check, you should definitely start by inspecting the condition of the filter when troubleshooting the AC.

Use OBD2 scanner for diagnosis

Since Dodge Journey is equipped with on-board diagnostics (OBD), a fault diagnosis can provide initial indications of where the malfunction is located in the air conditioning system.

To begin troubleshooting, you must first connect the diagnostic tool to your Journey. The OBDII connector is usually located under the dashboard. With the tool connected, turn on the ignition. Most diagnostic devices then ask for some information about the vehicle. It is important that you enter this 100% correctly, otherwise the result of the search may be inaccurate. In addition to the vehicle make, model, and engine type, you usually also have to type in the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Since some OBD codes are manufacturer-specific, the scanner will be able to give you more accurate information if you enter more details about your Journey.

There are many reasons why your Dodge Journey AC is only blowing hot air. When looking for the reason, you should always start with the most obvious cause, insufficient amount of refrigerant.

In any case, it is advisable for laypersons to visit a workshop. A professional mechanic can swiftly diagnose the poor AC cooling issue for you.

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