AC Question

So I turned on the ac and heard an ugly noise, then the light started blinking and no cold air. I'm assuming it's my compressor. I've got 235K on a 2006 so I don't want to spend the money to have it fixed unless I have to. Is this something that is tied to other parts of the truck that could break if I don't get it fixed? Sorry if this is a dumb question. Thanks for any input.

 

If the compressor is locking up, YES. This could cause the belt to come off and potentially overheat the engine. I would NOT use the AC until I get this fixed. And any DEFROST setting will turn the AC on. So don’t use defrost.

The noise you heard was likely the compressor.

 

Thanks. How do I know if the compressor is locking up?