Picture this: You are packing up to come home from a long, hot beach day, only to finally get into your car and your A/C is blowing warm air. This isn’t the most ideal time to find out your vehicle needs A/C repair. A/C is more than just for comfort; it’s a safety issue too. In fact, one of the most dangerous places for someone to be during a heatwave is inside of their car without A/C since temperatures can spike to dangerous levels. If your air conditioning vents seem to be blowing out warm air or no air at all, one of the common problems outlined below could be the reason.
First, Let’s Talk About How Your Vehicle’s A/C System Works:
Just about every car has the same basic A/C parts consisting of a compressor, condenser, accumulator, and evaporator that work together to keep you cool, but each vehicle’s air conditioning system is unique due to the location of the hoses and lines. If there is a problem with any one of these parts, you will end up needing A/C repair. Your car’s air conditioner works quite similarly to the air conditioner in your home. Its main job is to cool down your vehicle while reducing the humidity inside the interior. Your vehicle’s compressor squeezes or compresses the refrigerant and once it has been pressurized, the condenser cools it down where it returns to a liquid state. This liquid passes through a receiver that removes excess water to eliminate the risk of ice formations inside of the A/C system. Next, the liquid refrigerant enters the evaporator via a thermal expansion valve where it is then exposed to heat from the vehicle’s cabin. At this point, the fluid boils, reducing it to a gas form once again. During this process, the heat from the surrounding air is absorbed causing the evaporator coil to chill. Finally, it is redistributed throughout the cabin by the fan through the vents as cool, air-conditioned air.
Some relatively common reasons your vehicle’s A/C may have stopped working, are:
1. Leaking or Low Refrigerant
2. Clogged or Broken Condenser
3. Damaged Compressor/Compressor Clutch
4. Cooling Fan Motor Failure
5. Electrical Issues
6. The Blend Air Door is Not Functioning Properly
Reason #1: Leaking or Low Refrigerant
Refrigerant is the chemical that cools the air in your vehicle, so if there’s a leak in the system, it will eventually run low or run out. Today’s A/C systems require a specific amount of refrigerant to operate correctly. The proper way to check the system for the correct volume of refrigerant is with a charging machine. This device will first remove all refrigerant from the system then input the correct amount for proper operation. If after adding more refrigerant, you notice your A/C is still blowing out hot air, you may need to have the hoses and other system components checked and replaced. One of our certified technicians will be able to recharge and check you’re A/C system for you and get your cold air flowing in no time.
Reason #2: Clogged or Broken Condenser
The condenser of your vehicle’s air conditioning unit is supposed to re-cool hot refrigerant once it has been compressed. This is done using the airflow that comes through the front of your car as you drive. If the condenser is blocked, then it will be unable to cool the refrigerant and your car’s system will continue to operate with overheated refrigerant. If there doesn’t appear to be anything blocking the condenser, it’s possible that it may be broken altogether. A broken condenser can be caused by a puncture from road debris going through the grill of your car and damaging it. If there is a bad odor coming from the vents, there is a good chance that bacteria has built up within the air conditioner’s evaporator. We have the proper equipment to clean out the system so you aren’t breathing in the bacteria when the system is turned on!
Reason #3: Damaged Compressor/Compressor Clutch
The compressor keeps your A/C moving at all times. It is powered by a drive belt that is connected to the crankshaft of the car engine. When you turn on the air conditioner, the compressor pumps the refrigerant to the condenser. A common reason that it could be damaged is due to long periods of time without use. Lack of use during the colder months could shock the system when it finally is used again when the weather gets warmer. If the compressor is damaged, the refrigerant cannot circulate through the system and you’ll never get any cold air! To best combat this issue, we recommend running your A/C system on full blast for at least 15 minutes roughly once every three weeks or so. This will help keep the compressor fresh and extend its lifespan.
Reason #4: Cooling Fan Motor Failure
If your cooling fan doesn’t function properly, your condenser may not receive proper cooling. Over time, this can cause your car to start emitting only hot air. Cooling fan failure could be caused by debris from the road damaging it or possibly from electrical issues. It is important that your fan is in proper working order to keep you cool and to provide vital cooling to your engine.
Reason #5: Electrical Issues
If you’re A/C unit isn’t blowing any air at all, this could be the result of an electrical problem.
The safest bet is to bring your vehicle down to Luke’s to have one of our certified technicians conduct an electrical diagnostic check of wiring switches and relays.
Reason #6: The Blend Air Door is Not Functioning Properly
There is a small hatch inside your car’s ventilation system called the “blend air door”. When you turn your system from heat to cold, the door should change to drawing in cold air. It is vital the blend air door properly changes because if not, it will still be drawing heat from the engine and blowing it on you!
How Can We Help?
Just because your car air conditioner has stopped cooling doesn’t mean that all is lost. In fact, the fix may be a relatively inexpensive repair that can be done quickly and efficiently. We understand that this can be an extremely frustrating problem, especially during the summer heat, which is why we are always here to help! If you are noticing problems with your vehicle’s A/C unit, schedule an appointment below and our experienced ASE-certified technicians will be able to get you back on the road just in time for all your summer road trips!
References:
Images: