Common Car Air Conditioning Problems
Similar to all other components of the car, AC also needs timely maintenance and service. If you don’t pay attention, then you may have to deal with various car AC issues. Hence, driving in hot weather in the UAE becomes difficult.
Today, we are going to discuss common car air conditioning problems that occur due to faults in different AC’s components.
COMMON CAR AC ISSUES
A car’s air conditioning system has many components such as an expansion valve, evaporator, condenser, and compressor. Then there is a refrigerant, a fluid that’s vital to the AC system’s function and performance. If there is an issue with any of the components or with the fluid, the AC will not work properly.
Let’s find out how issues each of these car air conditioning components can cause some of the common car AC problems:
LEAKING REFRIGERANT: CAR AC YIELDING HOT AIR
One of the most common car AC issues is of the air not being cold enough. This problem usually arises due to a refrigerant leak. Refrigerant leaks if there is a hole in hose connections, condenser, compressor, or the evaporator is cracked. Due to insufficient refrigerant other AC components will not work properly.
A refrigerant leak is not easily detectable. It is better to get your vehicle checked by a technician or take it to an auto service centre, as they can easily figure out refrigerant leaks. Hence, leaking refrigerant is one of the reasons of car’s AC blowing hot air.
DIRTY CABIN AIR FILTER: CAR AC YIELDING HOT AIR
If your car’s AC blows hot air, then this type of car AC issue is due to a dirty cabin air filter. You need to keep the cabin air filter completely clean to ensure that it functions properly. These air filters are installed to capture all the dirt and debris, due to which they get clogged with time. A clogged cabin air filter is one of the reasons of the weak car air conditioner.
DEFECTIVE COOLING FAN: CAR AC YIELDING HOT AIR
Having a defective cooling fan is one of the reasons for car AC cooling problems. A cooling fan’s job in a car’s AC system is to remove additional heat from the engine. But if the fan is faulty, the car AC will blow hot air.
There could be several factors that caused the cooling fan to go bad. A few of them are blown fuses, a bad cooling fan temperature switch, debris, or some electrical issues under the hood.
FAILED AC COMPRESSOR: CAR AC YIELDING HOT AIR
One of the signs of failed AC compressor in a car is that it yields hot air through the AC vents. A bad compressor stops the flow of refrigerant in the air-conditioning system and thus, you experience hot air in the car’s cabin.
ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS: CAR AC STOPS WORKING COMPLETELY
Car air conditioning problems often arise due to electrical issues in the vehicle. If the wires are damaged, temperature sensors are broken, or have blown fuses, then your car AC will not function properly or will stop working completely. Especially, if the electrical issues are not timely addressed, there is a chance of acid buildup. The acid can corrode and damage the components badly so you might need to completely replace your car’s AC. Also, in many cases electrical problems lead to car AC failure.
BLOCKED CONDENSER: THE AIR IS COOL BUT DOES NOT GETS COLD
One of the common car AC issues is that the air conditioning is blowing cool air but the air does not get cold. The car AC condenser problems keep the air from getting cold. If the condenser is blocked or faulty, the air through the AC vents is cool but not cold.
Also, if the condenser is faulty, the refrigerant will leak and due to insufficient refrigerant, the pressure is reduced in the air-conditioning system.
Moreover, if the condenser is too old and has not been serviced regularly then there is a greater chance of the condenser breakdown.
CAR AC EXPANSION VALVE PROBLEM: AC SUDDENLY STARTS BLOWING HOT AIR FROM COLD AIR
One of the car ac issues is that the air conditioner in the vehicle suddenly starts blowing hot air after emitting cold air. This issue occurs due to car AC expansion valve problems. An expansion valve’s job is to dispense accurate refrigerant amounts to the evaporator. And if this valve fails, the refrigerant will not reach the evaporator. Hence, you will experience a change in the temperature of air blown from the car’s AC.
Also, if there is a high level of moisture, the expansion valve will freeze and thus, will prevent the refrigerant from reaching the evaporator.
These were some of the common car AC issues that arise due to problems with different AC components. If you experience any car AC problems, whether it’s not yielding cold air or making noise when turned on, it’s always best to consult a professional technician. Besides, include AC maintenance in your regular car maintenance checklist to get things repaired (if needed) before time. Also, during summers there are ways to get maximum cooling from your car’s AC, you can follow them for a comfortable ride.
Moreover, when you are buying a used car in the UAE, don’t forget to check its AC and completely ensure that it’s working properly.
Stay tuned to the top auto blog of the UAE for more repair and maintenance guides of different auto parts and components.