The cold air from AC when driving on a hot day can be refreshing and relaxing. To beat the heat and get relief from the hot weather, you turn on your car’s AC. Much to your chagrin, instead of cool air, your car AC blows out hot air. A car AC blowing hot air is indicative of a faulty HVAC system that is responsible for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning in your car.
In this guide, we will discuss common reasons why your car ac is blowing hot air. In addition to this, we have also added some advice on how to maintain your car’s HVAC system.
Why Car AC Is Blowing Hot Air
Is your car air conditioner blowing hot air sometimes? Is hot air coming out of car AC when it is even at 4? If any of these signs mentioned thereof exist, they are indicative of a weak car AC and a bad AC compressor.
Common causes of car AC suddenly blowing hot air are as follows:
Low Refrigerant
Refrigerant is a chemical substance used in air conditioners to absorb heat from the surroundings and produce cold air after passing through compressors and evaporators. Insufficient amounts of refrigerant in AC implies low pressure and low temperatures, which will gradually cause an evaporator coil to freeze. When the evaporator coil freezes, the moisture freezes due to the lack of system overflow.
Clogged Air Filter
The air filter in the automobile might become clogged due to a lack of maintenance on the HVAC system. The air filter effectively removes solid impurities from the air. When the filter becomes clogged, less airflow travels through it allowing dust and other contaminants to accumulate in the system.
The small amount of air that travels through the coils will not cool to the required temperature. The air will just circulate and exit unconditioned causing your car AC to blow hot air.
Condenser Problems
An air conditioner condenser is the component of an air conditioner that is responsible for cooling and condensing incoming refrigerant vapor into a liquid form. It is composed of many different components, comprising a motor, fans, condenser coil, circuit board and a compressor.
When any part inside the condenser starts to malfunction, the air conditioner is very likely to have problems too. Check for any strange noises coming from the condenser unit when the air conditioner is producing hot air. Not hearing anything at all is also an indication of a faulty condenser.
Malfunctioning Thermostat
Another common cause of car AC blowing hot air is incorrect thermostat settings. The main role of a thermostat in a car air conditioner is to regulate temperature and prevent the HVAC system from overheating or cooling excessively.
Use a multimeter to ensure that the AC is receiving the correct amount of volts. If not, refer to the thermostat manual and make any necessary adjustments. In addition to this, check out for a fuse damage or a dead battery as it can also affect the thermostat which can then cause the car AC to blow hot air.
Maintaining your car’s HVAC system
Regular maintenance can extend the lifespan of car parts. To extend the lifespan of car’s AC, you need to service and maintain it regularly.
Here’s how you can maintain your car’s AC and get the most cooling from your car air AC:
- Replace the filter after every 3 months because dry or clogged filter restricts the smooth airflow causing car AC to blow hot air.
- Recharge your car’s AC with refrigerant and do not run the AC if it has insufficient refrigerant.
- Even if you live in an area where the weather is cold, turn the AC on for a bit once every two weeks. This will keep the compressor running properly by maintaining gas pressure.
- Use defrost mode to defrost the ice on the evaporator coil. As has been discussed above, frozen evaporator coil is one of the common reasons why your car AC can malfunction.
This concludes our guide about common reasons behind your car AC suddenly blowing hot air and what to do if your car ac is suddenly blowing hot air. If you are looking for a car with an efficient HVAC system, browse through this large collection of used cars for sale in the UAE.
To learn more about automobiles and the automotive industry, stay tuned to UAE’s leading auto blog.
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