Driving on a summer afternoon may be very uncomfortable if your car ac is not blowing cold air. Nowadays, all car manufacturers usually install an air conditioning system. Though some people find difficulty in operating it. But that’s not a problem because we will look into it a few subtopics down the line. The car ac may be at a risk of malfunctioning if any of its components brakes down. This is despite a lot of efforts towards building full proof car air conditioners.
There are complex reasons why the car ac may start blowing mildly cold or warm air. In fact, some of these reasons may be costly to fix while others may not. The reasons range from malfunctioning damaged parts to timely wear and tear. When the ac won’t blow cold air it because of some parts of the car air conditioning system such as;
- Manifold gauge set.
- Cooling fan.
- Condenser.
- Cabin air filter.
- AC compressor.
Why my car ac is not blowing cold air?
Usually, the car ac is not blowing cold air because of compressor issues and leakages. The temperature of the air differs depending on the causative issue. In fact, you will notice that sometimes the air is cool but not cold. Other times the air will feel warm but not totally hot.
In order to fix these challenges, you will need to know where to start. Once you’re aware of where the problem is, you can decide on whether to visit a mechanic or to do repairs by yourself.
1. Ac system sensors malfunction.
The car’s air conditioning system consists of a number of sensors. Their objectives being to communicate with the onboard computer. Further, the pass data between the onboard computer and the compressor clutch. Malfunctioning car ac sensors will hinder the onboard computer from being able to determine the correct compressor clutch duty cycles.
2. Damaged compressor.
The compressors responsibility in the air conditioning is to pressurize the refrigerant. Inadequate oil may cause the compressor to fail. The refrigerant consists of a chemical called freon which cools the air that runs over it.
Unfortunately, when the compressor does not work, this freon won’t expand enough to provide a cooling effect. Also, insufficient freon, electrical problems and an overheated engine are part of the reasons why the compressor fails.
3. Electrical problems.
The car could be undergoing some electrical problems that are causing the car’s ac to fail. Since some ac components rely on proper operation of the car’s electrical systems, the ac may not be cold. Car electrical problems originate from issues such as blown fuses, batteries and the charging system.
4. Refrigerant leakage.
It is the heart of making the car ac to blow cool air. Because it helps to cool down the air that’s going in to cool your atmosphere. The refrigerant leaks due to faulty hoses. Further, a loose gasket, O-ring or seal could cause the refrigerant to leak.
5. Faulty cooling fan.
The engine has a condenser fan that helps in the cooling efficiency. When the car ac is not blowing hot air when idle but it blows cold air during acceleration, a faulty cooling fan is to blame. The fan blows air over the condenser to lower temperatures. Debris, leaves and dust also prevent air from passing over the condenser. This may result to rising temperatures and it may cause the car to overheat.
6. Moisture build-up.
The ac accumulator absorbs moisture in the AC system. Instances where moisture will build up in the ac system is when there is leaking refrigerant. Because when the refrigerant leaks and there is little to none that remains which causes moisture buildup.
Moisture creates corrosive acid when it reacts with refrigerant oil. This may sip into the ac system hence causing extensive damage. Further it will clog the ac system’s components.
7. AC condenser.
When you have set the AC to maximum cooling but its blowing moderately cool air, something is preventing the air’s cooling by the condenser. Check whether the cooling fan on the radiator or condenser are running. Further, assess whether there are restrictions that may be preventing the air from passing over the condenser.
How to turn on the car ac.
Lets say that the car ac is in a good operating condition. Now how do you turn on the car ac correctly so that it saves the AC from working too hard? The AC system’s concept involves expelling all the hot air found within the cabin.
1. Open the window slightly.
The cabin feels quite hot when you’ve left the car under the sun for a long time. It makes sense to open the windows in order to allow circulation of air within the cabin. This increases the rate at which the AC expels the hot air from the cabin. Drive for a while when the window is open. This will increase the rate at which the hot air inside the cabin is expelled.
2. Start the AC on low.
There is a temptation turn the ac all the way to maximum cooling. But this isn’t highly recommended. Further, this is a control that depends on the car’s ac system. Because most automatic ac systems usually start out at low and increases the speed. If your ac is manual, try adjusting the blower and temperature controls.
3. Re-circulation mode.
Recirculation mode is meant to return the air going through the vents back into the cabin. When you start the car’s AC, keep the re-circulation mode off. This is to ensure that the hot air isn’t taken back into the cabin. When the recirculation mode is off, the ac will have to suck the air from outside in order to cool the cabin.
Once the air turns cool it is safe to turn the re-circulation mode back on. This gives the ac the capacity to circulate the already cooled air back into the cabin. This keeps the cabin cool without the AC sucking air from outside.
4. Shutting down the AC properly.
Do not shut down the car’s engine without turning the AC off.
How to fix car AC is not blowing cold air.
There are instances where the ac is set to max cool and fans are on high but the air isn’t cool enough. Some of the things we have mentioned above could be causing this issue. Now this leads to your question on how you can fix car AC not blowing cold air. You will have to look at some parts within the ac system like the cabin air filter, cooling fans over the radiator, the clutch is engaging the compressor. Since that isn’t everything you will have to do, below is a list of things to look out for in order to fix car AC not blowing cold air.
- When your ac is on, look at the cooling fan on the radiator to see whether it is running. If it isn’t have a professional conduct the necessary repairs.
- Assess the air cabin filter for any accumulated dust particles or anything that may be clogging it and then unclog it.
- Use a manifold gauge set to check the pressure in the system. This will need you to refer to the car repair manual in order to make repairs.
- Ensure that the clutch is engaging on the compressor. The clutch is the center piece that engages the pully to the compressor shaft. Do this assessment when the fan and the ac are on to the max. Low refrigerant could be the cause of a disengaging clutch and refilling the refrigerant works. Otherwise, the clutch itself could be faulty and may require repairs.
- Ensure there are no leakages. Check the color of the leaking fluids under the car if they appear green. Do so by assessing the hoses on the compressor and their seals, the O-ring seals and check for holes in the condenser.
How do I know if the car AC compressor is bad?
The AC compressor works by putting the refrigerant under pressure. Further, it transports the refrigerant by pushing it through hoses. The AC compressor usually has two ports; one for suction and the other for discharge. The suction port brings in refrigerant while the outlet port allows it to exit towards the condenser.
1. Noises.
When you activate the AC then you hear some noises, its probably the compressor that is faulty. It is normal to have some sounds when the ac is activated and when you turn it off. But if the noise persists for too long, a faulty compressor could be the problem.
When the component parts of the AC compressor are faulty, they begin to grind and whine. The internal components include a sealed bearing which the compressor uses to turn. A solution is having a replacement compressor.
2. Lack of cold air.
A faulty AC compressor may be one of the reasons why the car ac doesn’t blow cold air. This comes about due to the fact that the refrigerant flow is unregulated. Not only will this cause the ac not to blow cold air but also it will cause the ac to produce heated air. Hence raising the temperatures within the cabin.
3. Leaking refrigerant.
The compressor is responsible for pressurizing the refrigerant in order to cool it and allow air cooling. The compressor keeps the refrigerant from leaking by using bearings found within it. The bearings wear down over time due to the constant pressurizing within the compressor. Afterwards, the refrigerant starts to leak out of the compressor.
4. Faulty compressor clutch.
The clutch works if the pully is able to engage and disengage at the right interval. The clutch connects to the vehicle engine to draw power from there when necessary. The clutch keeps the compressor engaged and receiving power from the engine. Hence the reason why the compressor fails if the clutch ceases action. A repair shop expert will provide a solution depending on the extent of the damage.
5. Broken suction pipes.
The compressor uses the suction pipes to transport pressurized refrigerant. In some cases, these suction pipes tend to be blocked or broken. A professional may try to unblock the pipes or if this isn’t possible, you will have to replace them.
Why is AC blowing warm air?
If your goal is get the car’s cabin temperatures to cool down, the AC should comply. Unless the following reasons will be present to prevent that from happening.
1. Refrigerant leakage.
This is one of the major reasons why the car AC blows hot air. Refrigerant is a fluid that is pressurized by the compressor in order to cool air. If the compressor’s bearings are faulty, the refrigerant could leak out of the compressor. Further, a worn out hose may cause the refrigerant to leak. Not forgetting that a punctured evaporator could leak some refrigerant.
2. Faulty electrical system.
A wiring problem could lead the car ac blowing hot air when you need it to blow cold air. Further if the car ac fuse is blown, there will be a problem in its operations. These are among the common car electrical system problems that might cause the AC to blow hot air.
3. Faulty Compressor.
A failing compressor will not pressurize the refrigerant properly. Hence preventing it from contracting and expanding at the appropriate rate. This hinders the air from being cooled. Further, a faulty compressor may be unable to facilitate the refrigerant from reaching the condenser.
4. Faulty condenser.
The refrigerant passes through the compressor to the condenser. At this point, the refrigerant usually has undertaken the process of removing heat from the air within the cabin. The condenser’s responsibility is to cool down the pressurized refrigerant so that it can go back to cool the air. The condenser uses the air flowing through the engine from outside to cool the refrigerant. Sometimes, clogging from dust particles and other elements prevents it from performing accordingly.