Quick Car A/C Fixes To Keep In Mind
Car air conditioning systems break down all the time. We understand. You can’t be spending a small fortune replacing systems every time something goes wrong. Of course, if you have a severe issue like a big hole in your A/C condenser due to flying debris, or an internal failure in your compressor, this cannot be fixed without replacing parts. But not every issue with the car A/C is that serious. Depending on the severity of the situation, you might actually be able to go for a quick fix to hold everything in place as a temporary measure until you can afford to, or find it absolutely necessary to, get parts replaced.
If Your Car A/C Has Ventilation System Problems
Good news: ventilation system problems are not actually issues with your car air conditioning system at all. It’s just a matter of something happening with the system that controls airflow through your car vents. For instance, the car vents may be blowing no air at all, or only blowing hot air, no matter how much you try to set it to cooler temperatures. Luckily, you don’t have to unscrew parts in your car to fix this issue. All you have to do is reset the ventilation system control computer, which may have started to malfunction. If you have an older vehicle that doesn’t use a control computer for your ventilation system, you can try checking the connections from the control cables to the flapper doors and blower motor fuse to see if you can manually adjust the ventilation system.
If Your Car A/C Has A Slow Refrigerant Leak
A slow leak could be the cause of your A/C problem. Slow leaks occur quite commonly due to the vibrations and temperature swings endured by the system across the different seasons of our climate, as well as the refrigerant itself being of a volatile chemical nature. With normal use, many A/C systems can still develop slow leaks, where you may not notice the impact until several months later. You can check if you have a slow leak by measuring the low side system pressure, if it is lower than the pressure specified by your compressor’s manufacturer, it could indicate that you are low on refrigerant, possibly due to a slow leak. You can also add a UV dye to your refrigerant and use a UV light after a day or two of use to check with more accuracy if there is any leakage. A slow leak can be quickly remedied using a stop leak seal.
If Your Car A/C Is Experiencing An Electrical Fault
Sometimes, the problem may lie with an electrical fault, causing your car A/C to shut down. Usually, these faults manifest themselves in the form of a blown fuse, or perhaps a wire having come loose. You would want to check the fuses that control your ventilation system, your A/C compressor’s magnetic clutch, and the fuses for your car’s electrical fans. You can find these fuses typically in a fuse box in your engine bay, otherwise, they might be inside your cabin, on a kick panel or low on your dashboard. One or more of these fuses may have blown to cause your A/C to malfunction, or only work for a few minutes.
Find out more about how you can fix your car A/C issues through our learning center, or get in touch with our certified technicians for a one on one consultation!