Common Problems With Car AC Units And How They Are Fixed
Not that long ago, cars were sold without air conditioning. Thankfully that has changed, and now almost all cars have AC. Of course, that means that sometimes your air conditioning breaks and needs to be repaired. Keep reading for a look at some of the most common AC problems and how they are typically repaired.
Problem: The air coming from your vents is cool, but not cold
Sometimes you might turn on the AC, and the air that comes out of the air is definitely cool. However, it never actually gets cold enough to cool the car down, and so you continue to feel overly hot and sweaty. This is definitely an issue as a properly working car AC unit should blow out air that is noticeably cold. In most cases, this issue points to a blockage in the condenser. The condenser is cooling, but the air is not passing by the full condenser, so the air is only being cooled off to a certain degree. A mechanic who works on car AC units should be able to locate and remove the blockage. This is quite a simple repair and may only take a couple of minutes to complete.
Problem: Your AC is very loud and makes rattling noises
Does your AC sound like a jet engine or a bicycle with something stuck in the spokes? If so, you may have an issue with the fan that blows the air through the AC system. There might be a loose bolt, or a blade could even have popped off the fan. In most cases, the best solution is to replace the entire fan. AC fans in cars are small and hard to work on, and the labor to repair a fan may cost more than just buying and installing a new fan. The new fan should operate quietly so you can drive without that rattling noise.
Problem: Your AC does not work at all
If the air coming out of your vents is warm or hot, then your AC has failed completely. In a car, this often points to a big refrigerant leak. A crack in the AC coil can allow all of the coolant to escape, and then your AC won't be able to cool. A car repair shop can fix the coolant leak and fill the coil with new refrigerant. This is not a cheap repair to have made, but it is the only solution if you have a big AC leak and want a cool car again.
Car AC units do fail from time to time. If yours fails, there is a good chance you're facing one of the problems above. Reach out to a mechanic to learn more about car AC repairs.
