It’s still winter, but it’s coming up on the perfect time of year to have your car, truck, or utility vehicle’s air conditioner inspected and serviced to make sure you get to enjoy cold and refreshing air all summer long. Buellton Garage would be happy to schedule a spring AC maintenance service, but we can also check your AC now if you turn it on and it isn’t working. There are several problems that cause car air conditioning failure. We are going to list these problems below.
Damaged Condenser
The condenser has the unfortunate position of being located directly behind the grille. This turns it into the perfect target for road debris. The condenser’s primary job is to cool off the hot refrigerant once it’s circulated through the system. It uses both a fan and vents that allow the outdoor air in. The road debris can clog the vents and damage the condenser body, leaving the refrigerant hot.
Faulty Condenser Fan
The road debris can also damage the condenser fan, or the fan may die on its own. An electrical problem – more on that below – can also cause problems for the condenser fan, and, consequently, you might end up with hot refrigerant circulating through the system and hot air blowing through the vents.
Malfunctioning Compressor
The compressor takes the refrigerant in its original form, gas, and turns it into a liquid. This allows the refrigerant to circulate through the system and cool off the air before it blows out of the vents. The compressor is a workhorse that does its best job when it is run a lot. If you haven’t run your car’s AC in a long time, the compressor may malfunction.
Low AC Refrigerant Levels
The refrigerant levels can get too low due to evaporation or leakage. Over the years, the refrigerant will slowly evaporate and you might end up with levels so low that the air cannot be cooled off. The refrigerant can also leak out of the hose connectors when it is in its liquid form.
Electrical System Failure
Finally, as promised, your vehicle’s AC has an extensive electrical system that does everything from turning on the AC when you press the button to operating the condenser fan. Electrical system problems can render the air conditioner useless when you try to operate it.
Buellton Garage is the best auto service shop in Buellton, CA, and we’d be happy to inspect your car’s AC and make any necessary repairs. Call us today for a service appointment.