Summer season comes with extreme heat. Travelling in this season is full of discomforts like suffocation, sweating, and dehydration. Therefore, modern cars come with effective car AC systems. A healthy car AC system keeps the passenger’s cabin cool when the temperature is at higher levels.
Malfunctions in the car AC system reduce its efficiency. Sometimes car drivers feel that their car AC is blowing hot air or it is not working efficiently to keep regulate the temperature of the vehicle. In this condition, the service centre diagnose and eliminate the issue with the help of an air conditioning machine to fix the problem permanently.
In fact, repair work for a car AC system needs the help of a trained mechanic. You can surely detect some warning signs and some easy steps are possible to take but you need a mechanic for critical issues.
In this guide, we will provide valuable information about car AC and its maintenance.
Let us begin!
The role of the car AC system is vital in keeping the interior of a vehicle cool during hot summer days.
The car AC system transfers the heat from the passenger cabin to the outside of the vehicle. The role of refrigerant is extremely important in an AC system. This is a special fluid that functions by changing its state from a gas to a liquid and vice versa.
The functions of a car AC depend on the following components:
Compressor:
The role of the compressor is extremely important in the overall functioning of a car AC system. As the name suggests, this component compresses the refrigerant gas and raises its temperature and pressure.
Condenser:
You can locate this component in front of your car’s radiator. This component cools down the refrigerant. After cooling down, the refrigerant changes its state from a gas to a liquid.
Expansion valve:
This component is also vital for the functions of a car AC system since it regulates the flow of refrigerant into the evaporator. Reducing the pressure, the expansion valve lets the refrigerant expand quickly to reduce the temperature.
Evaporator:
This component is located inside the dashboard normally. The main function of this component is absorbing heat from the cabin and cooling it down by evaporating the liquid refrigerant.
As you see, different components are active in a car AC system to regulate the temperature of your cabin. The role of refrigerant is extremely important in the entire process.
Freon functions as a refrigerant in car AC systems. The refrigerant circulates through the system of the car AC to keep the cabin cool with the help of evaporation and condensation. This process takes place continuously as a cycle in an AC system.
This cycle is disturbed because of the presence of a defect in the system. Therefore, it is vital to keep an eye on the defects that may reduce the efficiency of your car's AC.
Defects in the compressor:
The compressor is a main part of the AC system. It is prone to damage to experience complete failure or leakage.
Refrigerant issues:
Leakage is the main issue that may take place in the AC system. This defect may reduce the overall efficiency of the entire car AC system.
Defects in condenser:
Since the condenser is situated at the front of your vehicle, factors like road debris, rocks, and accidents may damage it seriously. Your AC would not cool down the cabin due to a faulty condenser.
Faults in the Blower motor:
The blowing motor blows air into the car’s cabin. Faults in this cabin may lead to weak airflow or no airflow.
Blocked vents:
Vents are sometimes blocked because of dirt and dust. This condition affects the efficiency of the entire AC system.
Faults in electrical components:
Faults in the electrical system may take place due to blown fuses, damaged switches, and faults in wiring. You must check the electrical components for these issues because even a minor issue can reduce the efficiency of your AC.
Problems in the expansion valve:
Expansion valves may face problems like leaks and clogs. These issues may lead to inefficient regulation of temperature in the cabin.
As you see, different faults are possible in the car AC system. These faults do not take place silently in the system. There are some warning signs that you can detect easily to check the health of the car's air conditioning system.
The most common sign of a faulty car AC system is weak airflow. Sometimes you may experience no airflow as well. Moreover, your AC may blow hot air due to its inefficiency in evaporating cool refrigerant in the cabin.
Furthermore, you may hear unusual noises coming from the car AC. You may hear squealing or grinding sounds. These signs may indicate the presence of faults in components like the AC compressor.
Just like unusual sounds, you may experience bad odors due to the growth of bacteria or mold in the system. Moisture in the drains is usually responsible for this fault.
If your car's AC system has lost its efficiency, you need to visit a service centre for proper diagnosis and repair work. Service centres deal with several issues like damage, faults, and low levels of refrigerant. If your AC needs refilling, the garage is supposed to use an Aircon Regas Machines to fix the issue. Effective car AC machines have diagnostic capabilities and they can eliminate unnecessary gases and accumulations before refilling the coolant like (R1234YF Refrigerant).
As you see, different components function in a car AC system to maintain the temperature of your cabin. These components may develop faults like leakage, damage, or clogs. You usually need a mechanic to deal with the issues. Do not try to repair your car AC because cooling the cabin with a car AC is a complex process, including several steps. Only a trained mechanic may detect faults to fix the problem. So, do not hesitate to visit the service centre when you observe warning signs in the car AC.