How to Identify and Troubleshoot Common AC Failures

While car airbags come in handy during collisions and accidents, your car air conditioner takes care of you when everything is going on fine. However, when your car AC breaks down for any reason, this spells doom both for the driver and the other car occupants. Today, we focus on the 5 common AC problems and how to fix them.

Just before we dive into the problems, let’s see what you are missing by having a faulty car AC. From this guide, you will realize air conditioners in cars are not just for comfort but a safety issue too! Who knew?

A great AC puts you ahead of drivers with a faulty AC. How? Statistics show that fatigue and exhaustion are responsible for most accidents. By having an air conditioner in a perfect working condition, you breathe fresher air. The result is better concentration and judgment behind the wheels.  

With a tip-top AC, you could roll up all your windows and make use of the car’s full potential. In fact, contrary to the popular notion that AC affects fuel consumption, the AC could actually reduce fuel consumption on longer journeys. Rolled down windows just have a way of slowing down the car, making you to crank up the throttle more to gain speed.

A misty windshield impairs your vision of the road ahead. The windshield heating system takes time to heat up and clear the mist. You are better off using your car Air Conditioner to beat the mist out of your vision faster.

Now, this is the most obvious of all the benefits a great AC. You could roll up your windows all through without experiencing sweaty armpits. It also keeps you safe from potential muggers who could take advantage of rolled-down windows to harass motorists or steal from them.

If your AC isn’t working, chances are you are having a run-in with the following AC problems

• Faulty cooling fans
• Electrical faults
• A leaking refrigerant
• Damaged compressor
• Clogged condenser

While there are many other problems that would make your AC to malfunction like a broken condenser, these are the most common culprits.

When the cooling fans are not in top-notch conditions, your car will only supply warm air. One of the most common causes of this is debris on the road. These particles could hit your cooling fan and cause damage. A visual inspection of the car cooling fan should do the trick.

Now, for this, the only sustainable solution is to simply replace it with a genuine spare part. Blown out fuses could also be a cause for a faulty fan. In this case, you should consult experienced car electricians to help you out.

This is perhaps one of the most difficult faults to diagnose. Nevertheless, you should always check for broken wires, loose wire endings. Once you notice these broken parts, you could easily fix them and Voila! You are back on the road fresher as ever!

The AC refrigerant could leak at any time. Due to the extreme temperatures in the car engine and adjacent parts, the AC hose connections are a major area for the leaks.

So, when you notice malfunctioning of your car AC, it is proper to check for any leaks around these connections. When you find leaks, you could use AC sealants to fix the problem and try again if it works. If that is the problem, it will work.

The compressor is responsible for circulating the AC refrigerant. Without the AC compressor, your car could heat up to extreme temperatures to become a health risk.

Now, one of the reasons your AC compressor could get damaged is prolonged periods without use. Car experts recommend 

You should use the AC for at least 15 minutes every three weeks. Regardless of the ambient temperature, please just use the AC. This will extend the lifespan of your compressor for a better driving experience.

Through a visual inspection of the AC condenser, you should be able to notice any blockages. However, if there are no visible blockages, the condenser could be punctured. This is normally caused by debris on the road jumping through the grill.

In this case, the only viable solution is to replace the condenser. This will ultimately restore your former comfort in the car.

Your car AC is not only a luxury component. It is a safety issue. For this reason, all cars in this age come with a standard AC. If you notice any anomaly with your car AC, this guide should help you diagnose the problem and fix it. At the least, it should put an end to the fishing in the dark as far as AC fault diagnostics is concerned.