We here at Journey Auto Repair realize that it’s still winter, but imagine it’s summer. Few things are more frustrating than turning on your car, truck, or utility vehicle’s air conditioner only to feel hot air. We recommend that you have the AC checked every spring to make sure it’s ready for its summer job. There are many things that can make an air conditioner blow lukewarm or hot air. We can check for the following problems at your AC’s spring checkup.
Clogged Condenser
It’s hard not to feel sorry for the air conditioner’s condenser. It is located directly behind the front grille. Consequently, it gets pelted continually by road debris. The condenser cools off hot refrigerant so it can be circulated through the air conditioning system again. It uses vents and a fan to do this. The debris that inundates the condenser can clog the vents and damage it. When this happens, it may be unable to cool down the hot refrigerant.
Faulty Compressor
The compressor changes the refrigerant from a gas to a liquid. It then circulates the refrigerant through the air conditioning system to cool off the air that flows through the vents. The compressor does not get pelted by road debris, but it can malfunction if it isn’t used frequently. It might seem odd, but the more you use the compressor the better it works. If you haven’t used your air conditioner in a long time, the compressor may have gone bad.
Malfunctioning Fan
As we mentioned above, the condenser has a fan that helps it cool off the hot refrigerant. If your vehicle’s air conditioning system has an electrical problem, it’s possible that the fan will not work. When this happens, the coolant remains hot and so does the air that blows through the vents. The fan can also go bad if you drive an older vehicle that has a ton of miles on it. At some point, the condenser fan will reach the end of its life.
Reduced Refrigerant Levels
Finally, you have already learned that the refrigerant takes on two different forms. It starts off as a gas and is turned into liquid by the compressor. The refrigerant levels can be reduced by evaporation and leaks. If you have low refrigerant levels in the air conditioning system, there may not be enough refrigerant to cool down the air.
Journey Auto Repair is the best auto service shop in New Hope, MN, so give us a call today to schedule an appointment for your vehicle’s air conditioning service.