5 Reasons Why Your Car Air Conditioner Doesn't Cool

Vehicle owners who have never had their air conditioning repaired have no idea how expensive this procedure can be.

For this reason, they do not take care of the air cooling system properly, and after some time they begin to feel an unpleasant odor in the cabin or other negative aspects.

There are at least 5 reasons why the air conditioner in the car’s interior began to work much worse.

Reason 1. Ignoring the annual air conditioner maintenance procedure

Many car owners ignore the annual maintenance procedure for the air conditioning system, and there are those who do not know about it at all and believe that it will always work without any changes.

As a result, after some time the air conditioner begins to work much worse or even fails. All rubber hoses, due to their porous structure, are designed to leak up to 10% of freon.

It is not difficult to calculate its annual loss due to the lack of special maintenance.

This situation is quite dangerous because the system begins to work under heavy load, and the cooling efficiency is significantly reduced.

What should you check first?

If your air conditioner stops working properly or stops turning on, it is not necessary to seek the help of specialists. You can figure this out on your own. The information contained in this article will help you.

So, in order to understand what to tackle first, you need to study the main causes and symptoms. And only after that take some measures to ensure that the air conditioner works as before. These are:

Compressor failure. You can tell that it is the compressor that has broken down by the appearance of noise and oil streaks on its housing. Often the air conditioning compressor does not turn on because a substance such as refrigerant is leaking. The causes of leakage are cracks in the body, broken lines, and wear of the rubber gasket. Less commonly, the reasons may be: a weakened tension belt, worn shaft seal, electrical circuit failure and dirt;
Condenser failure. It is designed to cool the refrigerant so that it cools the air in the car. The malfunction occurs in cases where the condenser is quite dirty. As a result, cooling does not occur correctly; it happens that the air conditioner begins to turn off spontaneously, to the point where it stops turning on. When this happens, you need to clean it immediately, otherwise overheating and pressure increase in the cooling system will occur;
Evaporator failure. If you begin to notice that your car air conditioner stops working normally and at the same time water and a strange smell appear in the cabin from nowhere, then be sure that it is the evaporator that has failed. The reason for this breakdown is simple - corrosion, which was formed due to dirt and blockage of the moisture drain tube. This happens most often in winter;
Filter drier malfunction. This element is also called a receiver-dryer. Its task is to remove moisture from the system, as well as to clean the refrigerant from various waste products of the compressor.
The reasons why such a problem occurs may be non-compliance with the technology for refueling the car air conditioner. In order to determine this malfunction, it is enough to check the hoses - they should not be frozen, and because of this the car air conditioner can turn off on its own;
Malfunction related to the expansion valve. It is necessary in order to regulate and control the refrigerant in the air conditioner, depending on two factors: temperature and pressure. Symptoms of a valve malfunction: inconsistent supply of cooled air, the car air conditioner operates intermittently, hoses freeze. Valve failure can be caused by mechanical damage, incorrect adjustment, or dirt entering the system;
Fan failure. Its task is to additionally cool the refrigerant. But, since this element is not used in every air conditioner, this problem does not occur often. And yet such a breakdown can happen. Symptoms of a malfunction are high noise from the fan or a complete absence of its rotation. The reason why this problem could arise could be: a worn bearing, a malfunction of the electrical circuit and various mechanical damage;
Pressure sensor failure. Its main function is to turn off the system in the event of a critical pressure level of the refrigerant. In this case, the breakdown may be hidden in the electronics. The first manifestation of a malfunction, as a rule, will be unstable operation and spontaneous shutdown of the system.

Taking into account the above main breakdowns, you can confidently begin to search for the breakdown and repair it. And after it, your car will work as before, and the car air conditioner will turn on.

Reason 2. The air conditioner was not turned on for prevention during the winter season

Not many people know that the air conditioner must be turned on periodically for prevention, even in winter. This procedure is necessary because during its operation a certain lubricant evenly passes through all internal parts.

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This is a simple way to prevent the rubber seal from drying out, and also to maintain the tightness of the system while minimizing refrigerant leakage.

Important! During winter, it is necessary to periodically turn on the air conditioner for a maximum of 15 minutes in a warm room for prevention.

It is recommended to carry out preventive purging of the system in a warm room, for example, at a service station. It will take a maximum of 15 minutes, but it is necessary. Otherwise, during periods of increased use, the air conditioner will not withstand the load.

Damage to pipelines and seals

The most common problem with a car air conditioner is a freon leak. As a rule, this is due to damage to the pipeline or seals.

The pipelines in a car air conditioner can be either aluminum or rubber. If the former are damaged, the problem can be fixed using argon welding. However, it happens that this is simply physically impossible, since the pipeline itself is built into the frame of the car and to eliminate the damage it is necessary to perform a large amount of dismantling work, which means additional money and time. As for rubber hoses, there is only one way out - replacing them with new ones. It must be remembered that when replacing rubber hoses, it is necessary to install only original ones, since others can lead to additional damage to the air conditioner, and they have a shorter service life.

Seals must be replaced every time the air conditioner is repaired. This will eliminate the problem of premature depressurization of the system.

So, for stable and uninterrupted operation of the air conditioning system, you need to follow just a few rules:

in winter, when there is no need to regularly use the air conditioner, it is recommended to turn on the climate system in cooling mode a couple of times a week for 5-10 minutes. This is necessary so that the compressor shaft seal, rings and gaskets are lubricated, and the oil does not lose its properties due to inactivity;
during winter start-up, it is necessary to turn on the air conditioning only after the interior has completely warmed up;
while washing the car, gently rinse and blow out the air conditioner condenser (be careful not to damage the thin ribs of its cells);
Refill with refrigerant only at specialized stations where qualified specialists work and have the necessary equipment. Since it is necessary to strictly follow the filling technology, use high-quality freon and know the filling capacities of both freon and oil.

It’s better not to do the repairs yourself, but to immediately turn to professionals.

Reason 4. Lack of antibacterial treatment

An air conditioner is an ideal environment for bacteria to grow, especially when it breaks down and stops working at full capacity. Ignoring the antibacterial treatment of the radiator-evaporator will not only lead to an unpleasant odor in the cabin, but will also cause illness for passengers.

Pathogenic bacteria love faulty air conditioners, which create comfortable conditions for their reproduction. That is why it is important to carry out antibacterial treatment 2 times a year: before starting active use of the cooling system and after the end of the season.

Electronic sensors

On many machines, air conditioners for self-diagnosis purposes are equipped with electronic sensors, which are designed to measure pressure and transmit data to the electronic control unit. The latter analyzes them and, if there is a deviation from the norm, notifies the driver, who, upon receiving the signal, must go to a service center and check the functionality of the car air conditioner.

Air conditioner pressure sensor

However, the successful idea turned out to be spoiled in practice due to the quality of the sensors themselves. In addition to frequent breakdowns for unknown reasons, the device is not secured properly and can simply be knocked over by a stream of water while washing the car. Repair of such sensors is not provided. Currently, work is underway to improve them.

Refrigerant deficiency

The most common reason why the air conditioner in a car turns off in extreme heat is the low level of coolant in the vehicle system. During operation of the device, freon will gradually be consumed.

As a result, it needs to be topped up periodically (approximately every two years).

If the indicator of this substance reaches a certain minimum, it will not be possible to achieve a suitable temperature in the cabin.

Major complications

This may seem surprising, but a small freon leak can cause big problems in the future. The worst thing that can happen is the compressor overheating, since it is the refrigerant that cools it.

A rather unpleasant breakdown will be damage to the four-way valve, which is located inside the air conditioning unit. This valve can be damaged by the flow of hot gases that are pumped into the system by an overheated compressor.

The lubrication system may also stop functioning properly due to a small hole in the refrigeration circuit. The fact is that not only freon, but also oil can escape through this hole. Moreover, oil can penetrate inside the air conditioning system along with drops of moisture, which will be drawn from the environment into the air conditioner through the same hole.

Car air conditioner device

In modern cars, the car air conditioner can be either part of the climate system or a separate part of the air ventilation system. As a separate unit, car air conditioning is found in budget cars; all other cars are equipped with a climate system, of which the air conditioner is a part.

An interesting feature of the air conditioner in a car is that it does not use electrical energy for its operation; instead, the torque of the power unit is used, which is transmitted to the car air conditioner using a drive belt. In climate systems, everything is a little different, because... It is possible to turn on the air conditioner without the need to run the engine.

The air conditioner in a car is a closed system filled with refrigerant - freon and special oil for lubricating the internal parts of the air conditioner. This system consists of:

The most problematic areas of a car air conditioner are the pipes, compressor and electromagnetic clutch, as the most active components of the system.

The most expensive and important part of the air conditioning system is the compressor and its repair should be carried out with the utmost care and only by professionals. You can repair the air conditioner of any car model in our car service center.

By contacting us, each client receives detailed advice, thorough diagnostics and high-quality car air conditioning repairs.

You can repair the air conditioner of any car model in our car service center. By contacting us, each client receives detailed advice, thorough diagnostics and high-quality car air conditioning repairs.

How the air conditioner works in a car

The operating principle of any air conditioner, including a car one, is not much different from the operating diagram of a refrigerator - in both cases we are dealing with closed, sealed systems that use a certain refrigerant, which is a substance in a gaseous state. When the climate system is turned on, the compressor starts, compressing the refrigerant. It is known from the laws of physics that as pressure increases, gas heats up. Rushing in a heated state into the condenser (popularly called the “air conditioner radiator”), the refrigerant cools, turning into a liquid state. After this, its path goes to the receiver-dryer, where liquid freon is filtered from various contaminants and enters the thermostatic valve, where it again turns into a low-temperature gas.

Finally, the cooled refrigerant enters the evaporator, where it interacts with the air coming from the passenger compartment, cooling it. Here, the moisture present in the air flow settles on the cold radiator tubes and flows down, where a drain tube is installed to remove condensate outside. Meanwhile, the fan supplies cooled air purified from excess moisture back into the cabin. After the evaporator, the freon flows back into the compressor, completing a continuous cycle.

How to determine on your own why the air conditioner in your car does not work

If when you turn on you do not hear a characteristic sound and there is no change in engine speed, then check for the presence of freon. You can do it the “wrong” way by simply pressing the filler neck valve, although this method does not make it possible to estimate the amount of freon. But it works even when the compressor is turned off. If there is a “zilch”, then you spent a little freon, but made sure that the circuit is under pressure. The amount of freon can be estimated either by the operating pressure or when the compressor is running through the “eye”. If there is no pressure at all, then you will have to go to a mechanic to check the pipes and radiator.

Second in line is the electrician. Check the wires to the pressure sensors; they are located on the air conditioner radiator, and in the case of a system with a battery, also on it. They must be intact. Check the fuses of the air conditioning clutch and climate control system and radiator fans. Visually try to assess the performance of the coupling, if possible. Check the presence of a belt on the air conditioner pulley.

If the compressor turns on, but there is no cold, then it is useful to determine the amount of freon. Usually the tubes have a peephole to visually assess the condition of the circuit. If, when turned on, bubbles first pass through, and then almost none remain, it means that the compressor is pumping and there is enough freon. The problem lies either in the expansion valve or in the operation of the condenser and fans. If bubbles are constantly flowing, then there is a problem with the amount of freon, you just need to top up the system. If there is just a white suspension in the eye, then there is almost no freon, you urgently need to turn off the system and refuel it.

You can touch the tubes with your hand to be sure. The low pressure line to the compressor must be cold. If it is icy and the cabin is hot, then something is wrong with the air flow mixing system, or the evaporator is simply clogged with dirt from the outside. The high pressure pipe to the A/C radiator should be hot. This means that the compressor is working, at least partially.

Actually, it won’t be possible to do anything further without a pressure gauge and a special gas station. If the compressor pumps poorly, there is not much freon, but there is, or if the control system is not working correctly, then you will have to have the system diagnosed by a specialist. And remember: there are no units that cannot be repaired, even aluminum tubes are welded, radiators are repaired and replaced, compressors do not cost millions.