Air conditioning in a car is no longer considered a luxury, it is considered a necessity. It is common for cars to have air conditioning included as part of the basic package. It is also common for the air conditioner to cause problems at one time or another. Repairing an air conditioner can be expensive. It is often best to catch a problem earlier rather than later when it comes to the air conditioner in a car. The key is knowing what to look for and what to do.
Signs of a Problem with the car Air Conditioner
The first sign that the air conditioner is not working is the most obvious. When you turn it on, it blows out hot air. If the air does not get cold, you have some type of problem. There are times when the air will get somewhat cooler, but it will not get as cold as you think it should. The problem with this is that it based on the individual’s judgment of what is hot and what is cold. That can vary depending on the temperature outside or if the person has done something to raise their body temperature.
The best way to check whether an air conditioner is cooling the way it should is with a thermometer designed to measure the temperature of the air. A person can discover what it should be for the air conditioner in their car. If the air coming out does not register a low enough temperature, there is a problem.
Other signs are not as easy to determine. There could be a smell coming from the air conditioner if the parts are not working properly or there could be noise created that does not sound right. A person may be able to listen to the compressor to determine if it is running when turned on.
Get Professional Air Conditioner Help
A person would do best to get help from a professional if they think their air conditioner in their car is not working properly. The professional will have the equipment to test it properly and can determine what the problem is. It is best to have the air conditioner checked on a regular basis. If a person has it checked before it gets hot, they will have less to worry about.
It is best to service the air conditioner before the weather begins to heat up. It can be done by taking it to a service center or it can often be done by the home mechanic. Servicing the air conditioner requires few basic steps and equipment.
The Basic Steps for Servicing Car Air Conditioning
- Check for pressure – A gauge can test the pressure of the air conditioning system. If the pressure is lower than it should be, refrigerant can be added to bring it up to the right level.
- Check for leaks – If refrigerant had to be added, it may be due to a leak. If there is a leak, the pressure will quickly drop. In order to check for this, the car and air conditioner should be run for several minutes after refiling the system. Once it has run, a special thermometer is used to test how the system is working. If the system does not meet the necessary specifications, it is a sign of a leak.
- Find the leak – It may be easy to discover there is a leak, but finding the leak is not so easy. This is the part that gets really tricky. The refrigerant has to be drained using equipment that is designed to collect it without releasing it into the air. From there all of the lines can be checked A fluorescent dye can be injected that will help spot the leak. This may require working around the different components of the air conditioning system and requires a fair amount of effort.
- Fixing the leak – The leak can be anywhere in the system, but there are some places that are more likely than others. The lines are made of aluminum and are not prone to leaking. Most of the leaks are in the components of the system. Once the leak is found, it can be repaired by replacing the part that is leaking.
Air conditioning repair is not always cheap, but it is better than driving around in a hot car.
If you are not happy with your air conditioning in your car or want to have it checked to avoid any problems as it gets warmer, give Lorentz Automotive a call to see how we can help you out.