How Can You Cool Down Your Car Quickly
Even if your car AC is working fine, you can take some steps to increase the cooling efficiency. Getting in a car thats been parked under sun can feel awful. Do this to cool down faster:
1) Park under a shade: Dont let the cabin get hot by parking under a shaded area. You might say that this is quite obvious, but we often forget to do it. Buying aftermarket window shade or curtains is also a good idea.
2) Adjust the air vents: There are multiple AC air vents in a car but do we need them all when we are driving alone? Off course, you are better off just using the driver side and centre ac vents. Switching off the passenger and rear ac vents will considerably increase the air flow in the drivers area. Also if you have dual zone climate controls then that can also be adjusted to optimize the cooling.
3) Clear out the hot air from the cabin: When you get in a hot car, you need to try and remove the hot air from the cabin. The best way to do this is to crack the windows and run the AC with outside ventilation. Switch back to the recirculation vent mode after the hot air is released after 2-3 minutes. This is the best method to use car air conditioner settings.
Even if you think that your AC is working fine, you should definitely try some of the tricks mentioned above. I highly recommend replacing the cabin filter at least. Let me know in the comments if this article helped you in fixing your car ac. Let us know in the comments if you think we missed something.
How Long Do The Parts In An Auto Ac System Last
One of the ways that vehicle owners can avoid being surprised by auto repairs is by figuring out how long certain parts in their car are going to last. A repair wont catch you off guard when you have some general idea of how long your cars parts are going to stick around for. This goes for all parts, but its especially true for the parts found in an auto AC system. You should learn about how long theyll last so that youre not shocked when you have to pay the auto AC repair costs one day.
The truth is that its impossible to predict exactly how long the different parts in your cars AC system are going to last you. But generally speaking, you should know that something like yourAC compressor is going to continue working for about 8 to 10 years before itll need to be replaced. The same can usually be said for your AC condenser, too, which will often last as long as the compressor if not longer in some cases.
A good way to try and gauge how long these AC system parts and others will last is by having your AC system as a whole inspected every so often. You can typically have an auto AC inspected and tested forunder $100 in most cases. Itll help you figure out how much longer the different parts in your cars AC system are going to last you before theyll have to be either repaired or replaced.
Learn The Anatomy Of A Central Home Air Conditioner
Central home air conditioner service systems consist of two major components: a condensing unit that sits outside your house, and the evaporator coil that sits in the plenum of your furnace or air handler. The refrigerant in the A-coil picks up the heat from your home and moves it to the outdoor condensing unit. The condensing unit fan blows outside air through the condensing coil to remove the heat. The condensing unit houses the three parts replaceable by a DIYer: the AC contactor, the start/run capacitor and the condenser fan motor. The condensing unit also houses the compressor, but only a pro can replace that. The A-coil has no parts that can be serviced by a DIYer.
You May Like: What Do I Need To Register My Car In California
A/c Isnt Cooling Troubleshoot These Common Car Air Conditioning System Problems
Its no fun being stuck without air conditioning on a hot summer day, especially in a hot car where temperatures can quickly reach 150 degrees or more. But A/C is more than just comfort; its a safety issue too. In fact, one of the most dangerous places for someone to be during a heat wave is inside of their car without A/C since temperatures can spike to dangerous levels.
So if your vehicles A/C is only kicking out hot air, you should take steps immediately to get the problem fixed.
To help, our ASE-certified repair team here at Bryant Motors has put together a list of the most common air conditioning issues that you can troubleshoot on your own to get your air conditioner back up and running or to at least know the problem before bringing it into our repair shop in Sedalia, MO.
The six most common car A/C issues are:
- Leaking refrigerant
- Bad compressor
Your Ac Refrigerant Needs A Recharge
The most common cause of a vehicle’s air conditioner not getting cold enough is that it needs to be recharged. You can recharge your refrigerant by yourself, but to save time and make sure the job is done correctly you should make an appointment with your local professional auto shop.
The trusted professionals atAce Auto in West Jordan, Utahcan help you recharge your car’s AC refrigerant. Give us a call at 801-447-1693 for a free quote to get you back on the road with the comfort and safety with a recharged AC blowing crisp, cool air again.
Also Check: Can I Register My Car Online Florida
No 3: Theres A Problem With The Compressor
Your air conditioning relies on a compressor to keep the air moving, but if the compressor isnt working properly, that refrigerant isnt going to move around. One of the main reasons a compressor goes bad is from not being used for long periods of time, and the long cool seasons of fall and winter means that many Ohioans dont run their air conditioning for several months.
A compressor can also have problems if the clutch on the compressor gets stuck. If it gets stuck in the on position it will make your air conditioning run continuously, and if its stuck in the off position it will keep the compressor from engaging. Youll need to have your mechanic look at what is causing the problem with your compressor.
Should You Ever Make Repairs To Your Auto Ac System Yourself
Another thing that some people will try in order to avoid high auto AC repair costs is make repairs to their cars AC system on their own. This is something that might sound tempting to you if you have some experience working on cars and think you might be able to repair an AC compressor, an AC condenser, or another part in a cars AC system.
Youre free to give it a try if you want since its your car and youll have to live with the consequences. But more often than not, this is not the best way to go about saving money on auto AC repair costs. Many people end up doing more harm than good when fixing a broken auto AC system and have to call on a mechanic later on anyway for help. The mechanic then has to undo everything that they did and repair the AC system the right way so that it runs the way its supposed to. It costs people more in the long run than it would have to go to the mechanic from the start.
Car Ac Repair: What To Do When Your Car’s Air Conditioner Stops Working
If you’ve ever sat stranded in an endless traffic jam baking away on a 100-degree summer day without air conditioning, you’ll agree that a functional car air conditioning system is essential. Yet unlike many simple repairs, automotive AC systems are often misunderstood and can be costly to fix. If something goes wrong, a little familiarity with your auto air conditioning system will help you understand the severity of the problem when talking with your mechanic and can save you money on the repair.
How To Replace A Capacitator
- Take a photo of the wires before disconnecting anything .
- Discharge the stored energy in the old capacitor.
- Use needle-nose pliers to pluck one wire at a time from the old capacitor and snap it onto the corresponding tab of the new capacitor. The female crimp connectors should snap tightly onto the capacitor tabs.
- Wiggle each connector to see if it’s tight. If it’s not, remove the connector and bend the rounded edges of it so it makes a tighter fit on the tab.
- When you’ve swapped all the wires, secure the new capacitor.
WARNING: Discharge the capacitor before disconnecting wires or removing it from its bracket.
How To Repair The Ac Compressor Pulley And Bearing
The AC compressor pulley and bearing are essential to the air conditioning system. They are rotating as the engine is turned on. When the user requests cold air by turning the AC on, the compressor pulley and bearing start to spin along with the compressor clutch and cold airstart flowing. If you have a damaged ac compressor pulley and bearing, here is how you can replace them:
An Ac System Refrigerant Leak
When your vehicle’s AC system develops a refrigerant fluid leak it can be challenging to detect due to the fact that refrigerant fluid instantly evaporates when it comes in contact with air. A professional mechanic uses specialized tools to determine if there is a leak by introducing ultraviolet fluid to show signs of low refrigerant pressure in the AC system. Signs of an AC system refrigerant leak:
- Audible click when the AC is turned on.
- AC cycles on and off frequently.
- Hissing sounds from the AC system .
- Oil residue around AC pipe fittings and hoses.
A refrigerant leak repair may include repairing or replacing the specific failing component. If a large amount of fluid has been lost, your AC system will need to be flushed and the refrigerant fluid will need to be replaced to function properly and get the cool air flowing. *Please note that refrigerant is a very harmful toxic chemical and should not be handled without the proper equipment operated by a trained professional.
Climate Control Electrical Issue
The buttons, knobs and control screens that you use to adjust the temperature in your vehicle tell an AC/heater control module basically a computer to pass instructions to the heating and cooling system.
Just like with any electrical tool or appliance, this component or the parts that support it, such as electrical wiring, can break down or fail for a variety of reasons. As a result, your car’s AC could start to perform inconsistently, or even stop working altogether.
Solution: Due to the complex nature of the electronics in this system, an experienced and trained technician will need to evaluate the components to diagnose the true root cause, and ultimately repair or replace the faulty parts. You can help by clearly communicating and demonstrating the symptoms with the shop before they start working to fix this issue.
How Much Refrigerant Leakage Is Normal
An A/C system is not airtight, says Ward Atkinson, an air conditioning expert with the Society of Automotive Engineers. It can be nearly airtight, but refrigerant is always trying to push its way out and float away into the air. Refrigerant is a liquid when pressurized inside your car’s A/C system, but it leaks out as a colorless gas. You won’t see it or hear it when it happens.
R134a systems don’t leak as much as the old systems did back in the R12 days, but the SAE says the average model year 2017 car leaks 0.41 ounces of refrigerant per year. It’s a big improvement from 2001, when the European Union estimated the cars built that year leaked an average of 2.36 ounces per year.
Expantion Valve And Flushing
If you decide that the A/C system needs to be flushed in order to remove debris and oils you will need to remove the compressor, expansion valve, and the drier. DOT NOT FLUSH THROUGH THESE COMPONENTS. Also if you are retrofitting your system from R-12 you will need to flush out all the old mineral oil as oils tend not to be compatible with each other. Mixing oils or refrigerants will result to what is reffed to as as black death by mechanics. The pictures below cover the most difficult part which is the get to the expansion valve. Once you have the evaporator out the car you may find it to be very dirty. I cleaned mines in the shower, remember to be really careful not to get water in the pipes which freon runes through. If you already spent all that time getting it out the car its not a bad idea to replace the expantion valve and do the be best you can to wrap it in sum thermo insulation material. I used some packaging material and tape to hold it in place. The flushing proses I will not cover in detail, but all that you need to do is to spray a A/C flushing compound it the freon pipes. Then wait 20 min and flush it out with shop air. I was fortunate enough to be able to use the shop compressor at my school. If you use a potable one it most likely will not be able to keep up with demand and you will have to wait for the tank to refill.
You Can Feel Cold Air But Its Not Blowing
This could mean the A/Cs fan has stopped working or there could be air flow restrictions within the dash of your vehicle . It may be as simple as changing a wire, you may need a new fan unit or possibly a new evaporator core. Again, this isnt something the people change themselves, especially since it may require taking apart your cars dashboard to reach all of the components. The image below shows a worst case scenario where we had to pull the evaporator box out of a pickup to replace an evaporator core. The removed evaporator core will clearly not pass air through properly.
Signs And Symptoms Of An Overcharged Ac System
When your air conditioner is functioning properly it should come on almost immediately after you press the button in your car to get it going. If your car hasn’t been running in a while then you typically have a minute or two to wait before you start noticing any really cool air coming out, but there’s definitely a noticeable difference between a simple fan and the air conditioner when it’s working properly. That said, here are some symptoms you can be on the lookout for to let you know that you have an issue with your AC system.
Lack of Cooling:; As silly as it sounds, and as obvious as it sounds, this really is the number one sign that your AC system has been overcharged. If the liquid in the system doesn’t have the right amount of room to depressurize because it’s overcharged, then it will not be able to provide the cooling that it’s supposed to. You may experience a very slight amount of cool air coming through when you turn the AC on, but it may also just be the ambient temperature of the air around you, and in the worst circumstances it may actually start blowing out hot.
It should be noted that this may not happen in every system however because some air conditioner compressors have an emergency bypass that prevents pressure from destroying the pump.
Are There Any Car Ac Additives
Nowadays, there are many additives available for the air conditioner system. These are basically added to the refrigerant to revive it. But can it fix the years worth of wear and tear? According to a number of claims on the internet, I found out that they do seem to work pretty well as most said that it made their car ac cold again. Adding these additives basically removes a layer of oil that gets collecting in the coils. This collected oil hinders the heat exchange and reduces cooling. You should definitely try using AC refrigerant additive, also called AC SRA. I found an SRA on Amazon with some good reviews- Check the latest price.
