It can be stressful trying to fix car AC problems yourself. While most car care centers sell DIY solutions, these products often don’t get to the root of the problem. In short, you’ll be finding yourself without air conditioning again if you don’t have professionals make the repairs. The good news? This kind of auto repair is relatively simple for a professional, experienced car mechanic like those who work here at Kernersville Auto Center. It’s almost always better to work with a professional instead of trying to do car repairs yourself. Let’s talk about what to expect when your AC needs repair.

How A Car AC Works

Your car’s AC works by changing the pressure of refrigerant, which causes the substances to change between its liquid and gaseous states. To understand this system, you must remember that energy (in the form of heat) always wants to flow to a colder substance until an equilibrium is achieved. This is why if you leave a hot mug of coffee or a cold glass of lemonade on the counter, they will eventually both be room temperature. Heat flows from the coffee to the surrounding air, and heat flows from the surrounding air to the lemonade until the coffee, lemonade, and air are all the same temperature.

First, refrigerant (as a gas) enters the AC compressor. As the name implies, compressors compress the gas, which causes it to heat up. So now you have a very hot high-pressure gas that flows to the next component, the condenser.

Even though it’s hot outside, the refrigerant is hotter. As refrigerant flows through the condenser’s coils, its heat transfers to the air outside of your vehicle, like heat from your coffee would transfer to the surrounding air. As the temperature drops, the gas condenses in a liquid.

Next, your vehicle will have either an expansion valve or an orifice tube. Both of these components restrict the refrigerant’s flow, turning it into a mist before entering the evaporator, which is behind your dashboard.

The mist evaporates, becoming a gas again. When refrigerant changes from its liquid state to its gaseous state, the temperature drops. The surrounding air is now hotter than the refrigerant, so heat naturally transfers again, this time flowing from the surrounding air to the refrigerant, similar to how your lemonade would get warm. Fans push the now-cooler surrounding air into your cabin though the vent, and the process starts over again.

Common Reasons Your Car AC isn’t Working

Sometimes, your car AC can stop due to small problems with the system. Other times, major repairs would be necessary to get the AC working again. This is why it often doesn’t work to fix car AC problems on your own. You really need an experienced mechanic to look at the system and diagnose the problem.

If your fans are blowing but the air isn’t cooled, the first thing we’ll check is if you need an AC recharge. AC recharging simply means adding more refrigerant to the system. Although this is supposed to be a closed system, even tiny leaks can cause low refrigerant. Most cars will need an AC recharge at some point, especially here in North Carolina where we use our air conditioning a lot. However, you should always check for and repair leaks when you recharge as part of your summer car maintenance. If you don’t, you could find yourself without working AC again quickly.

Fans blowing hot air could also be a sign that a system component isn’t working. Common issues include:

• Clogged filters
• Debris covering the AC condenser coils
• Voltage not getting to the compressor, usually caused by a blown fuse
• Bad compressor clutch
• Desiccant contaminating the refrigerant
• The expansion value or orifice tube not maintaining the right pressure

Leaks are by far the most common problem. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to find leaks, since they could be almost anywhere in the system. That’s where our mechanic’s experience comes in handy!

If your fans aren’t blowing at all, this is usually a sign that the blower motor is bad. Although replacing this part involves removing the entire dashboard in some cases, it’s usually a relatively fast job taking only a few hours. It depends on your vehicle’s make and model.

FAQs About How to Fix Car AC Problems

If you have any questions about how to fix car AC issues, feel free to get in touch with us. Our experienced mechanics would be happy to help you. Here are a few common questions customers ask us about fixing AC problems:

Can I do my own AC repairs?

While there are some AC recharge products on the market to help you fix you own AC, they do require you to know what’s wrong with the system first. Leaks are the most common culprit, especially if your AC is blowing but the air isn’t cold. If you just use a cheap AC recharge product to add more refrigerant to the system, it won’t be long before you run into the same problem again. You need a professional to find the leak so they can repair it.

How much does it cost to repair my AC?

Small AC problems, like just needing a recharge, are relatively inexpensive. However, larger problems can cost more, especially if you have multiple leaks or broken parts that are not easy to replace. If you bring your car to our shop, we can give you a price quote along with a breakdown of exactly how we’ll repair your vehicle.

What makes Kernersville Auto Center the best place to fix my AC?

Not only do we have certified mechanics with AC repair experience, but we also have top notch customer service. We explain all repairs to our customers in easy-to-understand language. This allows you to make the best decisions for your vehicle. Additionally, we offer a wide range of preventative maintenance services, as well as being an official state inspection location. You can bring your vehicle to our auto shop for all your car care needs. Schedule an appointment now to get your vehicle repaired, maintained, and back on the road quickly.