A/C Summer Check-list
A/C Summer Check-list
Posted on June 18, 2021
Summer is here and the bubble is back, it’s road trip season!  However, many drivers don’t think about checking the air conditioning in their car before the weather heats up.
Do you blast the A/C and nothing but warm air comes out? Or cool air? Or smelly air?  This is your air conditioning system telling you it may be time for some maintenance.
4 A/CÂ Warnings
1. Your Car Air Conditioner Isn’t As Cold
Maybe you noticed that your car air conditioning isn’t blowing as cold as it used to? This can be a sign that…
·         the refrigerant is leaking and/or needs a recharge.
·         you need to reseal a ring, hose or another component.
·         there could be a cold tube, failing compressor, failed motor, switched relay or control module
·         or possibly a Freon leak
These are sure signs that it's time for an inspection and service before they turn into major issues.
2. The A/C Is Blowing Hot Air
It’s roasting outside and you’ve plopped yourself in your stuffy car. You immediately blast the A/C and only hot air is blowing! Oh, this is not going to be fun. There are several reasons why your car is blowing hot air:
·         a blocked or broken air conditioning condenser
·         the cooling fans could be dead
·         your refrigerant could be leaking rapidly
·         or perhaps something is even wrong with an electrical component.
The condenser cools the refrigerant as it goes through your compressor and pulls in the outside air. The result is the car turns the hot air in the engine to a cool air conditioned airflow inside your vehicle.
3. Smelly A/C
As soon as you turn on the car air conditioning, smelly air starts blowing from the vents. This could be from:
·         a dirty cabin air filter
Your cabin air filter should be replaced every 30,000 km. Changing it more frequently definitely will improve the air quality. Your cabin air filter clears the air of pollutants like smog, dust, pollen, and fumes.
If you’re like me and keep the a/c on blast, you can have condensation drip down into the air filter. This contributes to the growth of mold and spores. If your air conditioning smells like a stinky gym bag, this is most likely the culprit.
4. The A/C Isn’t Blowing Any Air
If there is no airflow from the vents, there’s a number of culprits:
·         loose blower hose
·         fan unit could be malfunctioning or could be toast
·         an open seal leads to loss of air pressure
·         moisture accumulated in the evaporator core while the A/C was running.
Stay cool this summer and have your vehicle’s air conditioning system refreshed and beat the heat!