Car ACIndia is known for very hot climate, so other Asian and middle east countries are, and if you are going on a long trip or you have to cover even a short distance but your AC fails to cool down car cabin and your car AC blowing hot air then it’s really frustrating.
Usually it happens due to faulty compressor or gas leakage but Sometimes there is minor issues which can be fixed at home with some DIY.
There are common solutions which don’t even need much knowledge or high efforts to solve it so here are things which can be taken care at home with your spare few minutes check and fix.
Main causes for AC to not working properly to cool down car’s cabin
There can be so many reasons that your car ac is not working properly and most of the time it happens due to poor maintenance of your AC components.
So most of the time problem is traced by minimal knowledge and efforts so here are main causes to slow your AC cooling
Low refrigerant levels or gas leakage
Refrigerant is commonly called as AC gas which is main reason your car gets cooled during your drive.
This is common issue with some old cars when components are aged and they start giving fault and you can identify the problem by hearing any hissing sound or bubbling sound from AC lines which reduces cooling capacity.
Sometimes you can find some oil stains or wet patches near AC hoses or fittings
Faulty compressor
Compressor is heart of AC system which sends AC gas into whole AC setup and in case of Compressor failure all AC system collapses.
When there is problem with compressor then AC stops working suddenly and then it start working itself. It makes loud clicking noise.
Even when AC is on then it gives cool air and next time hot air so it works intermittently.
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Condenser issues
Condenser is second most important component in AC system after compressor and It is fitted in engine bay near radiator.
Condenser cools down refrigerant to keep cooled airflow in your AC system. If it is clogged with any particle like dirt, leaves or raod debris it will not cool down AC gas which will result in hot air in cabin.
You can see if there is dirt or any damage to condenser which is blocking hoses to work properly. Mostly in this case car temperature improves while driving but when car is idle in traffic it effects cooling level.
Electrical or relay problem
Modern cars are equipped with lots of electronics and each electronic component has its relay so when there is an issue like fused or bad relay then it effects cooling capacity.
When there is an issue with relay then AC doesn’t even start as power supply is not reaching to AC unit especially with fused relay. A bad relay can inconsistent cooling.
If you see dashboard AC light is flickering it can be another sign of bad AC relay.
Cabin air filter blockage
Whenever people go for Servicing their car they pay attention only on regular parts to maintain but they forget that their car has another air filter which exists in the AC system and they don’t ask service center guys to clean or maintain after some specific kms.
Over the time it gets filled with dust, debris which choke its airflow and which results in less cooling or even it doesn’t work.
A clogged air filter blocks the airflow even at maximum fan speed even there can be musty or dusty smell in the cabin after turning on AC and there will be visible dirt when filter is removed.
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Step by step DIY fixes
Here are some small steps which can be taken at home to avoid visiting mechanics or service center which will take a good amount of money for simple work which can be done with less efforts at home.
While washing car ask the washing guy to clean the AC condenser with gentle water spray which will clean all the dirt or debris from condenser and keep it works well.
If you see any flickering in dashboard ac lights or inconsistent AC flow then check relay and fuses you can buy it yourself from spare parts shop and change it at home or keep a spare relay or fuse at home it will be helpful.
With minimal efforts you can clean tye air filter at home or you can replace it if it needs to be replaced. Regular inspection and cleaning increases the efficiency of AC
Always check the refrigerant level if you feel any less performance in your car AC there are pressure gauge which gives accurate reading.
When to visit to a mechanic
There are some issues which can’t be solved by you so you need any mechanic for them as they need professional knowledge and tools.
If your car’s AC compressor is noisy or not working properly then you should visit a mechanic or service center as it needs mechanical work to fix this problem.
If there is any hissing sound or stains on ass hoses or wet patches near AC vents then you should visit a mechanic.
If you change fused or relay but problem is still there then you should go to service center as it is a mechanical error which can be fix with professional scanning only.
Even if everything seems good but still AC performance drops suddenly without any visible cause then visit service center for better solution.
Common mistakes to avoid
There are some mistakes which even some mechanics also do so you can avoid it by telling it or you should also known for yourself to avoid doing wrong work on your car
Sometimes mechanics fill refrigerant or AC gas without fixing leakage which resulted in leaking new gas too and problem remains there same. So its better to inspect fault first and repair any leakage before topping up gas.
Sometimes some car owners ignore weak cooling in their car which later leads to big problems which needs more money to fix entire AC system.
Some local mechanics keep some low quality refrigerant or amAC parts which fail in short duration and it can also harm your car AC system so always avoid to save some money on refrigerant or parts.
Don’t relay only on yearly service so always check any fault or basic checks at your home by yourself.
Conclusion
So a car’s AC is most crucial part in a car especially for hot indian summers so never avoid checking your AC components and functionality.
Ome basic fixes at home can make your car AC long lasting and efficient on cooling and also less load on your fuel consumption.
