It’s summertime, which means there’s hot weather outside of your car and an air conditioner on full blast on the inside of your car. And chances are that at the time you need your car air conditioning most is when it quits on you and starts blowing cool or even warm air. So why is your car air conditioning not cold?
We see this a lot here at AutoCool. And what we find are that the reasons for your A/C blowing mildly cool or warm air range from simple to complex, and from cheap to expensive. They can be caused by normal wear and tear, or actual damaged or malfunctioning parts.
Whatever the cause, AutoCool’s highly trained and experienced technicians can find the right problem and fix it for you, fast. Here are some of the most likely causes of your air conditioning not being cold.
A/C Refrigerant Leak
R134a or R1234yf is the chemical refrigerant that cools the warm air before it is blown back into your car. Since today’s air conditioning systems can be very delicate and need a specific amount of gas to operate, a leak in the system can be a big issue.
The leak can be from a damaged hose, a loose gasket or just a loose connection. To fix this, we need to find the leaky parts, fix or replace them, and then recharge the system with refrigerant gas.
Your Air Conditioning Needs A Recharging
Even the best air conditioners will lose up to 20% of their refrigerant each year. Typically so slowly that you never even notice the difference. And you may never realize that there is more than a degree or two of difference in your car’s current A/C low temperature.
But if you do happen to notice that your car air conditioning is not cold, you might just be low on gas. In fact, it’s the most common cause for your car A/C to not be as cold as it should be.
It’s easy for us to tell if your A/C has a leak. Just call us at AutoCool on 0800 772 3070 and we will come to you, home or workplace, no problem.
If it turns out that your refrigerant level is low, we can recharge your A/C from £69
Your Blend Air Door is Stuck
When you heat your car, warm air that flows over your engine goes into your car. When you switch your car air conditioning on, and try to cool your car, something called a “blend air door” swings across your ventilation system to close off the warm air coming into your car and allow the cold air from the A/C system to blow in.
Sometimes the blend air door gets stuck, and when it does, you’ll just keep getting warm air, no matter how well the rest of your car A/C system is working.
Fixing the blend air door often doesn’t require new parts, but it can be difficult to reach, as it’s deep behind your dashboard.
The A/C Compressor Doesn’t Engage
The heart of any air conditioning system is a compressor whose job it is to compress the gas. When the gas later expands, it gets very cold. Air blown across metal filled with cold gas causes the air to cool quickly.
If your compressor isn’t working, the air won’t get cold. And your compressor might not be working because of low gas levels, an electrical problem, or an overheated engine.
Blocked or Broken Condenser
The condenser’s job is to turn the refrigerant gas back into liquid. If the condenser is blocked by debris or is damaged, the refrigerant will not flow. When this happens, you won’t get cold or even cool air blowing from your air conditioner.
Electrical Problems
It’s also possible that there is a very simple reason your car air conditioning is not cold, and that is electrical. Some of your A/C system’s parts, including your compressor, are electrical. And something as simple as a blown fuse can cause it to stop working.
If you notice your car A/C is not cold, call AutoCool. Our mechanics can run a full diagnostic test on your car and tell you what’s wrong with your A/C.
With any luck, it’s a fuse and you’ll be on your way quickly. But if the problem is more serious, it’s good to know that our skilled technicians are here to diagnose and service your air conditioning properly.