Why is Your Car AC Not Blowing Cold Air?
When summers in Kitchener turn sweltering, it’s pretty easy to take our AC system for granted; after all, we get instant relief at just the flip of a switch, which is about all that matters to us when we’re stuck in a hot car! But did you know there’s far more to your car’s AC than meets the eye? In this blog, we’ll be breaking this complicated system all the way down to the components, so in the event that something goes wrong, you can know exactly where the problem started.
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How Does Car Air Conditioning Work?
To keep that all-important cold air flowing, your car’s AC system relies on a complex circulatory system to manipulate refrigerant (or “Freon”) between liquid and gaseous states, absorbing the heat and humidity to leave you with a refreshing chill. This system consists of:
- Compressor: Mounted to the front of your engine and driven by its serpentine belt, your compressor inhales ambient air and compresses it into hot, high pressure gas. An electronically operated clutch controls the temperature of the AC’s output and turns on and off depending on what temperature you want, or if the HVAC module detects that the desired cabin temperature has been reached.
- Condenser: The next stop for your refrigerant is the condenser, which is located behind the grille on the front of your vehicle. Using forced air from either a fan or the movement of your vehicle, the condenser helps the refrigerant maintain its high-pressure state while reducing its temperature, turning it from gas into liquid.
- Thermal Expansion Valve/Orifice Tube: Your vehicle will have either a thermal expansion valve or orifice tube, usually located between its condenser and evaporator and responsible for monitoring system pressure and temperature. From these insights, it serves as a metering device that distributes the appropriate amount of refrigerant. This is an important step, as too much refrigerant can cause just as many problems for your air conditioning as too little. This component may also have a fine mesh screen built in to block debris and other contaminants from entering the system.
- Receiver/Dryer: Found between the condenser and metering device on vehicles with a thermal expansion valve (vehicles without a thermal expansion valve will have an accumulator instead, which prevents excess refrigerant from entering the system), the receiver/dryer traps debris and moisture to stop it from entering and damaging other parts of your air conditioning system. As the name suggests, the receiver/dryer uses desiccant to remove water from the refrigerant as it passes through.
- Evaporator: Housed behind the dashboard of your vehicle’s cabin, the evaporator is where your refrigerant becomes a low-pressure gas. As it travels across the evaporator, it removes the moisture in the air of your cabin and cools you down, bringing you the pleasant cool blast you want on a hot and humid day.
- Clutch Cycling Switch: The last component to note is the clutch cycling switch, which cycles the compressor depending on how much pressure is built up in your accumulator. Simply put, the role of this switch is to make sure the core of the evaporator doesn’t freeze!
What is Refrigerant?
Also known as “Freon,” refrigerant is the star of the show when it comes to air conditioning. If you use an air conditioning system in your home, you might already be familiar with its role. Its main goal is to shift states as necessary to absorb heat and moisture and leave only cool air in circulation–something that’s becoming increasingly crucial for Kitchener’s summer highs, especially when heat warnings are issued!
Common Faults With Car Air Conditioning
Unlike many other parts of your vehicle, your air conditioning unit has no set schedule for checks or refrigerant recharges; instead, it’s up to you to go by how the system feels. It might feel a little daunting or hard to determine if it’s time for servicing, so here are some important signs to indicate you need an air conditioning check:
- Oil or refrigerant leaks
- Reduced airflow through condenser
- Hot or warm air from your vents
- AC clutch won’t engage
- Unusual noises from under the hood while your AC is running
- Inconsistent, weak, or no AC function at all
- Can’t turn your AC on or off
- Moisture inside your AC system or misting on your windows
- Signs of dirt or clogging
- Freezing in evaporator, or evaporator is too warm
Book an Air Conditioner Check at Heffner Toyota
At Heffner Toyota, we’re dedicated to bringing you the best driving experience possible, so if you suspect that something might be going wrong with your AC system after reading this blog, don’t hesitate to reach out to our skilled service technicians to book an appointment! We’ll inspect your vehicle’s AC system thoroughly and get it running cold again, just in time for the return of warmer weather! We understand life is hectic and it’s hard to find the time for appointments, so we offer extended service hours to ensure you can get your vehicle looked at without having to take time off work. We also offer a complimentary shuttle service so you can carry on with your day while we get to the bottom of any extensive problems.