Is your car air conditioning not cooling you down? Is it blowing out hot air rather than cold air? This is not ideal, especially during the hotter months in Worthing. There are some things you can do to improve and get the best performance from your car’s air conditioning system.
The Importance of Air Con in Your Car
Your air conditioning system in your car is a sealed system. The system uses rubber hoses alongside aluminium pipes. This system naturally loses refrigerant in the form of gas, meaning it will have to be replaced over time. If this doesn’t get replaced, the air conditioning will not cool you down.
Replacing the refrigerant is actually cost-effective in the long run. If the levels get too low, the system will not effectively work. This combined with periods of inactivity can cause problems to arise resulting in component malfunction. To prevent these problems and your car air conditioning not cooling you down, it’s best to operate your air conditioning throughout the year, alongside servicing it regularly.
How Does Your Car’s Air Conditioning Work?
For those who like to know exactly how their car works, this is how your basic air conditioning systems cools your vehicle:
The car’s compressor transports the refrigerant liquid around the air conditioning system
During the journey, this refrigerant goes through something called the expansion valve and boils, turning into gas
Air from inside the car is passed over the evaporator
During the boiling, the refrigerant absorbs the heat inside the car
The gas is targeted into a compressor, which raises the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant
The refrigerant gas passes through a condenser and out via the condenser fan
The heat is drawn out of the refrigerant and into the ambient air
Your car’s air conditioning system has successfully moved the heat from the cabin outside of the vehicle and cooled the air inside the car
Is The Air Conditioning System Checked During a Service or MOT?
The air conditioning of the vehicle is not checked as part of the MOT. It is also uncommon to be checked during a manufacturer’s service. However, we provide a specific air conditioning check, which we recommend is completed roughly once a year. In addition to this air con check, you will want to book an air con service every two years.
Why Is My Car Air Conditioning Not Cooling?
If your car air conditioning is not cooling and is blowing out hot air, this will be due to a low level of refrigerant. This can be natural loss or there may be a problem. Without correct levels, the heat is unable to be removed. This is a simple problem to solve and just requires a top up of refrigerant.
Re-Gas and Refrigerant Replacement
A re-gas is during the event that your refrigerant levels are low and requires replacement. Here is the process we will perform:
1
Firstly, we performance test the vehicle. This will indicate the current system status, and we will measure the temperature between the inside and outside of the car
2
We then remove the refrigerant, weigh it and check it against the quantity your car requires
1
Firstly, we performance test the vehicle. This will indicate the current system status, and we will measure the temperature between the inside and outside of the car
2
We then remove the refrigerant, weigh it and check it against the quantity your car requires
3
We carry out a vacuum leak check, followed by a pressure leak check to make sure we find any faults that didn’t present themselves during the vacuum leak check
4
Next, we remove the moisture using a specialist vacuum pump
5
The next step is for us to add dye to aid in any future leak detection
6
Then we weigh the correct amount of refrigerant
7
Finally, the last step is where we complete another performance check to ensure the air con is working and able to cool the car
3
We carry out a vacuum leak check, followed by a pressure leak check to make sure we find any faults that didn’t present themselves during the vacuum leak check
4
Next, we remove the moisture using a specialist vacuum pump
5
The next step is for us to add dye to aid in any future leak detection
6
Then we weigh the correct amount of refrigerant
7
Finally, the last step is where we complete another performance check to ensure the air con is working and able to cool the car
1
Firstly we performance test the vehicle. This will indicate the current system status, and we will measure the temperature between the inside and outside of the car.
2
We then remove the refrigerant, weigh it and check it against the quantity your car requires
3
We carry out a vacuum leak check, followed by a pressure leak check to make sure we find any faults that didn’t present themselves during the vacuum leak check
4
Next, we remove the moisture using a specialist vacuum pump
5
The next step is for us to add dye to aid in any future leak detection
6
Then we weigh the correct amount of refrigerant
7
Finally, the last step is where we complete another performance check to ensure the air con is working and able to cool the car
The re-gas process is common and something we complete more frequently in the warmer months.
What is Involved in an Air Con Service?
An air con service is a separate procedure to the re-gas and refrigerant replacement services. The air con service will help prevent nasty smells and help to cool down your vehicle. Here is what we do during this procedure:
Inspect the A/C condenser to ensure it is working correctly
Clean out any leaves and debris caught in the air con condenser to improve the heat exchange
Inspect and report on the compressor drive belt
Inspect the pipes for the air con under the bonnet to ensure they’re secure
Replace the refrigerant receiver dryer or accumulator
Inspect the pollen filter and replace if required
Kill any bacteria lurking in the vehicle vents with an air conditioning debug treatment
As mentioned earlier, we recommend an air conditioning service to be carried out every two years, alongside the system being re-gassed to ensure necessary maintenance has been completed, minimising the potential expense of system faults.
How To Prevent Your Car Air Conditioning Not Cooling:
There are some things you can do to keep your air conditioning system running smoothly. One trick is to use your air con throughout the year even in the winter as this keeps the compressor working and can help dehumidify the air inside your vehicle and clear the mist from the windows during the colder months.
Still Finding Your Car Air Conditioning Not Cooling?
The best thing you can do is give us a call so we can look at the problem before it gets worse and becomes more expensive. Give us a call today, or book online below.
