Air conditioning units can develop various faults during usage. Usually, the flaws affect the optimal functioning of your vehicle’s air conditioning system. However, you might be unable to recognize these issues whilst they develop. Therefore, it’ll be best to take your vehicle for  routine auto AC and heat service car maintenance.

Here are some major issues your car’s air conditioning (AC) system can present: 

The Air Isn’t Cold

Sometimes, your AC is on, and while passengers may feel air coming out of the vent, it never gets cold. When this happens, the leaking refrigerant is the root cause.

The refrigerant is crucial to the air conditioner’s cooling process. Cool air in the vehicle’s chamber comes from a stepwise compression and a subsequent reduction in refrigerant pressure and temperature by distinctive air conditioning parts. Most of these AC components won’t work without the refrigerant. 

Refrigerant leaks can happen suddenly During certain periods, a hole might form in the AC unit’s connection, hoses, condenser, or compressor. 

In some cases, the evaporator may even rupture. 

Once these defects occur, the refrigerant leaks through the hole or rupture, preventing the air from getting cold.

The most concerning fact about refrigerant leaks is that they can go unnoticed. Thus it’s challenging to identify as the liquid instantly evaporates upon exposure to the environment. 

To confirm refrigerant leaks, you’ll require professional service to diagnose and solve the problem correctly. A top-notch AC technician will put a fluorescent tracer die and refrigerant into your car’s air conditioning unit. The next step involves operating the AC unit and looking for leaks using a blacklight. 

After they’ve identified all the leaking regions, they can commence repairs and conclude proceedings with an evacuation and recharge. Once done, your AC unit will start producing cold air again.

AC Vent Isn’t Producing Air

Sometimes, you can discover your air conditioning vent isn’t producing air. Albeit enabled, the AC unit doesn’t facilitate any output. 

This problem is often complex and difficult to pin down. Thus, you’d need to consult an expert car technician to conduct proper checks in the system and nail the origin of the problem.

Usually, skilled technicians thoroughly investigate the following components:

• Fuse or Relay

One reason your air conditioning unit isn’t producing air might be due to a blown fuse. The fuse is responsible for supplying the power necessary to keep the blower motor working. 

As such, if the fuse is blown, a power supply disruption to the blower motor occurs, thereby preventing the flow of air through the vent.

The problem can also originate from a bad relay. This part takes small amounts of electric current within the air conditioning (AC) unit and utilizes it to regulate the more significant  necessary for ventilation. Thus, when the relay is bad, it cripples the AC unit. 

• Blower Motor or Blower Resistor

Experts have discovered that blower motor failure and deterioration is often associated with the failure of an AC unit. The blower motor acts like a regular fan in the system, pushing air through the vent into the vehicle’s chamber. 

However, your blower motor can weaken due to age or wear off from constant use causing a malfunction that  stops airflow through the vent.

The air conditioning (AC) unit has a blower resistor that works alongside the blower motor to regulate the level and speed of released air. Due to its presence, you can go through different air levels and rates spanning from low, medium, and high, depending on your preference. 

Damage to the blower resistor also affects the blower motor, resulting in an inability to generate air. 

• Belts and Hoses

Every car AC unit has a network of belts and hoses essential to its seamless operation. As time goes by, these parts become prone to leaks, detachments, and blockages. 

When any of these scenarios occur, it affects the air conditioning system’s ability to produce air through its vent.

• Air Intake 

Generally, air flows into the car through two channels. The vents on the windshield’s lower portion serve as a suitable inlet for air. On the other hand, air gets into the car by recirculation inside the cabin. 

Air supply through both routes can be obstructed by a blocked filter or other materials. If a blockage occurs, the AC vent may produce little or no air.