hino 268 Climate Control

WHY IS MY CAR AC NOT BLOWING COLD AIR?

Like every other part of your vehicle, the air conditioning system needs regular maintenance. The AC system helps you stay cool and comfortable on hot summer days and helps defog your windshield on cold winter mornings.

Before recharging the AC system in your car, you should understand how it works.

How does it work?

The air conditioning system on all modern vehicles is charged with R-134a, while some older vehicles still use R-12 freon. The refrigerant changes between a liquid and gas state, absorbing heat from inside the cabin. The hot air is drawn to the evaporator and gets compressed before being sent to the condenser, where it becomes cool and dry air.

There are many different reasons why your car's AC might stop working. Knowing what to look for can help you troubleshoot how to fix it.

Some common problems that can cause your car's air conditioner to stop working are:

• Low refrigerant caused by leak at one of the rubber seals or hoses, or a pinhole in one of the lines
• A broken AC condenser
• A bad AC compressor
• Issues with your AC evaporator, such as a leak caused by debris and corrosion
• The cooling fan blowing warm air or not blowing air at all
• A broken blower motor or fan resistor

CAR AIR CONDITIONER PARTS

Before jumping to conclusions and buying a bunch of parts and a car AC recharge kit, you should diagnose the problem with your car's air conditioning system.

Here are the main HVAC components you should inspect:

• AC compressor: Driven by the serpentine belt or an accessory belt, the compressor takes low-pressure freon gas and compresses it into high-pressure gas.
• AC condenser: Like the radiator, the condenser is mounted on the front of the car. It lowers the temperature of the refrigerant and changes the freon from liquid to gas.
• AC expansion valve: Sometimes a fixed orifice tube, this component lowers the refrigerant pressure to lower the refrigerant temperature.
• AC dryer: Also referred to as an accumulator, this part is located between the condenser and expansion valve. It removes water contamination from the refrigerant using a desiccant.
• AC evaporator: Located behind the dashboard, the evaporator is where the refrigerant changes back to a gas, causing a cooling effect that cools the cabin.

Sometimes, your car air conditioner might only need maintenance, such as a refrigerant recharge and a new cabin air filter. It's important to properly maintain your car air conditioner to avoid an unnecessary and costly car AC repair.

When in doubt, visit your nearest NAPA Auto Parts location and our parts experts will help you find the best car air conditioning replacement parts to repair or service your vehicle.