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 AutoAid. 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 damage or malfunctioning parts.
Whatever the cause, AutoAid’s ASE certified mechanics can find the right problem and fix it for you, fast. Here are six of the most likely causes of your air conditioning not being cold.
Freon Leak
Freon 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 freon 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 Freon.
Your Air Conditioning Needs A Recharging
Even the best air conditioners can lose a little bit of refrigerant over a number of years, 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 freon. In fact, it’s one of the most common causes 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 bring the car in and we can run some tests. If it turns out that your refrigerant level is low, we can recharge your A/C.
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 freon. When the freon later expands, it gets very cold. Air blown across metal filled with cold freon 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 freon levels, an electrical problem, or an overheated engine.
Blocked or Broken Condenser
The condenser’s job is to turn the freon gases 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 our 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.
Here in Los Angeles, where temperatures can reach summer levels almost any time of the year, it’s important to have the air conditioning in your car working all the time. If you notice your car A/C is not cold, come to AutoAid. 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 ASE Certified Mechanics are here to diagnose and service your air conditioning properly. If your car a/c is not blowing cold, call AutoAid today at 818-305-6632, or make an appointment online. We’re located just minutes off the 405 freeway in Van Nuys.