Why is My Car Air Conditioner Not Cold?

(Photo Credit: Freepik)

You would expect your car's air con to always be cold but we've all experienced moments where it just isn't doing its job. So what's the cause?

Such issues usually happen when the car has been in service for longer periods of time and franky, it's such an annoying situation especially in our climate. It's an indicator that something is wrong with the vehicle and although it's more likely to happen with older cars, it's not always the case. Let’s go through what could be the cause of this.

1. Running Low on Air Refrigerant

If you feel that only hot air comes out of the air vents of your car. It may be that the refrigerant is running out. You can conduct a check by yourself by starting the engine and pressing the A/C button to run the compressor and taking a look at the refrigerant channel. If you see tiny white bubbles all over, it means that the refrigerant is almost running out. Get some more and top it up ASAP!

2. Air Conditioner Cabinet, Air Conditioner Hose, or Various Connections are Leaking

These will reduce the pressure of the air conditioner. As a result, the air vents will only have normal, not cold, air being emitted. The way to check for yourself is to use soapy water or shampoo to make bubbles and applied to the joints of the air conditioning system. If any air bubbles arise that means there is a leak.

3. Clogged Air Coil Panel

When the air coil is dirty or clogged, it will hamper the refrigerant from cooling the air. As a result, the air conditioner does not work at full efficiency. Try opening the hood of the car, starting the engine, and turning on the A/C. When the compressor is running, observe whether the fan in front of the evaporator is slow or noisy. If there is such a problem, clean the hot coil or replace the fan with a new one.

4. The Piston in the Compressor is Loose

In this case, lower pressure of the air conditioner will lead to  refrigerant to be injected into the evaporator coil that isn't up to notch, hence, a warm air conditioner. If you want to know if your piston is loose or not, start the car, turn on the A/C, and rev the engine. If the engine is accelerating and the air conditioner is cold, it indicates that the piston in the compressor is loose because normally accelerating will not make the air cooler.(Photo Credit: Freepik)

5. Slippery Compressor Clutch

If the current to the magnetic clutch is too small, this prevents the compressor clutch from sticking to the pulley or being attached as it is not tight enough. It will be disconnected at some strokes, causing the compressor to not work properly. Check to see if the wiring system sent to the compressor clutch is still working normally and keep adjusting the clutch page to ensure it's smooth or you can also set a new clutch distance.

6. Compressor Belt Slack

If the compressor belt is too loose, this can come free of the running compressor. As a result, the compressor cannot be moved. Notice that when the compressor is running, if there is a loud noise or not. If there is a noise, adjust the belt tension. But if the belt is cracked or broken, it should be replaced immediately.

7. Using the Wrong Type of Refrigerant

Using the wrong type of refrigerant, in addition to making the car air conditioner not cold, also hurts the engine as the engine cannot withstand higher pressure than the car manufacturer intended. It can also cause other equipment inside the engine to gradually deteriorate, become damaged and expire prematurely.

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