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Diagnose Your Car's Air Conditioning Problems For Better Cooling

by Aubree Richardson

If your car's air conditioning is not working as it should, driving around within the confines of your vehicle can be unbearable. A properly functioning AC should effectively get rid of all the hot air in the car and replace it with cool air from the system. Learn how to detect common AC problems in your car for an enjoyable time behind the wheel.

AC turns on and off

Intermittent cooling is where your AC tends to shut itself off after a few minutes or less of cooling. This can be caused by a faulty compressor or a failing battery. A faulty compressor can stop the air cycle in your AC if damaged. This is a fail-safe mechanism that automatically kicks in on its own. With a failed compressor, the AC will not turn itself on again unless you do it. With a failing battery, the AC will shut off simply because the battery doesn't have enough power stored. This is likely to happen if you have other electrical functions such as radio, lights or wipers on. An AC service, such as ALS Automotive, can inspect both to determine where the problem lies and fix it

AC is not cooling your car enough

Sometimes, your air conditioning will stay on but not provide as much cooling as it should. One problem that could be causing this is low refrigerant. The refrigerant is vital for your AC and helps to cool the air. If it's in low supply, the air will not get cooled adequately. An electrical technician can empty the old refrigerant and replace your refrigerant to solve this problem. Another problem that could cause low cooling is leaking air ducts. Air ducts move air around the AC system. If there are leaks, less air will be supplied inside the car. Ducts can leak if they are old or damaged and should be replaced completely.

AC won't turn on

If your car's air conditioning won't turn on at all, the problem is most likely an electrical one. The wiring could be faulty with some connecting wires having come loose. Your AC fuse could also be burnt needing a replacement. All these are easy problems that can quickly be solved by a technician. If your car won't turn on too, the problem could be a faulty battery. A technician can test the voltage of the battery to determine if it's working or not.

For most people, their AC systems simply don't provide enough cooling as they should. Instead of waiting for the system to fail completely, get your air conditioning checked with every major service for a better driving experience.

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