Your car’s A/C is your best friend on hot, humid days when the sun’s heat is unforgiving.
When your car A/C fails you, you’re off to the nearest mechanic to find out what went wrong. How does your car’s A/C even work, and what can be done to fix it?
How Does Car A/C Work?
The compressor is the main workhorse behind a successful car A/C system. Refrigerant is drawn into the compressor in gaseous form, and then the gas is forced to the condenser. The condenser cools the refrigerant until it turns into a liquid. As it passes through the receiver-dryer, all water is withdrawn.
Next, the refrigerant passes through the expansion valve into the evaporator, where cool air is transferred to the passenger cabin and heat is absorbed. Humidity is also reduced because it condenses on the evaporator and is drained outside the vehicle.
Why Does Your Car A/C Break Down?
A car’s A/C can break down when any of the components involved in the cooling process malfunction or wear down. For instance, when the compressor has an electrical fault, it may not engage and you may need to replace or repair it.
If the system is still producing cold air but it’s just not coming out of the vents, the fan may need to be replaced or the wiring checked. This involves taking apart the vehicle dashboard.
One of the most common reasons the system may not be working effectively is due to a Freon leak. Without Freon, it’s impossible for the system to produce cold air. Modern vehicles are extremely sensitive — they need a specific amount of Freon to work correctly.
Get Effective Repairs and Stay Cool This Summer
Don’t keep paying a “specialist” to refill and recharge your system with Freon. If your Freon constantly needs to be recharged, that’s a sure sign there’s a leak.
Freon leaks can be hard to detect because they are slow. The leak can be tough to find, because it can be in one of many tubes and hoses. One of the ways a car A/C expert will repair your system is by injecting dye into the Freon supply and monitoring the outcome. When your A/C stops working again, the dye patterns will help the team identify the source of the leak so they can make the repair needed to keep your system working all summer.
Talk to Tip Top Transmission about your car A/C problems and get affordable, quality repairs from a team you can trust.