Auto Air Conditioning Repair at Home

Driving a car with a faulty air conditioner is like walking in the scorching heat of the sun. The air conditioner problems in cars are a part of the regular wear and tear. People spend hundreds of dollars on the repair of their car’s air conditioner.

However, you can fix the simple AC problems in your car and save money on its repair. Check out a simple process that you can follow to repair your car’s air conditioner.

Identification of the problem

The first step is to identify the area of the problem in your car’s AC.  You need to check the air conditioning system to know what you need to fix. Let’s read the step by step process for identifying the cause of broken AC.

Check the Airflow

Start your car and switch on the AC. Then turn the AC knob to the highest notch and check how warm the air it blows. The air may be cold, but not as chilled as it is when the AC works correctly. If the AC is not blowing the adequately cooled air, it means there is a problem with the air flow.  

Check if the cooling fans are running correctly. If the fans are not running or running slow, there may be an electrical issue. Also, try replacing the cabin air filter to increase the flow of air.

Check the electrical system

There may be a fault in one of the electrical components of the AC. You must check all the electrical parts in the AC like compressor, cooling fans, and the electrical wiring. Check the engine bay and working of the pulley. If the middle part of the pulley turns along with rest of the pulley, it means a clutch is engaged. In case the central part does not turn, there may be a problem with the compressor.

Check the connector leading to the compressor

The compressor in your car AC connects to the clutch through a connector. You need to probe into the system to find the connector and check the current. You can check the current with a multimeter. If there is no current, the connector may be faulty. You need to replace the connector and monitor the flow of current. If there is no other fault, your AC will start working.

Check for the leaks

Sometimes there is leakage of the compressed gas from the pipes in the AC. You will need a leakage detection kit to check the leaks. Read the process of checking the leakage on the package of the kit. If you find any leakage, then you will need a professional service to get it repaired.

Preparing to add refrigerant to your AC

You need to get the correct type of coolant. If the manufacturing year of the car is before 1995, it needs the R12 kind of refrigerant. All the cars built after the year 1995 use R134a. If your car is made before 1995, you should not add the coolant yourself. Instead, take it to a professional to add the coolant.

Check the Ambient temperature

You will need to check the current temperature of your environment using a thermometer. It is essential to measure the temperature as the refrigerant takes different space in the can and the AC system.

Locating the service port

There are two service ports in your car’s air conditioning system. Look for the low side service port, follow the lines from the compressor to the nozzle near the bottom.  Refer to your car’s service manual to find the low service port.

Use a piece of rag to clean the port, the line and the cap. Connect the port with the refrigerant can nozzle by using the charging hose. Use a long charging tube so that it stays out of the engine bay. Also, you should observe the ambient temperature throughout the process.

Filling the refrigerant

The refrigerant is under high pressure in the can, so it will release with force as soon as you open the seal. After connecting the coolant can to the port, you need to turn on the valve on the can clockwise to open the seal. As the seal breaks, the refrigerant releases from the can and passes through the hose to your car engine. Hold the can in the upright position until all the refrigerant fills in the engine.

Final Words

The steps given in this post are the DIY steps to fix your car AC. However, if there is any leakage or other issues in the air conditioner system, you should take your car to a professional.

If you live in Queensland, Australia, you can search for car air conditioning regas Gatton for refilling of gas in your car’s air conditioning system. Spending money on professional assistance is worth the services they offer for your vehicle.