Why is My Car Aircon Blowing Warm Air?
If you’re a vehicle owner, there is a high possibility at some point time you will experience your car ac blowing warm air out of its vents even tho you have the car air conditioning turned on. What makes this frustrating is it always seems to happen during the summer period coincidently.
The A/C is one of the most complex systems in your vehicle. If it is blowing warm air, there could be several causes but all of which can be resolved through a car air conditioning repair specialist.
The problem could be a simple fix (leaking hose) but it could also be more of a serious issue resulting in having to replace car air conditioning parts such as the compressor, condenser, etc.
Once the problem has been resolved your AC will then need to be regassed.
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5 Reasons Your Car AC is Blowing Warm Air
When it comes to your car air conditioning blowing hot air despite your A/C being turned on, there are usually 5 major reasons this is happening. In a lot of cases, your AC is blowing cool air one day, then the next day it’s completely gone.
This can be frustrating and upsetting, but the problem can be resolved.
1. Refrigerant Leak
A car A/C blowing hot air is often the result of a refrigerant leak. Refrigerant is a liquid that circulates through your car’s A/C system, expanding and contracting as it removes heat and humidity from the cabin. None of the other A/C components will function correctly without proper refrigerant levels.
A leak can happen because of an old hose as well as a rusted or punctured evaporator. But don’t expect to easily spot a refrigerant leak. You probably won’t notice a puddle of liquid in or under your car. That’s because unlike motor oil and other vital car fluids, antifreeze evaporates when exposed to the atmosphere. Sometimes, you’ll get lucky and notice an oily residue at the exact location of the leak.
To definitively identify a refrigerant leak, one of our expert technicians needs to inject dye into the system to trace it. Once they identify the source of the leak, they repair and recharge your car A/C so it can blow fresh, cold air once again.
2. Faulty Condenser
When your A/C system pulls the heat and humidity out of your cabin, the refrigerant absorbs them. In turn, the condenser’s function is to keep the refrigerant cool so the cycle can continue. If the condenser isn’t doing its job, the process breaks down. That’s when you get slapped in the face by a blast of hot air.
The condenser is at the front of the car, between the grate and the radiator. It utilizes air flowing through the grate to assist in cooling. If the condenser is blocked or clogged by road debris, air won’t reach it, preventing the refrigerant from cooling correctly.
If you have a faulty condenser, you may be able to see the problem by looking through the grate. Also, consider whether your car A/C problems started after a fender bender or bumper bump, in which case your condenser might have broken on impact.
3. Broken Compressor
The compressor is the heart of your car’s A/C. It’s responsible for circulating the refrigerant through the system. If this part isn’t working correctly, the antifreeze won’t be able to reach the condenser for cooling.
Compressor issues tend to pop up after long periods of inactivity, such as long winters when A/C isn’t necessary. However, to prevent this from happening, many newer vehicles keep the condenser active year-round by activating it under the defrost setting.
4. Electrical Fault
If all the A/C components are in working order, your car may be blowing hot air because of an electrical issue. A frayed wire or a blown fuse can prevent an otherwise healthy A/C from functioning. Diagnosing and correcting an electrical problem begins with performing a complete visual inspection of your car’s fuse box and wiring.
If any of these issues are causing your car to blow hot air, drive to your local auto electrician specialist, or ( Jack Frost if you’re located in Brisbane) and ask for a diagnosis/inspection. Your local auto electrician service provider will give your A/C a thorough and accurate inspection and explain what the next steps are involved to solve the problem and provide you with an accurate quote
When it comes to anything electrical it’s best to solve the problem, sooner rather than later.
5. Cooling Fan Issue
As discussed earlier, the condenser also has a pair of cooling fans that help reduce the heat of the refrigerant while it’s in the lines. If these are broken or malfunctioning, the AC system will not operate as intended.
There are several reasons they might stop working, such as a fuse blowing or an issue in the electrical system. They may also become damaged from road debris due to being near the front of the car. In this case, replacement is the only option.
What To Do If Your Car AC is Blowing Warm Air?
If your car ac is blowing warm air it’s important to receive an A/C diagnosis to discover the root of the problem from a local qualified car air conditioning specialist like Jack Frost. You might be able to hack not having AC, but we don’t recommend you drive around with a broken air conditioning system for too long.
Why do you ask?
- If you have a leak you can be emitting higher volumes of Co2 into the atmosphere
- You risk the danger of further damaging your AC components costing you more money
- Electrical faults can turn into serious matters and can even cause fire to your vehicle
- Broken A/C increases in-car pollution and exposes you to harmful toxins
- Increases the chance of heat stroke on a hot summers day
One of the last things you want to experience on a hot and humid day is warm/hot air coming out of your car’s AC system. If you ever find yourself in this situation, don’t hesitate. Call your local car air conditioning and auto electrics specialist.
They’ll use their skills and expertise to quickly identify the source of the hot air before finding the solution and fixing the problem. With their help, you’ll be on the road again in comfortable driving conditions with fresh, cool air circulating inside your cabin.
