When you hop in your car on a hot summer day, one of the last things you want to find is that your car's air conditioning system is suddenly not able to cool down your car that is broiling from the heat and sunshine. However, as with any other system in your car, your air conditioner is not infallible and can fail. Before you take your car in for auto a/c repair services, it is important to know the potential causes of your air conditioner's failings so that you can know what to expect from your mechanic as well as potentially be able to look out for these issues in the future so you do not have a repeat of this unfortunate situation.

Low Refrigerant Levels

There are different types of malfunction when it comes to your car's air conditioning system. If the vents and blowers are still pushing air through your car but the car simply will not cool down and the air moving through the vents is hot or warm, your problem may be easy to fix.

Low coolant or refrigerant levels in your car can prevent the air conditioning system from being able to cool the air that it sucks into the system from outside. When this is the issue, your auto a/c repair shop will simply need to check the refrigerant levels and add enough to get your car back at safe and functional levels. This is an easy and inexpensive fix to a non-functioning air conditioner.

In the future you can prevent the issue from occurring again by checking the coolant levels yourself or having regular routine air conditioning inspections performed on your vehicle. This will ensure that your refrigerant levels always stay high enough to keep your vehicle cool when you need your a/c.

A Faulty or Shorting Fuse

On the other hand, if you try to turn on your air conditioner and get no air moving through your vents at all, you may have an electrical problem on your hands rather than one with your air conditioner itself. The systems in your car are connected to fuses, just like the electricity in your home is all centrally linked to your home's fuse box. A faulty or shorting fuse, therefore, can cause your air conditioner to not work properly.

Sometimes, a short in the fuse can cause the air conditioner to come on sometimes but then others, it will not function at all. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, it could start working again. This electrical connection issue is also a relatively simple fix. Your repair shop can replace the fuse and check the wiring for any damage or visible issues. They can also test the current running from your car's fuse box to the air conditioner to detect any unusual levels or issues and repair the problems as needed.

There is not really a way to detect these problems for yourself easily until your electrical systems in your car start acting strangely. However, routine vehicle servicing and air conditioning servicing could prevent such problems because your auto repair shop has the equipment to test all aspects of your vehicle's air conditioning system.

With these scenarios in mind, you can better know what to expect when you take your car in for auto a/c repairs, such as at  Modern Auto Air, and can be sure you are doing everything you can to keep your air conditioning up and running in the future.