When it comes to summer driving in Houston, air conditioning is a necessity. It’s easy to take it for granted until you don’t have it. The last thing you want as a Houston driver is to be stuck in traffic with a vehicle’s air conditioning only blowing hot air or worse, no air at all. It’s not just uncomfortable to go without air conditioning, it can be dangerous how quickly and how hot it can cause a vehicle to get. Like most things under the hood of a vehicle, things can stop working for numerous reasons. To put into perspective what may cause your vehicle’s air conditioning to stop functioning properly, we compiled five common reasons that cause air conditioning to stop working.
Refrigerant Leak
Known also as freon, a refrigerant leak is one of the most common causes of vehicle A/C to stop working. A refrigerant leak can occur in any area of the air conditioning system. However, it often occurs within rubber seals or hoses that have been broken down over time. If the leak is allowed to continue, it can cause moisture to seep into the air conditioning system and mix with the refrigerant. When this happens, it can corrode the A/C cooling system and cause permanent damage to your vehicle.
Broken Cooling Fans
When your vehicle’s fans are no longer working properly, air will either be hot or stop flowing altogether. Fans can stop properly cooling the vehicle for numerous reasons. Reasons for this can be an electrical short, a blown fuse, or cracks from road debris.
Compressor Not Functioning Properly
The compressor in your vehicle’s air conditioning system ensures the air is moving. Without the compressor, the refrigerant will not be able to circulate, and that will prevent the air conditioning system from cooling. A common reason for a compressor to stop functioning properly is long periods of the air conditioning going unused. Long periods of not being used can cause a shock to the compressor when it is used again. Another common reason for the compressor to stop functioning is if the compressor clutch gets stuck on the off position. If it is stuck in the off position, it will stop the compressor from engaging.
Blocked or Broken Condenser
The condenser plays a crucial role when it comes to the air conditioning system. As you drive your vehicle, the air that passes through the front of the vehicle is depressurized, cooled, and liquefied. Through that process, it cools the air. Reasons the condenser could not be working would be that it is blocked by road debris, the condenser is punctured, or equipment failure.
Electrical Issues
Numerous issues can cause electrical problems to arise in your vehicle’s air conditioning system. Some of these problems can be blown fuses, failed switches, frayed or broken wires. Fuses may short out and cause the air conditioning system to stop functioning properly. Loose wires or broken wires can also cause the air conditioning system to short out.
If your vehicle is experiencing issues with its air conditioning system, be sure to bring it into Colony One Auto Center. Our experienced and trained technicians will diagnose and repair your vehicle adequately and accurately. For more information, visit our A/C repair page or contact us online to schedule an appointment.
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