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With Temperatures Rising, Make Sure Your Car Air Conditioner is Working Properly

Jon Howes • July 18, 2015

If you’re a Texas homeowner, you probably schedule an AC checkup in the spring to make sure it’s working properly as the temperatures begin to climb. There are few things worse than flipping on your home’s air-conditioner to gain relief from oven-like heat outside, only to find it will not turn on. Or, perhaps it turns on but blows hot air. One thing that’s as disconcerting as a broken home air conditioner is a broken car air conditioner. If you haven’t scheduled your vehicle’s summer air conditioning repair service , you should. The countdown to unbearable Texas heat is on, and no one enjoys sweating through their commute.

 

Comfort Is Only One Reason To Have Your Car AC Serviced

Not only will a broken air conditioner make you miserable in summer, it can lead to serious and expensive problems with other vehicle components. Even if you don’t mind the heat, you still need to  make sure your car air conditioner is working properly  to ensure  your vehicle’s health. Climate control systems in newer vehicles are far more complex than those even 10 years ago, now digitally integrating with your vehicle’s engine management, infotainment, and body control modules and require sophisticated diagnostic equipment and skill to properly maintain and repair. The days of simply having your Freon charged at the corner gas station are far gone. Insufficient or containment Freon or an electronic control system malfunction of your car’s A/C or engine cooling system can lead to catastrophic internal damage of expensive components.

 

Common Air Conditioner Problems

If your AC is not working properly or not working at all, here are three possible reasons. A skilled technician will evaluate these possibilities first, and pinpoint the cause so it can be repaired quickly.

  • Compressor problems.  If you hear noises on initial startup or if cold air turns to hot air blowing after a short period of driving, you may have a compressor clutch related issue that may not require expensive replacement of your compressor.
  • Leaks.  If you have never had Freon added, or your vehicle is older, you may have a lead or simply require the proper amount of chemicals to restore the cold comfort of a properly functioning A/C system. It is not unusual at all to have to bring Freon levels up to specification on an annual basis in older models.
  • Electrical system issues.  By far the most common cause of A/C system problems are electronic control related. Today’s systems frequently have multiple temperature sensors to monitor outside, cabin and internal component temperature sensors to monitor outside, cabin and internal component temperatures to insure operation of the system as a whole. Also, we often see alternator or battery issues causing a/C system malfunctions.

The last thing you want to have to deal with on a 90-plus-degree summer day is a broken air conditioner. The best time to have your car’s AC checked out is  before  it fails. If you have noticed your vehicle’s AC making strange noises or not cooling as efficiently as it once did,  contact us  at Southwest Auto. We will take care of you so you can hit the road again in climate controlled comfort.

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