by Biloxi Von Lutz

Created on: August 19, 2010

It's never much fun having to leave your nice, cool house and jump into a car that's been sitting in the hot sun all afternoon. The situation can go from bad to worse, however, when you start the car up and realize the air conditioner isn't working like it should. There are any number of reasons for the A/C to cease working properly, but here are a few of the more common ones.

If you get absolutely no response from your air conditioner when you turn it on, the first step should be to check the fuses. Occasionally, fuses will blow, especially if the A/C hasn't been used in some time. The fusebox is typically located underneath the steering wheel. The fuses can be manually pulled out and checked, or you can purchase an inexpensive fuse checker from your local auto parts store. If a fuse is indeed blown, always replace it with one of the same amperage. 

If the air conditioner seems to be cooling, but it's just not blowing very hard, it's likely that blower motor has broken. Typically the blower motor is easily reached. Usually the motor is located under the hood near the firewall or underneath the dash on the passenger side. To test the blower motor, remove the screws holding it in, but leave it connected. Turn the A/C on at different levels and see if the fan blows. Try it with both heat and A/C. If it works with neither, the blower motor should be replaced. If it works with one, but not the other, the controls for the A/C may be defective.

Sometimes the air conditioner just isn't cool. This is caused by either a malfunctioning compressor or lack of freon in the system. To check the compressor, start the car and turn the A/C on. Open the hood and check to see if the A/C compressor is cycling on. The compressor is located on the fan belt path and should have two silver coolant lines coming out of it. You should hear it cycle on and off every few seconds. If you don't hear the compressor cycle on and off, it likely needs replacing.

If the compressor is working properly but the A/c still isn't cold, the freon is likely low. The car should be taken to a repair shop so it can be checked properly and have more freon added if necessary.

Air conditioning systems for cars may seem complicated, but truthfully, they're really not. A little troubleshooting beforehand can save you a significant amount of money on a repair bill.

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