Troubleshooting Your Car's Air Conditioning System

Your car's air conditioning system works to keep the cabin of your vehicle at a comfortable temperature throughout the summer. However, constant usage and age can cause a number of problems which can adversely affect the performance of your car's air conditioning, which can in turn greatly reduce your comfort levels while driving. Understanding some of the most common problems that may affect your car's air conditioner, and what can be done to fix them, can help you keep the interior of your vehicle nice and cool no matter the exterior weather.

Odd Smell

One of the most common problems that can affect your car's air conditioner, especially after a particularly long winter, is a strange smell coming out of the vents the first few times that you turn the air conditioner on. This is caused by mold and mildew growth within the vents over the winter, as moisture that is trapped in the vents is given a warm enough environment because of the heater to support mold growth. Fortunately, this is an easy fix: a mechanic can simply flush out your vents to remove the smell and improve the air quality within your car. Keep in mind that this is not simply a superficial problem: mold and mildew spores in the air can cause health problems if left unchecked for too long.

No Air Flow

If nothing is coming out of your vents, even if you've maxed out the fan on the air conditioner, there may be a blockage or the motor of the fan may have burned out. If there is no sound coming out of your vents, the motor of your fan is likely to blame, but if there is some sort of odd grinding noise or another strange sound, there may be a mechanical failure or blockage that is preventing your system from adequately circulating air through the vents.

Warm Air

Finally, if your air conditioner is blowing air when you turn it on, but that air is warm or even hot, your air conditioner has likely suffered from a refrigerant leak. A broken hose or another form of physical damage somewhere within your air conditioning system can allow the liquid (which is a yellow-green color) to leak out of your vehicle. You'll need to get a mechanic to inspect your system to determine where the leak is so that they can patch it up and refill your system again.

For more information, contact a company like Modern Auto Air.