A broken air conditioner can make driving unbearable during the sweltering summer months. A minor inconvenience the rest of the year, an inoperable air conditioner is certainly an emergency situation when the mercury rises. These are the most likely reasons why your drive is broken.

Refrigerant leaks

Refrigerant is the substance responsible for cooling the air that comes out of the vents of your air conditioner. When properly pressurized in a closed loop system, the refrigerant evaporates into a gas that is then used to cool an interior space. But when there is a leak in this closed system, the coolant levels can drop, inhibiting operation. In other words, the fan only heats up. A fairly common air conditioning repair problem on older vehicles, the challenge is actually locating the leak. The reason? Unlike oil or antifreeze leaks, drivers will not find puddles of fluid under their vehicles when coolant leaks. Most of the time, an oily residue is the only sign that something is wrong. We must also bear in mind that a leak can occur in almost any part of the system, even in the compressor, condenser or evaporator. As such, the entire unit must often be examined to properly diagnose and correct the problem.

Electric problems

If your air conditioning unit is not working at all, the problem could be electrical. Fuses, relays, pressure switches and other electrical components can fail at any time due to age or defect. When this happens, the system is designed to shut down for safety reasons only. The inevitable result is an air conditioner that does not respond when turned on, not even the lights work. Only an experienced mechanic has the knowledge and tools to isolate the problem with diagnostic tests.

Defective compressor

Another common air conditioning repair problem in older vehicles is a worn compressor. The heart of the unit, the compressor is responsible for circulating the refrigerant throughout the system. When it breaks, the vents will only get hot. Although age is the most common culprit for compressor failures, the vital component can also fail due to contamination or other faulty parts. A visual inspection of the part is often all that a mechanic needs to diagnose the problem. If it cannot be repaired, the compressor must be replaced.

Clogged air filters

Attached to the exterior intake of your car’s ventilation system, the cabin air filter removes dirt, dust, and pollution from the outside environment before it is pumped inside. When this filter becomes clogged with all the dirt it accumulates, airflow can be adversely affected. If the vents on your air conditioner sizzle or barely blow, the cause is most likely a clogged filter. Simply removing and cleaning this component is usually enough to get things flying again. Because it is an inexpensive auto part, it may be a good idea to just replace it with a new one.

These common car air conditioning repair jobs can be done by any qualified mechanic.