Does Air Conditioning Water Affect Car Paint?
2 Answers
Water discharged from the air conditioning system will not damage the car paint if it drips on the car for a long time. Here are the reasons why a car's air conditioning system produces a lot of water: Evaporator has a condensation effect: Because the car's cooling system is located inside the dashboard, it is equipped with an evaporator. When the air conditioning is turned on, the surface temperature of the evaporator is very low, and the moisture in the hot air inside the car will condense on the surface of the evaporator's heat-absorbing fins. The water droplets are then collected by the evaporator's plastic casing and discharged out of the car through pipes. If the vehicle is stopped and restarted after a period of driving, you can see a puddle of clean, transparent water on the ground beneath the car. Air conditioning pipes are not wrapped with insulating foam: The low-pressure pipes of the car's air conditioning system are not wrapped with insulating foam, making the pipe surfaces prone to condensing moisture from the air. Water droplets will also condense and accumulate at the lowest point of the pipes, eventually dripping down.
As a long-time driver, I believe that air conditioning water dripping onto the car paint has minimal impact. The water from the air conditioner is condensed pure water, similar to distilled water, which doesn't contain acids or alkalis and won't corrode the car's paint surface. However, if dust or pollutants accumulate in the air conditioning system, the dripping water might carry some impurities. If parked in a dirty area, it can leave water marks when dry, resembling spots. I recommend avoiding parking directly under the air conditioning outlet when possible and regularly washing the car with a soft cloth to gently wipe it down, which can prevent issues. In the long run, high-quality car paint won't be affected, so there's no need to worry. The key is to pay attention to cleanliness to maintain the car's appearance.
