How to Determine if the Car Compressor is Broken?
2 Answers
Methods to determine if the car compressor is broken include: 1. The air conditioning compressor pulley rotates normally but still does not cool; 2. Poor contact or damage prevents the compressor electromagnetic clutch from engaging. Solutions are: 1. Check the air conditioning compressor relay; 2. Replace the compressor relay with a new one to engage the electromagnetic clutch. The compressor is the heart of the car air conditioning refrigeration system, responsible for compressing and transporting refrigerant vapor. Compressors can be divided into fixed displacement and variable displacement types. Based on different working principles, air conditioning compressors can be categorized as fixed displacement compressors and variable displacement compressors.
I encountered a broken compressor last summer, driving in the hot weather felt like sitting in a sauna. First, check if there's cold air coming from the AC vents. If not, pop the hood and inspect. If the compressor belt is loose or broken, it's definitely not working—press the belt to see if it has elasticity. Then, start the engine and turn on the AC, listen for a humming vibration sound from the compressor. A faulty one will either be silent or produce a harsh metal grinding noise. Next, check the high and low-pressure pipes—normally, one should be cold and the other hot with a noticeable temperature difference. If both pipes are hot or both are cold, something's wrong. Another simple method is to feel around the AC pipe connections—if you find leaked refrigerant oil stains, the seal is likely gone. Honestly, if the compressor is broken, don't try to dismantle it yourself—refrigerant pressure can be dangerous. It's safest to just take it to a repair shop.
