What are the reasons for a car's air conditioning not cooling and only blowing air?
3 Answers
The reasons for a car's air conditioning not cooling and only blowing air are: 1. There is an issue with the refrigerant in the car's air conditioning system; 2. Excessive impurities in the air conditioning refrigerant and compressor oil can clog the filter screen, affecting cooling efficiency, increasing resistance, and reducing the flow of refrigerant to the expansion valve, leading to the air conditioning not cooling; 3. There is a dryer in the car's air conditioning refrigeration system, whose main task is to absorb moisture from the refrigerant and prevent excessive moisture from reducing cooling capacity. When the desiccant in the dryer is saturated, moisture can no longer be filtered out; 4. The compressor's drive belt is too loose, reducing the condenser's heat dissipation capacity, which leads to a decrease in the air conditioning's cooling performance.
I've encountered this issue of the AC blowing air but not cooling several times, and the most common cause is insufficient refrigerant or a leak. If the Freon or other coolant in the system is low, it can't effectively cool the air. Compressor failure is also a big deal—if it's silent or slipping while running, it's essentially not working. A dirty or clogged condenser can also lead to poor heat dissipation. Then there are electrical problems, like blown fuses or loose wiring, which can prevent the compressor from starting. If these issues aren't resolved, the fan will still blow air, but it'll be hot air. Over time, this can damage other engine components. I recommend getting it checked by a professional ASAP; topping up the fluid or replacing parts usually fixes it. Don't delay, as it could affect driving safety.
I've also experienced the awkward situation where the AC only blows air without cooling when I turned it on. It might be due to operational errors, such as accidentally turning off the AC button and only activating the fan mode. Setting the temperature too high could also prevent the system from switching to cooling mode. Additionally, faulty external sensors, like being blocked by debris, might trick the AC into thinking the outside temperature isn't high, resulting in only blowing air without cooling. These are minor issues that can be avoided by paying more attention to the settings. However, deeper underlying problems could include worn-out fan motors or loose belts, which are common in older cars and can lead to insufficient cooling. In short, try restarting the system or lowering the temperature first. If that doesn't work, then take it to a repair shop for diagnosis to avoid unnecessary expenses.
