What Causes a Car's Air Conditioning to Fail?
1 Answers
Here are the reasons why a car's air conditioning may fail: 1. Incorrect refrigerant ratio: Modern air conditioning systems use R-134a refrigerant, which requires a specific ratio range—neither too much nor too little. An improper ratio can affect the cooling performance, and this issue can be monitored using an air conditioning pressure gauge. 2. Dirty or clogged air filter: When the car's air conditioning is running, it draws in outside air, which contains dust particles, odors, and other harmful particles. The air filter is designed to trap these contaminants. However, over time, the filter can become clogged, preventing airflow and reducing cooling efficiency while increasing fuel consumption. Therefore, regular inspection of the air filter is essential. 3. Dirty radiator or condenser: The radiator and condenser are responsible for heat dissipation and are located in the engine compartment at the front of the car. Due to current assembly techniques, engine covers have small gaps that allow dust to enter. If these components become too dirty, heat dissipation is compromised. While the air conditioning system may appear to function normally, cooling performance will suffer, and fuel consumption may increase. Thus, regular cleaning of the engine compartment is necessary.