What Causes a Sudden Drop in Car Air Conditioning Cooling Efficiency?

[McEthan]

Causes of sudden cooling efficiency drop are as follows: 1. Insufficient Cooling: First, determine if the air filter is clogged, leading to reduced airflow. Many cases fall under this scenario. If the air is cool enough but the airflow is insufficient, it will feel like the cooling is inadequate. Replacing the air filter can resolve this issue. 2. If the air filter is not clogged but airflow remains low: After checking and confirming no faults in the air conditioning system, this is often due to excessive dust in the evaporator. Cleaning the air conditioning system is required. Generally, it is recommended to replace the air filter twice a year—one in winter and one in summer. Cleaning the air conditioning system should be done once every one or two years, depending on usage frequency. It is best to clean it in summer, as winter does not require cleaning for heating purposes. 3. Dirty Condenser: Another reason for poor cooling is a dirty condenser. Located in front of the radiator, the condenser is used to dissipate heat from the refrigerant. It can often get clogged with debris like lint, leading to poor heat dissipation and reduced cooling efficiency. Simply rinsing it with a water gun during car washing can solve this issue.