Why is the car air conditioning cooling effect poor?

[StJames]

There may be several reasons for poor cooling effect of the car air conditioning: 1. Refrigerant leakage, insufficient pipeline pressure. Modern car air conditioners mostly use R-134a refrigerant, commonly known as eco-friendly refrigerant. Generally, refrigerant has a long service life, and the original factory refrigerant can sometimes last four or five years without needing replenishment while still maintaining good performance. However, during the use of the air conditioning system, the refrigerant undergoes continuous chemical changes. Gradually deteriorating refrigerant can corrode various components of the air conditioning system, such as sealing rings and rubber hoses, leading to refrigerant and compressor oil leakage. Lower-quality refrigerants deteriorate faster and are more likely to cause corrosion and leaks in the air conditioning system. Therefore, if you find that your car frequently needs refrigerant replenishment to maintain cooling performance, be sure to have a technician check for leaks to address the root cause. 2. Blocked air ducts or dirty air conditioning pipelines. Turn the fan to maximum speed and test the airflow at the vents with your hand. If the airflow is noticeably weaker than before, it is likely that the air ducts are blocked. The car's air conditioning system has an air filter, usually located behind the glove box on the passenger side. If the filter is too dirty, it should be replaced as soon as possible. If the filter is not very dirty or the airflow remains weak after replacement, a professional technician should be consulted to clean the air conditioning pipelines and ducts. 3. Reduced cooling capacity of the condenser. The longer the car is driven, the more oil, dirt, or debris accumulates on the condenser's surface, reducing its cooling capacity. Additionally, faults in the cooling fan or slack in the drive belt can also lead to reduced condenser performance. In such cases, you can first use a soft brush to remove dirt from the condenser's surface. If the cooling fan makes unusual noises or the belt is loose, it should be repaired or replaced promptly. 4. Incorrect air conditioning usage. Some poor cooling effects are caused by incorrect usage habits, such as keeping the external circulation on while the air conditioning is running. Using external circulation while the air conditioning is on draws hot air from outside into the car, naturally reducing the cooling effect. Therefore, in hot weather, after ventilating with external circulation, switch back to internal circulation as soon as possible. Of course, internal circulation should not be used continuously for long periods, as it can lead to poor air circulation, increasing the risk of air conditioning-related illnesses or even carbon monoxide poisoning. The best approach is to alternate between internal and external circulation.