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Nothing is worse than cruising down the highway on a hot summer day and melting like a popsicle or sweating like a dog because your A/C isn’t blowing cold air. We have all likely been there, and know that it just isn’t fun. A car’s A/C system can seem complex and repairs can be costly, but everyone wants to have an A/C blowing nice cold air to help keep them cool on a hot day. In this article, we will explore several reasons why your A/C may not be blowing cold air to help you diagnose your problem.
We will also share some ways Mr. Freeze can help you recharge your A/C if you have low refrigerant in your car’s air conditioning system. .
Your A/C system in a car is very similar to the cooling system in a refrigerator, and the refrigerant is a liquid coolant that helps the system cool the air and keep your A/C blowing cold. Sometimes an A/C system can get low on refrigerant and cause your A/C to blow only cool or warm air. This can happen over time as your car gets older and the system becomes well used. However, the A/C system is a self contained system and most of the time should not lose refrigerant at all, and if it does, it should lose it at an extremely slow rate. Therefore, most often if your vehicle is low on refrigerant, it means you have a leak.
Sometimes refrigerant leaks are very very small and difficult to detect, and for very small leaks there is no need to replace the entire system. You can simply apply a sealant to the leak to eliminate the problem. Professional mechanics can help you identify and fix leaks in your A/C system and will do a complete drain and recharge procedure on your A/C to identify and fix the leak and then refill the system with new refrigerant. This can be more expensive, but a good option if you know you have a major leak. Or you can fix a leak yourself using self recharge kits, like Mr. Freeze, which have sealant in the product to help seal off micro leaks.
The condenser is the part of the A/C system that cools hot refrigerant after it has been compressed in the compressor. The condenser relies on hot air coming from outside the car to be able to do this, and if blocked or broken, your A/C can blow hot air instead of the cool air you were hoping for. Oftentimes a condenser can be blocked by debri on the grill of the car such as leaves, dirt, or road debri etc. Sometimes the condenser can also be broken by road debri going through the front grill of the car and puncturing or breaking the system. An easy way to solve this problem is to look at your condenser and make sure nothing is blocking it and that it hasn’t been punctured or damaged. However, if the condenser is the problem, typically the only way to fix this problem is to get it replaced.
The compressor circulates refrigerant through the system and makes everything work. Many times if you have a part failure in the A/C system it is due to the compressor. You can check if the compressor is working by turning the A/C to high and then checking if the clutch on the end of the compressor is spinning. You can locate the compressor usually at the front and below the motor under the hood of your car. If the end of the compressor is spinning, you know the A/C system is at least operating. However, if you notice the end of the compressor is not spinning, then the system is not operating and you will need to either recharge your A/C to see if that helps or visit a mechanic. Sometimes the compressor fails simple because of lack of use during the winter. When the A/C sits dormant in the winter, and then is run full blast in the summer, it can be too much immediate load for the compressor and can cause it to fail. For this reason, some mechanics recommend running your A/C system at least once every couple weeks in the winter just to keep it in tune.
Sometimes if the compressor isn’t running, this is because it is faulty and needs to be replaced. Other times, the system could just be very low on refrigerant, and a recharge could help solve the problem. Adding more refrigerant after testing the pressure could help the compressor start working again and avoid a costly mechanic visit for a replacement or repair for the compressor.
Lastly, sometimes electrical failures or fan issues can cause the A/C to not be working properly. These issues vary and you can look to see if the fans on the condenser are working properly or if there are any loose or frayed wiring. However, fixing these problems, aside from maybe using a little electrical tape, should probably be handled by a professional.
Lastly, sometimes your system may just have a small leak or has worn out over time and just needs a recharge. Recharging the A/C is not a yearly scheduled maintenance, but especially for older cars, or if it has been several years, the system may need a recharge. This can be done by checking the A/C pressure and adding more refrigerant to the system and can either be done by a mechanic or also with the right tools at home. Sometimes performing a pressure check and refill on refrigerant can also be a great first step to then help you diagnose if you have a deeper underlying problem. For this reason, it is usually a good idea to try testing the pressure and adding refrigerant whenever you are having A/C problems.
Re-charging your A/C is often the first step most take to try and fix your car’s A/C and get it blowing cold air again. This is often the easiest and quickest procedure to get your A/C back working or to determine if you have a deeper problem that needs to be addressed. To get your car blowing cold air again you typically have two options: visiting a certified mechanic or doing it yourself at home.
Visiting a mechanic can be a great choice to charge your A/C. However, it can also get pretty expensive for a simple procedure that you likely can do at home with the right tools. Visiting a mechanic can be helpful if you think you have a bigger issue like a faulty compressor or condenser. However, if it is just a simple recharge, you can save yourself some cash by using a digital recharge kit.
Recharging your A/C at home also has two different options available. You can use the traditional method of charging your A/C using pressure gauges to determine the pressure and then either sticking a thermometer into the air vent at the front or just using the pressure gauges to determine the correct level of refrigerant to add. You will want to fill the system with refrigerant until the pressure is correct and the thermometer is displaying a temperature colder than the outside temperature.
This procedure works great but can be complicated or intimidating, especially for those who aren’t as familiar with cars and car repairs or maintenance. However, Mr. Freeze recharging kits offer another DIY solution that is much more simple and easy to use, so that even a beginner can recharge their own A/C in just 5 simple steps!
Mister Freeze is a DIY (do-it-yourself) car A/C recharge kit that uses patented Accufill® technology to make the process of recharging your A/C at home so much simpler. Instead of buying and using complicated pressure gauges or inaccurate thermometer techniques, Mister Freeze uses a sensor that attaches to the vent of your car to pair with the refrigerant filler system to determine the exact amount of refrigerant needed to keep your system running well. It requires no tools to use, and is much more accurate in determining the level of refrigerant needed than the traditional method that relies solely on pressure gauges which can be inaccurate at times.
The system is also very easy to operate and involves only 5 simple steps. This makes it so even a car novice can perform this simple repair and get their car A/C running cold again instead of the hassle of waiting to get into a mechanic to fix the problem or trying to figure out the complicated process of doing it on your own the traditional way. Not to mention, Mister Freeze has sealant and lubricant inside the refrigerant product to help seal any microleaks within the system and keep your A/C blowing cold for longer. Mister Freeze is a great option for those who want to save some money and quickly and simply recharge their car’s A/C system to get back to the cold A/C they need and enjoy.
If you are interested in learning more about how Mr. Freeze can help you out of a car A/C bind, visit our main website and watch our short videos to learn how the process works. We give step by step instructions for how to use Mr. Freeze so that you can operate this easy system with your car on your own. We also answer some frequently asked questions about the product and how it works and have information regarding where to purchase Mr. Freeze as well. We would love to help you get back to a cold A/C if you have a problem or be your preventative solution for A/C maintenance before you are in a bind! Sometimes the best thing to do is to have a can in stock just in case or to deal with your A/C problems when it starts to blow cool air instead of cold instead of waiting until it’s too hot and too late. Check out Mr. Freeze today and see how we can be your one stop shop for your A/C recharging needs and get back to a working A/C today!
