Summertime rolls around, you push the air conditioning button on your dashboard, and . . . no cold air comes out. No one wants that. There could be several reasons for air conditioning (A/C) failure. Before we talk about them, let's get a quick overview of how the A/C system works.

How your vehicle's A/C system works

The A/C system's compressor acts as a pump that pushes the refrigerant to the condenser, which looks like a little radiator. As the refrigerant flows through the condenser, the refrigerant is cooled and makes its way back to the evaporator, which is in the A/C ducts that bring air into the passenger compartment. From the evaporator, the refrigerant flows back to the compressor to start the cycle all over again.

When you have the A/C on, the blower draws air over the cool refrigerant in the evaporator and brings the cooled air into the vehicle. Any moisture in the outside air is caught on the evaporator and just drips off, which is why you will occasionally see water on the ground when you have been using the A/C.

Helpful Hint: if the inside of your windows fog up on a wet day, run the A/C for a while to clear the moisture.

Common A/C problems

So, what happens when there is no cool air when you run the A/C? The most common problem is a refrigerant leak. No refrigerant, no cool air. If that is the case, your service technician will locate the cause of the leak and get it fixed. Other common reasons for A/C failure include a failed compressor and deteriorated refrigerant hoses, which can lead to clogs downstream.

Set up a routine A/C inspection with DPT

A/C repairs can be expensive, depending on what must be done. A routine air conditioning system inspection can uncover small problems before they become worse and affect other components. Ask us at DPT what we recommend for your vehicle's A/C system.