Guide to Air Conditioner Car Repairs

A busted car air conditioner is bad news, whether you’re a driver or a passenger. It means enduring the heat and humidity while you’re stuck in traffic.

Your car’s AC can fail due to a variety of reasons. But thankfully, air conditioner car repairs can quickly solve them. Before you head to a mechanic, it would be wise to know your AC’s issue. That way, you’ll be able to communicate the problem to the repairman and even prevent it from happening in the future.

Read on to learn more:

How Do Car Air Conditioners Work?

The way your car air conditioner works is relatively simple. When you turn on your AC, a lot of parts will be at work. However, the most crucial parts are the compressor, condenser, and evaporator.

The compressor draws in the refrigerant then puts it under pressure. After that, the pressurized gas enters the condenser.

Pressurizing the gas and transferring it to the condenser result in heat. But as the heat goes through the condenser tube, it turns into high-pressure liquid, and the refrigerant becomes cold.

The cold refrigerant then goes to the receiver-drier, which separates the remaining gas from the liquid refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant then moves to the expansion valve and enters the evaporator.

As such, the evaporator becomes cold. The blower fan then sucks in the warm air from the cabin. As the warm air passes through the cold evaporator coils, the refrigerants inside the coils absorb the heat, making the air cooler. The cold air is eventually blown through the car’s air vents.

The AC has a lot of parts, and if one of them gets damaged, the temperature and air quality will suffer.

Common Car Air Conditioner Problems

So what are the most common problems that may need car air conditioner repairs? Check out the following.

📌Weird-Smelling Air

When your car air conditioner starts producing air that smells like mildew,^[1] it’s likely that the unit is dirty. After all, air conditioners collect both dirt and moisture. When they’re not dealt with as soon as possible, bacteria and fungi will start growing within the unit.

How to prevent it: The good news is, dealing with this problem is easy. To prevent bacterial and fungal growth, clean or replace your air filters regularly.

Estimated car air conditioner repair price: ₱3,000 and above for cleaning service

📌The Air is Cool But the Cabin Isn’t Cold

If the air conditioner blows cool air but the cabin remains warm or moderately cold, chances are there’s a problem with the condenser. It could be as simple as blockage, which includes bugs, leaves, and dirt. When the condenser is blocked or damaged, not enough refrigerant will flow through.

How to prevent it: Always check your condenser for blockage and remove it right away. Routine inspection will also make sure that the condenser is in top shape.

Estimated car air conditioner repair price: ₱5,000 and above for the condenser plus labor

📌No Air Cool is Coming Out

If the car aircon doesn’t blow cool air, you should take it to an air conditioner car repair center right away. The AC system is likely suffering from low refrigerant^[2] or leak. But don’t worry, as it’s one of the most common car AC issues.

When you take it to the aircon car repair shop, the mechanic will conduct a test to see if there’s a leak. If there is, they will seal it to make sure that the refrigerant circulates properly.

How to prevent it: Preventing refrigerant leak may mean recharging the AC system with new refrigerant supply. In more serious cases, the mechanic may install a new car AC system.

Estimated car air conditioner repair price: ₱1,000 and above for refrigerant charging

📌Broken Compressor

The compressor is your car AC’s most important part. If it stops working, the refrigerant will stop circulating throughout the system. And when that happens, the cabin won’t receive cool air.

There are many reasons why your compressor is damaged. One is the low refrigerant level. Absence of refrigerant results in friction within the compressor, leading to damage.

Your condenser may also be full of dirt and dust. This causes the compressor to overwork, overheat, and fail. The same happens when the evaporator coil is dirty and clogged.

Because the compressor is a crucial part, the air conditioner compressor car repair tends to be expensive.

How to prevent it: Make sure that the refrigerant supply doesn’t run low. Always clean your condenser and evaporator to avoid clogging and causing the compressor to overwork.

Estimated car air conditioner repair price: ₱18,000 and above for the brand new compressor plus labor; also possible to find units priced around ₱8,000 to ₱10,000.

📌Water Leak

When you notice water on the floorboard when your AC is on, that means the unit has a leak. There are a couple reasons behind this, but the most common is blockage in the air filter due to dirt. The dirt will then cause the evaporator coils to freeze, leading to excess moisture.

Other reasons include low refrigerant levels and blockages in the drain pipe.

How to prevent it: Clean or replace your air filters regularly. More importantly, avail of deep-cleaning services to get rid of blockage in drain pipes.

Estimated car air conditioner repair price: ₱4,000 and above for leak detection and cleaning services.

📌Noisy AC

Modern car air conditioners are designed to operate quietly. But if yours suddenly produces unusual noise, it’s time to bring it to the air conditioner car repair center.

This issue can be attributed to a few factors. Whistling sounds, for instance, may be due to clogged dirty air filters or evaporator cores. Other types of noise may be an indication that the compressor is damaged.

How to prevent it: One of the simplest ways to prevent a noisy car AC is by cleaning the vents and fans thoroughly. See to it that car AC undergoes routine inspection to spot issues in the compressor, evaporator, and other parts.

Estimated car air conditioner repair price: Inspection is usually free. Once the problem is identified, the mechanic will quote you the price

📌Broken AC Blower

When you can’t feel cool air coming through the cabin, you may want to check if the air conditioner blower is broken. That’s because this component is meant to carry the air through the AC vent.

A busted fuse is one of the reasons why your AC blower is broken. The problem may also be due to faulty ground connection.

How to prevent it: To avoid costly air conditioner car repairs, you should have your AC system serviced regularly. The mechanic can spot early signs of a broken AC blower and fix them right away.

Estimated car air conditioner repair price: ₱2,000 for replacement plus labor

Read more:

How to Prolong Your Car Air Conditioner’s Life?

Thankfully, you can avoid costly trips to air conditioner car repair centers by practicing the following tips. They’re also easy and simple to do!

Clean Your Car Regularly

Dirt and debris can clog your vents and other parts of your car’s AC unit. As such, you must make it a habit to dust and vacuum your car regularly.^[3] Also check what’s under the hood and remove things, like tree branches and leaves, which may affect the car’s condenser.

Clean or Replace Your Air Filters Regularly

A clean filter ensures that the air within the car is also clean. But it also has an impact on the overall health of your car’s AC system. When your filters are dirty, the AC will overwork and eventually get damaged. On the other hand, you may replace the filter every year.

Inspect the AC’s Tubes and Hoses

Check the hoses and tubes of your car’s air conditioner to spot leaks. Broken hoses often result in faulty compressor, which will then keep your AC from producing cool air.

Check the Refrigerants Regularly

Remember, when there’s a refrigerant leak, you won’t get cool air. Moreover, low refrigerant levels can damage your compressor.

Have Your Car Serviced and Maintained by Professionals

You can address simple AC problems by yourself. However, more serious ones should be left to the professionals to avoid further damage, costing you even more money. This will also keep you from getting hurt.

Also read: 10 Auto Repair Shop Options for Your Next Car Tune-Up

Does My Car Insurance Cover Repair Costs?

Unfortunately, car insurance companies don't cover air conditioner car repairs, especially when the damage is proven to be caused by normal wear and tear.

However, your claim application may be approved when the damage is caused by collision or situations covered by the policy. So when your car is hit by another car and the condenser gets damaged, the insurer may cover the repair costs. But to be sure, check your insurance policy or ask your agent about it.

While a car insurance policy doesn’t always cover air conditioner repairs, it’s still a must-have, as it will financially protect you and your passengers from other risks and disasters. Compare your options and find the lowest rates with Moneymax. Click here to get started!

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Final Thoughts

A car air conditioner is an essential, especially in a hot and humid country like the Philippines. And while it may fail due to regular wear and tear, you can extend its life with a few simple habits like regular cleaning and trips to an air conditioner car repair shop.

Sources:

^[1] Molds Definition
^[2] Freon Definition
^[3] The Best Car Vacuum (The New York Times, 2024)

Air Conditioner Car Repairs: Things to Know Before Visiting a Mechanic

Jay Pagkatotohan

How Do Car Air Conditioners Work?