Three ways to tell that your car's air conditioning is broken

3 January 2017
 Categories: , Blog


With summer well underway in Australia, no one wants to be caught stuck in a car on a hot and dry day without air conditioning. While there are certainly ways to stay cool without an AC system in your car, few things are as easy or as relieving as a fresh blast of cold air while you drive. Having your window down when it's already extremely warm outside often doesn't cut it. For this reason, it's important to keep an eye on the functionality of your air con. Identifying problem indicators early on gives you an opportunity to have your A/C repaired before the damage worsens and becomes more costly to address. When you're next in your car, be sure to check for any of the following signs. 

Your A/C isn't working properly or at all

The most blatant indication that your AC is busted is a lack of function entirely. If nothing happens when you switch it on, there's obviously something wrong with it. Similarly, if your AC turns on but doesn't seem to emit cool air, it's possible that parts of its components have literally frozen. While sometimes you can alleviate this by waiting for a little bit, the most surefire way of ensuring it won't happen again is to have your car serviced by a professional.

There are signs of water damage

In a related vein, your AC may be malfunctioning if you detect a presence of water in or around your AC system inside of the car, rather than outside of it. This may come in the form of either visible leaking while you drive or signs of water damage that suggest water is getting out somewhere, even if it's not directly visible to begin with. A professional will be able to safely identify the source of the leak and stop it for a relatively small fee.

The A/C is emitting strange smells and/or sounds 

A final clear indication that you should get your AC checked is the existence of both odd sounds and/or bad smells. The former suggests that there's something loose inside of your AC system or something clogging up the vents. The latter, often linked to water damage, may indicate a presence of potentially harmful mould. In any case, if you notice unusual sounds or smells in any part of your car, it's important to have it checked. It may be something that could jeopardise your safety while driving. 

Unless you're confident enough to try and fix the issue on your own, it's a good idea to bring your car to a mechanic. They'll be able to tell you what's wrong, fix it, and prevent it from happening again anytime soon.


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