A car ride can become seriously uncomfortable if your AC is not working properly. Fortunately, the solution to this is usually simple. All you need to do is recharge your AC system with refrigerant. You can do this yourself or go to a mechanic. Once your refrigerant, or AC coolant, is recharged, your AC should start blowing out cold air again. There is no set amount of time between recharging your AC. It only needs recharged if your AC is not blowing cold air efficiently.
If you do not have enough coolant, your AC will not run efficiently. Coolant is what keeps the temperature under the hood stable. It is not the same as refrigerant, which is sometimes called AC coolant. Low coolant levels are dangerous because your engine could overheat.
Not having enough AC coolant, or Freon, will affect your AC. Without enough coolant, your AC will not efficiently cool down the inside of your car. Adding Freon is the simple solution to this problem.
Coolant vs. Refrigerant
Coolant is used to cool your engine so that it doesn’t overheat. Coolant circulates from your engine to your radiator to keep the temperature at a safe level.
Coolant also protects your engine from freezing. If you have low coolant, your vehicle’s engine will run hotter than usual and you may even smell burning or see steam from under the hood.
Refrigerant is an essential part of your car’s AC system. It is what keeps the air coming out of your vents icy cold. Coolant and refrigerant are not interchangeable because they are two different liquids.
How Do I Know if My AC System Needs to Be Recharged?
Your AC system needs to be recharged if it is no longer keeping your car cool. Once your system is recharged, it should start blowing out cold air again.
There is no recommendation as to how often you should recharge your AC. As long as it is running efficiently, it does not need to be recharged.
How Do I Know if I Have a Coolant Leak?
A coolant or Freon leak in your air conditioning system will result in inefficient cooling. If your car’s vents are not blowing out cold air after you have recharged the refrigerant, there may be a Freon leak.
A Freon or refrigerant leak can happen slowly. You may not notice it at first. If you continually put more Freon in your car and your AC slowly stops working, it is most likely a leak. In this case, you should get it checked by a mechanic.
If you want to troubleshoot a freon or coolant leak, then we recommend using a freon leak detector like this one. It has both audible and visual indicators if there is indeed a leak.
Does Coolant Help With AC?
Refrigerant, or AC coolant, is an integral part of the AC system. Without it, your AC will not blow out cold air. If you are having problems with your AC, coolant levels are the first thing to check. Recharging your AC system with Freon will most likely solve the problem.
Why Is My AC Not Blowing Cold?
There are many reasons your AC may not be blowing out cold air.
First, your system may need to be recharged. You can do this yourself by adding refrigerant. This is the most likely issue when AC stops working.
We recommend this a/c refrigerant recharge kit. You will need to purchase your own standard hose to connect to this bottle and your car.
If that was not the issue, your car’s AC may have a Freon leak. If you have recharged your AC and it slowly stopped working, it is most likely a Freon leak.
In this case, you will want to use a charging machine to see if there is enough Freon. Use this device to take away all of the Freon in your AC system. Next, use the machine to put the right amount of coolant in and see if that solves the problem. If it didn’t, you should take your car to a mechanic to have a professional diagnose the problem.
Another reason your AC is not blowing cold air is that the compressor is not engaging. Many different things can cause your compressor to stop working. It could be caused by an electrical failure in the AC compressor circuit or you could be low on coolant, which can cause your car to overheat. Take your car to a mechanic to get parts replaced.
The blend air door on your ventilation system may be stuck, causing your AC to not blow cold air. This door draws cool air when you switch the temperature on your AC from warm to cool.
If the blend air door is stuck, it will not change when you switch temperatures, meaning it will draw hot air rather than cool air. You won’t be able to fix this problem on your own. It is best to go to a mechanic.
If your AC is blowing cool air but you can hardly feel it, that means it is a problem with the fan. You may need to simply change a wire to solve this problem. Getting your fan unit replaced could also solve this problem.
Final Thoughts
Many things can cause your AC to stop blowing cold air. The first thing to check for is low coolant levels. Adding more coolant will more than likely solve the problem. Remember that not all coolant is the same. You want to add Freon or AC refrigerant to your AC system to keep your AC running efficiently.
If adding Freon did not solve the problem, it is most likely a more serious issue, such as a Freon leak, a broken fan or compressor, or a problem with the blend air door. In any of these cases, a mechanic can quickly diagnose and fix the issue. If you are not comfortable trying to fix the problem, take your car to a professional.
Your car’s AC is a complex system, so the issue in your air conditioning may not be easy to fix. It is worth it to get it looked at, especially during the summer. A properly running AC system can help you stay cool and comfortable in the heat.