Posts Tagged ‘Santa Fe Auto Air Conditioning Repair’

How To Diagnose Auto Air Conditioning Problems

Friday, August 27th, 2010

A few posts back we discussed how your car’s a/c system works. We now thought it would be helpful to talk about diagnosing air conditioning problems.

A common a/c cooling problem is a coolant leak. Typically the coolant has escaped through a hole in the hose or there is a leak in one of the major parts such as the evaporator or condenser.

For newer cars, leaks are not much of a problem since hoses and seals are new. But for older cars, leaks can be a major problem. If your vehicle is not blowing out cold air, it is possible you have a coolant leak.

Sometimes your vehicle’s air conditioning will intermittently blow out cold air. If this is the case, there could be unwanted air or moisture in the a/c system, which causes ice to form and blocks the system.

If you hear some strange noises when you run your vehicle’s air conditioner, it typically means the compressor needs to be replaced. The compressor is the part of the a/c system that takes the refrigerant gas and pressurizes it before it is sent through the a/c system.

Another problem is smelling a foul odor when you start your vehicle’s a/c system. This often comes from bacteria growing in the vents. Chemicals can be sprayed in the vents to get rid of the bacteria and the smell.

If you’re experiencing any of these problems, we recommend taking your vehicle to a reputable mechanic. A Las Cruces auto air conditioning repair or a Santa Fe auto air conditioning repair will make your summer a lot cooler.

How Your Car’s A/C System Works

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

If you have an older car, you’re bound to have some component of your vehicle’s air conditioner system serviced or replaced.

Having the knowledge of how your vehicle’s a/c system works will help you understand what’s going on next time your car is getting a Santa Fe auto air conditioning repair or an El Paso auto air conditioning repair.

To understand your car’s a/c system, you first need to know the parts:

  • Compressor – This part takes the refrigerant gas (like Freon or R-143a) and pressurizes it
  • Condenser – This part takes hot refrigerant gas and condenses it into a liquid
  • Evaporator – This part removes heat from the inside of your vehicle and cools it with the liquid refrigerant

These three parts work in tandem to ensure your vehicle stays cool while you’re driving. When the refrigerant gas is pressurized, its temperature rises from absorbing the heat around it. To cool the gas, it is run through the condenser to liquefy the gas into a cool liquid that your evaporator mixes with air and blows through your vehicle’s vents.

The refrigerant gas used in your vehicle’s cooling system has changed over the years. Mechanics today use R-143a, which is a more environmentally friendly coolant than its predecessor Freon, which was found to be harmful to the ozone layer of the Earth’s atmosphere.

Common fixes to air conditioner problems involve recharging your vehicle’s refrigerant or replacing one of the three parts mentioned above.

Beat The Summer Heat With Santa Fe Auto Air Conditioning Repair

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

It’s getting warmer outside and that means it is time to start thinking about your next Santa Fe auto air conditioning repair.  As the temperatures rise, more and more people will begin running the air conditioning in the car during their daily commute.  The air conditioning in your car operates a lot like the air conditioner in your home.

  • Freon is moved through a compressor where the gas is compressed and cools.
  • After the Freon is cooled, it moves through a series of hoses to an expansion valve where it can be made to expand or contract.
  • This process further cools the Freon until it is pushed through an evaporator core.  This core is what the air blows across to provide the cool air inside of the vehicle.

The air conditioner also removes the warm air from the car by passing warm air from inside the vehicle across the evaporator where it heats the Freon.  The warmer Freon is pushed through fins and slits where moving air carries the heat from the Freon so that the process can start over again.

When your next Santa Fe car tune up comes due, ask your mechanic to check that your Freon pressure is good, and that the level is not low.  Low Freon pressure or levels can lead to poor performance from your air conditioner this summer.  Other things to look out for include inoperable cooling fans and excessive engine heat.  Either of these issues can limit the ability of your car’s air conditioner to keep you cool this summer.

What To Look For If Your Auto Air Conditioning Is Broken

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

How to diagnose a broken auto air conditioner. And what to do about it.

During the sweltering summer months, a broken car air conditioner can make driving your vehicle practically unbearable. If your A/C stops working correctly, your best bet is to go to a Las Cruces auto air conditioning repair facility. However, for those with a little technical know-how, there are some things you can check on your own.

An auto air conditioner is essentially a strange refrigerator that uses refrigerant to move heat from inside of your vehicle to outside. It’s important to note that putting refrigerant into your system if it’s leaking or otherwise releasing refrigerant into the atmosphere is illegal in the United States.

  • A low level of refrigerant is one common problem in many auto air conditioners. If your air conditioner cools very slightly than it might be because the pressure in the system is too low. If this is the case, simply fill the refrigerant back to normal levels.
  • Check for leaks in the system that may cause your refrigerant to completely leak out. To do this you can buy a fluorescent dye from any auto parts store and run it through your system. This will allow you to find exactly where and how large the leak is.
  • Check the compressor while your engine is running. The compressor is a pump with large rubber and steel hoses attached to it. It is responsible for circulating refrigerant through the system. If you’re A/C is running but the pulley on the compressor is not working, you have located the source of your problem.
  • Other potential issues with your A/C unit can include broken wires, burnt out fuses, bad switches, and worn out fan belts. Check over all parts of the system to search for parts that look worn or broken.

Please only attempt to work on your car air conditioner if you understand exactly what you are doing as you can cause damage to yourself and your vehicle if things are done wrong. If you need help, find a Santa Fe auto air conditioning repair facility near you.

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Brake Buddy's Auto Repair Blog is your resource center for the straight scoop about car repairs. We cover tips and best practices for auto repair do-it-yourselfers and those interested in getting the most out of their vehicles. Brake Buddy's Auto Repair Blog is owned and operated by Brake Masters, an auto repair center with 55 locations in Texas, Arizona, California, Nevada and New Mexico. Interested parties are invited to contribute to this blog. Send your contributions to BuddyBlog at BrakeMasters dot com.

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