Anyone who has ever lived in or visited Texas during the summer knows driving can be unbearable unless your vehicle has air conditioning. There are, of course, those days when simply rolling down the window will do, but most of the time we need the power of climate control to fight the Texas heat.

The expert technicians at Christian Brothers Automotive Alamo Heights know that staying cool and comfortable while you are cruising down the highway is what you want. That’s why today, they’re sharing some of the most common A/C problems for your car and what could be behind them.

Leaking Refrigerant

Car refrigerant, a.k.a. Freon, helps to keep cold air blowing on those sweltering days. Broken or leaking seals as well as a defective magnetic clutch or a malfunctioning compressor may cause leaks. When our technicians find leaks and repair them, we also make sure to refill your system with more refrigerant. This is often called “recharging” the A/C system.

Poor Cooling Performance

Poor cooling is a common side effect of leaking refrigerant, however, there could be other factors causing problems. Some of these include:

• Defective blower motor
• Faulty compressor
• Leaking hoses

Intermittent Cooling

If you notice that your A/C first blows cold air and then starts blowing warm air shortly afterwards, your system might be freezing up. Any air and moisture in the system can lead to ice forming and blocking the orifice tube. In an A/C inspection, your local Alamo Heights mechanic should check the A/C control switch, compressor clutch and the low-pressure cutout switch to make ensure all of your components are in good condition.

Noisy or Rattling A/C System

Hearing noise in your vehicle’s compressor is typically a warning sign your compressor is almost failing. If this happens, you’ll want to check for the following:

• Loose hoses
• Wrong type of compressor lubricant in the system
• Air in the system
• Cross-contaminated refrigerant

Strange or Foul Odor

Another issue is if your car is blowing bad smelling air. If this is occurring, maybe you just need to start using some air freshener, but it could also be that there’s something out of whack with the A/C. It’s possible that microbes or bacteria are actually trapped in the system or the draining tubes are clogged.

Regardless why it’s happening, if your A/C is giving you trouble, you don’t want to ignore it. Bring your car or truck to the auto air conditioning experts at Christian Brothers Automotive Alamo Heights in San Antonio, Texas. We’ll do everything we can to keep you and your passengers cool and comfortable. See the nice difference!