Common air conditioner malfunctions

Common air conditioner malfunctions
26.03.2024
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A car air conditioner – is an indispensable part of modern comfort in the car, both during the hot summer months and in autumn and spring to solve the problem of high humidity and fogging of windows. And for electric cars, this system extends the life of the battery by preventing it from overheating. Usually car owners face the same problems when using air conditioning. In this article, we'll look at some of the most common problems and show you what equipment can be used to diagnose problems.

Typical Car Air Conditioner Troubleshooting

When visiting a service station, car owners usually complain about:
    •  Insufficient or no cooling.
    •  Unpleasant odours when the air conditioner is running.
One of the most common problems is insufficient cooling of the air coming out of the air conditioner. This can be caused by a variety of reasons, including:

      •  refrigerant leakage;
      •  clogging of system elements;
      •  compressor malfunction;
      •  electronics faults.

Refrigerant leakage can be a serious problem that not only reduces the efficiency of your air conditioner, but can also cause a costly breakdown. Refrigerant in an air conditioning system is a very fluid substance, so leaks are inevitable, and the amount of refrigerant in each system is strictly rationed. If the amount of refrigerant decreases, the efficiency of the system decreases and the load on the compressor increases.

To find out how much refrigerant is in the system you need to use a charging station to evacuate all the refrigerant from the system and look at the resulting refrigerant weight. If the weight of refrigerant is very different from the norm, it is necessary to check the system for leaks. To find leaks, a special fluorescent dye is added to the system. After that the place of leakage is detected with the help of ultraviolet torch.

System element clogging can be of two types: external and internal.

External clogging – is a mechanical contamination of the condenser, in which the refrigerant passes from gaseous to liquefied state, thanks to which the heat exchange with the environment takes place. The condenser is installed just behind the radiator of the engine cooling system. Over time, the space between them becomes clogged with dirt, which worsens the heat exchange and consequently the performance of the air conditioner.

Internal clogging is usually caused by ageing oil that has lost its original properties over the years. Clots appear in such oil, which cause clogging of the thermostatic regulating valve (TRV). Diagnostics of internal clogging is carried out by measuring the pressure in the high and low pressure lines.

Aconditioner compressor malfunctions are usually manifested by a complete inability of the system to cool the air. Compressor failures can be simple or complex. Compressor diagnostics should begin by checking the solenoid clutch and/or control valve. For this purpose use tester MS121, which will allow you to check these units on the car without dismantling the compressor. Failure of the solenoid clutch and/or control valve can be easily rectified.

Serious compressor breakdown is most often caused by a large refrigerant leak and clogging of the system elements, as well as ignoring the car owner's problems with the air conditioner. It is possible to determine the technical condition of the air conditioner compressor only on a special stand MS111, if the compressor is belt-driven, the diagnosis of air conditioner compressors for electric cars is performed on stand MS112.

As a rule, a serious air conditioner malfunction requires flushing the system pipework of contaminants. For this task, the MS101P stand is used.

Faulty electronics

Modern cars are crammed with electronics, and the air conditioning system is no exception. There are many places in the electrical system where a fault can occur. Finding this type of malfunction is done with a diagnostic scanner.

 

Unpleasant air odour when the air conditioner is running is caused by the growth of mould and bacteria in the ducts and on the evaporator. Due to condensation of moisture on the evaporator and a favourable temperature for bacteria to multiply, they grow rapidly and then there is an unpleasant smell in the cabin. Disinfecting the air conditioning system using specialised products is the only way to eliminate this problem.

Finally, it should be noted that many car air conditioning problems can be prevented by regular servicing and maintenance checks. In the event of a problem with the air conditioner, you should contact a qualified technician. You can get the knowledge you need to diagnose, maintain and repair your air conditioner by taking a special online course from the MSGEquipment Training Centre.

According to the MSG Equipment Training Centre.