To start with, let’s look at how an air conditioner works. An air conditioner actually does two things. It cools the air and removes the moisture or humidity from the air coming into your vehicle. On most vehicles, the air conditioner also runs when defrost is on since air that has the moisture removed is more effective in removing the fog from the window.
It is a sealed system which means that it constantly recirculates the refrigerant inside the system. If the system leaks some of the refrigerant, it may not perform as well as it was designed to. Some other things that can affect system performance can be as simple as bugs and dirt plugging the front of the radiator or, many new cars have cabin air filters to clean the incoming air, and those filters can become plugged and restrict air flow. A few things you can do to help prevent problems are to clean leaves and debris off the air intake at the rear of the hood and be aware of the temperature output and any abnormal noises that are heard when the air conditioner runs. If you notice anything abnormal, it is best to have the A/C system checked right away since this can sometimes prevent more problems. Your vehicle will actually get better fuel economy with the windows rolled up and the air conditioner on since rolling the windows down creates more wind resistance.
Air conditioners in vehicles are designed to provide years of trouble free service. If you have any questions or need some help with your air conditioner, please call us at 833-9936. We will be happy to help.