Five signs that your car’s air conditioning needs servicing

Whether you’re shivering on those winter mornings or sweating during the height of summer, your car’s air conditioning is so important. Without it, a vehicle can be an uncomfortable place for drivers and passengers.

Maintaining your aircon should be done just like any other part of your car. Warning signs can alert you to potential faults with the system, although it’s still a good idea to maintain it regularly before it becomes a problem. 

In this Content of Tinyzone, We’ll highlight a few of the telltale signs that your aircon needs servicing by a professional.

Bad smells are coming from your aircon

Bad smells in your car can come from the outside, inside and even from passengers. But unpleasant smells emerging from your aircon could be a sign of an issue in the system itself.

Odours are likely a signal that it’s time to give the inner workings a good clean. Dirt, dust and other particles can work their way in and accumulate. Bacteria can then start to develop, much like mould and mildew, which blows into the cabin when the aircon is turned on.

The air is mild, not cold

It can be very unpleasant when you’re blasted with mild air if you really need a gust of cold. This is often an issue with older cars without modern aircon, but most modern cars should be able to deliver cool to cold air on request.

A lack of cold air could be a sign that the refrigerant needs to be replaced, which is done by giving the cooling system a regas. Old refrigerant can become clogged and lose its effectiveness, so you should feel an immediate effect with a recharge.

It’s making an unusual sound

No noise is good when it comes to aircon. A rattling sound can be symptomatic of an issue with the condenser or fan belt. Alternatively, something could have worked its way into the aircon and be clanging around.

Either way, an unusual sound typically means a disruption of the flow and this can make it harder for air to come out – reducing its effectiveness. A trained technician should be able to dismantle the system and find the source of the problem.

Condensation keeps building up

A sign you definitely don’t want to see is uncontrollable condensation in your car. Unchecked condensation can lead to dampness and mould in your car which is something you want to avoid.

If you turn on your aircon and it still won’t go, there’s probably an issue with the system. There could be a blocked hose, dirty air filter, leaky pipe or any other number of issues. Don’t dwell on the issue too long – take it in for an aircon service.