If your Honda Civic’s AC is not cooling as it should, there are chances that you would be facing a refrigerant leak, which won’t cost much or you might have to replace some major parts of the AC system which might cost more than you ever bargained for.
AC problems can be a nightmare especially if you live in very hot areas. Thankfully, there are several things you can do on your own to get your AC working again. If you are good with cars or tech gadgets, you should be able to apply some of these fixes in no time.
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While AC problems could be due to a bunch of reasons, the most common is a refrigerant leak. You could also be experiencing problems with other critical parts of the air conditioning system like the compressor.
AC refrigerant leak
The AC refrigerant is a vital fluid needed for the AC to operate efficiently. Without it, the AC system might not work at all or you would get lukewarm air blowing into the interior of the car.
The refrigerant is designed to vaporize at a low temperature, thus cooling the air below it is blown into the cabin of the vehicle. This simple process if fails to follow the right order, would lead to failure in the AC system.
An AC refrigerant leak could be due to a couple of factors
Faulty components
If the system’s components such as the evaporator, compressor, or hoses are faulty, it could lead to a refrigerant leak.
Aging
If you’re using an older vehicle, the refrigerant leak could be due to the wearing of the rubber seals in the AC parts and hoses which could lead to leaks.
Accidents
In the event of an accident, there are chances that flying debris could damage the AC condenser which is located right in front of the radiator.
Faulty climate control system
The AC system is controlled with a set of knobs, buttons, and screens that let you adjust the temperature in the vehicle. If the electrical wiring or any parts support the control system breaks down, you will start to notice issues with the AC system.
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Check the refrigerant
Depending on how well you know your vehicle, you should be able to tell if it is low on refrigerant. There isn’t really any official way to tell as the AC is a sealed system and refrigerant is quite dangerous. You should be able to look at the symptoms of your car and tell if it needs more refrigerant.
If the AC system is actually low on refrigerant, you will notice that the AC compressor will cycle on and off frequently. It might not come on at all in some cases which could be mistaken for compressor failure.
You might want to check the compressor to confirm that the system is running low on refrigerant. This check should be simple.
With the car hood open, take a look at the compressor and its components. Check the compressor belt for any signs of wearing and then confirm if there is power supply to the system. If there is no power supply to the compressor, then it could be due to dropping levels of refrigerant.
If you’re able to confirm this, then you should check for leaks rather than charging the AC system. Unlike coolant, refrigerant might not have to be replaced too frequently except there is a leak in the system.
You would have to inspect the compressor seals, AC hoses, evaporator, and condenser for leaks. Even if you don’t find any, you shouldn’t rule out the possibility. Getting your mechanic to perform a thorough check might be the best way to confirm whether the system is having a leak or not.
If the mechanic confirms that there is a leak in any of the parts, then you should have it repaired or replaced. Also, check if any of the parts are wearing out. It might be best to have them replaced right there so it won’t cause you more problems in the future.
Check if the valve control is defective
The AC system consists of several parts working together to cool the interior of your cabin and if one part fails, the system could stop working efficiently or collapse entirely. One of the most important though simple components of the AC system is the valve control. This is connected to the AC hoses and would lead to cooling problems if it fails.
To check if the valve control is fully operational
- Start the engine and look for the AC hoses under the hood.
- The hoses are just as thick as the regular garden hose so they should be easy to find.
- With the engine running, place a hand on both hoses. They should feel warm to the touch, however, one of the hoses should feel cooler than the other.
- If both hoses are at the same temperature, then something could be wrong with the valve control. You will need a mechanic to confirm this before going further.
Check the thermostat
The Thermostat is another important part of the AC system that would lead to issues with the proper functioning of the car AC. If the thermostat fails, you might not get as much cold as you want which probably what you’re experiencing now.
To check the thermostat, you can try operating the temperature control buttons. These buttons are supposed to help you control how much cold is entering the cabin. If they fail to respond, it is possible that the thermostat is faulty and would have to be replaced. However, you shouldn’t rule out the fact that the temperature control buttons might be damaged or faulty themselves. You should also have them checked.
Check for a faulty blower fan
The blower fan is necessary for sending airflow into the cabin. If your AC is not blowing hard enough, you should check the blower fan for faulty wiring or check if the motor is defective. If so, then you should have it replaced.
