With the warmer months upon us, the air con supplied by our vehicles is a blessing which me may be taking for granted. We feel confident when hopping into our car’s on the warmest of days, avoiding the burning of the seatbelt and switching on our engine’s, knowing the cold blasts of air will cool us in no time… but what if they don’t? There are multiple issues that you could experience with your air con, let us walk you through a few of the most common faults.

Hot air

If you have turned on your engine and air conditioning only to be greeted with a constant wave of warm or hot air from your vents, this could be caused by a fault with one of the following:

  • A damaged or clogged condenser
  • An electrical fault
  • Low refrigerant levels
  • Damaged cooling fans

Any of these issues are simple fixes if you take your vehicle down to your mechanics, but it important to do this sooner rather than later to prevent any problems escalating further.

Foul scents

After switching your air con on after a long time period without use, you may notice a short-lived, and possibly unpleasant smell. However, if you notice that this scent hangs around for longer than usual, it may be due to a fault within your vehicle. Different scents may lead you or your mechanic to identify the underlying problem.

  • Damp scent
    This scent may be an indication that there is a build-up or growth of mould or bacteria within your air vents. This could be down to one of two main reasons. One, as mentioned before, may be due mainly to the fact that your air conditioning has been switched off for a while and so your car has been unable to experience the drying effects that come from the air conditioning. The other may be due to the fact that your vehicle may be on the older side and so has had a growth of bacteria behind the dashboard which has crept its way into your vents over time.
  • Sulphur scent
    If your air con filters or vent become clogged with a build-up of dirt, you may find a Sulphur like scent being emitted from your air con vents that is strong enough to make you turn the switch off and suffer in the heat.
  • Gas scent
    If you are greeted with the smell of gas once turning your engine and air conditioning on, this may well be a strong signal that there is a gas leak within your vehicle and would signal that it is time to get your car booked in for a check over at your mechanics before driving on any further.  

Each of these scents, plus any others that you may experience from your own air con vents, can all be repaired by use of a deep cleaning service at your mechanics.

Faulty switch

It is common after the winter months to find vehicles whose air conditioning will either not turn on, or off. Many think that this is a fault with the conditioning vents itself, and whilst it often may be, you may find that nine times out of ten, it is actually a fault of the switch itself. Your vehicle may have experienced a blown fuse or a wiring fault, resulting in your switch or dial becoming jammed or obstructed. Of course, it could also be that your fan has overheated, overworked or been underpowered over the winter months and has caused a fault. If you experience either of these signs within your vehicle, get booked in for a full check over to ensure that there is no underling issue.

Moisture build-up

We will always recommend leaving your vehicles air conditioning switched on all year round. The main benefit to this is that, without you being aware, your air conditioning vents also act as a dryer, a vital factor for the health of your AC system. Without this drying action taking place, you could be risking excessive moisture or debris build up within the system itself, resulting in faulty air conditioning in need of repair work. This most commonly occurs after the winter months, after many AC systems experience long-term inactivity.

If you have been experiencing faults with the air conditioning in your vehicle and would like a professional check over, get in touch with our team at Double Dee Auto’s where we specialise in the servicing and deep cleaning of air conditioning units within vehicles. Give us a call on 020 8460 3040 to book your service or to ask any questions.