Back to all

Full of Hot Air (Air Conditioning)

April 7, 2024

In warm weather, you want to be in a cool vehicle. When we're talking cool, we don't mean stylish or trendy, but cool as in not sweltering inside.  And if your vehicle's air conditioner stops working correctly, it seems to always break at the worst time—during a heat wave. 

Automotive air conditioning problems fail for a number of reasons:

  • Blower motor not working.  No air comes through the vents, even though the rest of the system could be working fine.
  • Refrigerant leak. When the gas that cools the air off escapes from the air conditioning system, your air conditioner can no longer cool off the outside air
  • Condenser and compressor. These are parts of your AC system that compress and expand a refrigerant gas to cool off the outside air. They are fairly complex.

When you bring your vehicle into our service center, we'll run a series of diagnostic tests to figure out what isn't working correctly.  The air conditioning system has a lot of parts. There are electrical and mechanical components plus a series of hoses and tubes that all can wear out over time.  Any one of these can fail.

A lot of drivers think they have a "Freon leak" and believe that if they get their AC system recharged with the refrigerant, everything will be fine.  But AC systems are so complex, it usually takes a trained technician to accurately figure out where the problems are.

Sometimes the solution is simple.  If your blower motor wears out or there's a fuse that has blown, the technician can replace the bad parts and you'll quickly be back to enjoying your rolling refrigerator. But when compressors or condensers go bad, those are much more involved and expensive to fix.

For instance, electrical problems can sometimes lead to acid to build up and corrode other parts of your AC system.  Sometimes that causes so much damage, your whole air conditioning system has to be replaced. That's why it's always a good idea to have your AC regularly maintained.  Our technicians can find a problem early and prevent more expensive repairs down the road. That's really the cool way to go.

Car Fix Shelby
46870 Van Dyke Ave.
Shelby Township, Michigan 48317
(586) 739-7810

Need Service?

Request a Quote

More articles from Car Fix Shelby

Automotive Tips from Car Fix Shelby: Brake Noise

May 12, 2024

Your brake pads are the important parts that rub against the rotor (or disc) to slow and stop your car when driving in Shelby Township. They eventually wear down.When your pads are worn too much, they wont stop your vehicle as well. When the friction material is worn away, metal parts of the pad ... More

The Truth about Tire Pressure (Tire Inflation)

May 5, 2024

Most light vehicles (under 10,000 pounds/4,500 kg) in North America sold from 2008 model year on have a feature that many people are confused about. It's the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). You may have some experience with it yourself if you own a newer vehicle. Vehicles with TPMS hav... More

Another Couple of Years: Making Your Vehicle Last With Help From Car Fix Shelby

April 28, 2024

A while back, the Cash for Clunkers program was all over the Michigan news. Shelby Township people could trade in their old vehicle for a new one that got better gas mileage and receive a government rebate. A lot of Shelby Township motorists had so-called clunkers that they wanted to keep. They'... More