Full of Hot Air (Air Conditioning)
October 16, 2022
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.
Sterling Tire & Auto
34701 Van Dyke Rd
Sterling Heights, Michigan 48312
586-264-7775
Need Service?
More articles from Sterling Tire & Auto

That Vexing Vapor Venting (Vapor Coming out of Vents)
April 27, 2025
You may have noticed sometimes on a hot and humid day, vapor will come out of your vehicle's vents when you have the air conditioning on. Is that something to be concerned about? Well, it depends. Sometimes that steam or vapor can be caused by water accumulating in the vent system after it has c... More

Steering You Right (Power Steering Fluid Service)
April 20, 2025
Its important for safe driving that two of the most important systems in your vehicle work right. One is the brakes. The other is the steering. Nearly all vehicles on the road have some sort of power steering that allows you to direct a very heavy machine with little effort. There are two ty... More

Your Vehicle is Talking to YOU (Service Warning Signs)
April 13, 2025
Your vehicle may be like that famous battery bunny, the one that just keeps going and going. But while it may seem sometimes like you never need to take your vehicle in to be worked on, there are some things you should keep your eyes, ears and nose out for. They are warning you about something t... More