With summer literally just around the corner, having car air conditioning problems can be a real hot mess. Fact is, cars naturally retain more heat than the outside temperature which means that you’re sitting there stuck in a stuffy confined area, sweating it all out, and begging for a nice breeze to pass by through the windows. And as much as the air conditioner in your car helps you feel better during the hot days, having air conditioning problems that are not attended to could lead to potentially dangerous situations where a heat wave strikes inside your car to dangerous temperature levels.

So if your car’s air conditioner just doesn’t seem to be doing its job and is simply just spurting out hot air, it’s time to get it fixed.

Here are 5 of the most common car air conditioning problems and how to fix them.

1. Leaking Refrigerant

Unfortunately, a refrigerant leak can happen at any point in a car’s air conditioning process which means that it can prove to be challenging to find out exactly where the leak is. Some of the most common places for refrigerant leaks are at the air conditioning unit hose connections.

Where you notice any accumulation of oily substances around the hose connection, you may have found the source of the leak. Once you’ve found the source of the leak, your or your technician can use an air conditioning sealant to close it.

2. Blocked or Clogged Condenser

A blocked condenser is unable to properly facilitate a good airflow to cool your car’s hot refrigerant which then leads to overheating causing the air conditioning unit to expel only hot air.

As a car’s condenser is usually found at the front of the car, it is relatively easy to identify where the blockage is. Once you identify the blockage, simply remove the problem from the grill and the issue of your air conditioning problem should be resolved.

3. Broken Condenser

Where there isn’t any apparent blockage in your condenser, there is a possibility that the condenser is broken altogether. The cause of a broken condenser may be from punctures made by road debris working through the grill of your car.

Should you notice any punctures in the condenser, you will most likely need to replace the condenser or have a technician do it for you.

4. Electrical Issues

Diagnosing an electrical problem relating to your air conditioning unit is perhaps the most challenging task due to having to undergo deductive reasoning. To begin, you will need to conduct a visual inspection of the wiring to see if the wires are frayed or broken.

If you find any damaged wires, you will need to mend them with electrical tape where the problem is not too big, or otherwise replace them altogether. Where you aren’t able to locate any electrical issues, it is best to consult an experienced technician for a thorough diagnosis of your air conditioning problems.

5. Faulty Cooling Fans

If your fans don’t function properly, it is more than likely that you condenser isn’t receiving the proper cooling it needs which then results in your car releasing only hot air out of the air con vents. To check for fault in the cooling fans, give it a look and see if you can notice any cracks or misalignments.

Where there is a crack in the cooling fan, you will have to replace them. Other cooling fan issues include blown fuses as well as other electrical problems. To address these problems efficiently and effectively, you will most likely need to consult a professional car technician unless you are experienced in electrical work.

Air conditioning problems are a hassle and vary in difficulty of fixing. At times it may be a quick fix that will take no more than a couple of minutes, in others you will need to replace a part entirely. Nevertheless, it’s often better to stay safe than sorry by consulting a professional technician to help fix the issue than trying to work your way around with guesswork.