Car AC maintains the temperature and makes road trips comfortable in hot weather. Many people complain that their car’s AC stops working randomly.
Why Does My Car AC Only Work Accelerating? Sometimes, your car AC only works when accelerating due to faulty condenser fans, defective relays, faulty motors, broken switches, and damaged capacitors. The issue also comes due to low levels of freon and coolants. You can also face this problem due to the accumulation of dust in coils, leakage of coolant, and faulty compressor clutch.
It is necessary to resolve this problem because sometimes you have to stay on the road during the day. It becomes difficult for drivers to drive because of the extreme weather conditions.
Overheating of the engine
The heat is produced in the engine and its components due to different faults in the system. Therefore, the heat is only generated when you are in driving condition.
The AC system is also present near the engine components. Therefore, when this compartment becomes overheated, the AC automatically works to maintain the temperature.
Many people also said that the AC in their cars also works more while moving at high speed on highways.
The reason is the more cooling of refrigerant to bring the temperature to a standard point. The measuring gauge is also present in this area to measure the temperature.
The overheating in the engine occurs due to low coolant levels. In addition, the broken water pump in the engine compartment also causes overheating issues and more working of air conditioners.
You can fix it by checking the coolant level before driving your car. In addition, it is also good to check the functioning of the radiator fan for appropriate air crossing.
Damaged Condenser fan
The condenser fan is the key component of the HVAC system. It helps to blow out the cool air from your air conditioners.
The function of a condenser is to cool the hot refrigerants and convert them into liquid states to produce cool air.
The working principle of the condenser fan is the same as the radiator fan. It helps to dissipate the heat from the vehicle’s interior and makes it comfortable and relaxing during the summer season.
The inappropriate working of this component cause problem. Many people complain that the AC in their cars only works when acceleration.
The issue comes due to poor maintenance and faulty fans. During driving, the air from the outside environment also comes and helps in their working.
In this condition, your AC only works when driving your vehicle because of outside air that is beneficial to cool the system.
The condenser fans become faulty due to burnout motors. The capacitor problems also interrupt their normal working, and you cannot stay in the car due to heat.
In addition, the capacitor also becomes out of function when it becomes old. You can fix it by changing the capacitor of a fan for its appropriate functioning.
The faulty relays and fuses also affect their functioning. Moreover, the fan also works efficiently when the temperature in the engine compartment rises.
You should also call a mechanic to check its motor and other components to diagnose the exact problem.
Low levels of freon
Freon gas in air conditioners makes the cool internal environment cold. It is mostly present in old models of various cars.
It is a non-combustible gas that you can use as a refrigerant. The repeated evaporation of freon gas produces cool air, which is circulated in your AC system to keep the environment comfortable.
The compressor fan plays a role in pumping this gas for the evaporation process. The issue comes when levels of this gas become low in your HVAC system.
It is difficult for the compressor to supply the freon gas due to its faulty fan.
As a result, the condenser can only pump this gas when moving at high speed on highways.
The air crossing increases the efficiency of the compressor, and it can provide freon gas to the cooling system.
The levels of the freon gas also become low due to leakage issues in the flow lines. It’s bending at any point creates pressure and causes leakage of this gas.
In addition, the problem also comes when you forget to refill the gas from filling stations.
The low levels also cause the production of uneven noises from the HVAC system.
The fuel costs also increase due to more drainage of power. You can fix the issue by calling an expert to check the whole system accurately.
The mechanic also properly checks all of the flow lines and other connections to decrease the risk of leakage.
Accumulation of dust and debris
The coil and pipes of the condenser also become clogged and cannot function well when your car is not moving.
Dust accumulation and other foreign particles from the air can block their passage. The dust also accumulates in this system due to poor maintenance.
The inappropriate washing and cleaning for a longer time cause dust to come into the pipes and clog them.
The refrigerants cannot move through the pipes due to blocked passage.
The lines also become faulty due to oil sedimentation, which looks like a mixture of dirt and grease.
The condenser is present on the first side of the cars, and the foreign particles from the muddy and dusty roads also cause the entry of dust particles into the coils.
In addition, some people also use their cars for off-roading and other hilly areas to enjoy their vacations. The dust from these uneven terrains also causes insufficient working of the refrigerant. This can also break down your car.
The issue most commonly occurs due to driving on dirty and dusty roads. You can resolve this issue by appropriately maintaining the cleanliness of the specified components.
Use high-pressure water to remove the sedimentation of grease and dust. In addition, you can also use a bristle brush to clean the dust from the lines.
Leakage of coolant liquid
The leakage of the coolant liquid is a common issue in the HVAC system. The coolant is an integral part of maintaining the temperature and keeping the environment cool.
The air conditioners cannot perform efficiently due to low coolant levels. Many people complain that the issue in their car comes when they are not moving.
The low coolant levels affect the air conditioners when you are not driving or accelerating.
The coolant leak is the most common issue in old air conditioners. The poor joints and inappropriate connections also cause their leakage through the system.
The copper tubes of the systems are also more at risk of corrosion due to humidity. The corrosion eventually decreases the strength of metal coils and causes the problem.
The wear and tear and damage in coils due to physical stress also cause coolant leaking. The air conditioners cannot work well due to coolant leakage when not driving your vehicle.
You can resolve this issue by appropriately washing the coils after months to remove rust from their surface.
Moreover, you should also find the exact reason for the leakage to fix the problem.
Broken condenser parts
The capacitors and contactors are the essential part of the AC system for its appropriate functioning. the issue in these two systems completely disturbs the functioning of the whole condenser.
In this situation, you can feel that warm air is coming from car AC when you are not accelerating them.
The surge of power supply damages the capacitors and makes them faulty. In addition, the issue also comes due to lightning strikes.
People often drive their vehicles on off-road surfaces for a longer time without maintaining them. Long-term driving on uneven roads overheats this system, and it cannot function accurately.
Sometimes the wear and tear in capacitors are also produced due to their old age. In addition, the accumulation of dust particles can disturb the functioning of contactors.
The failure of the fan motor of the condenser is also problematic for the working of air conditioners. The engine becomes faulty due to poor lubrication and damage to bearings.
When the AC in your car does not work, you should check these components to find out the problem.
You can repair the capacitors and relay after some time to maintain the functioning.
Faulty compressor clutch
The main purpose of the compressor clutch is to engage the compressor shaft for pumping refrigerant.
The faulty clutch cannot pump enough refrigerants to cool the internal environment.
The dirty coils and low refrigerant charge also cause a problem in the working of the compressor clutch. You have to fix this issue for the appropriate working of air conditioners.
The clutch does not engage the shaft due to problems with electrical switches. The blown fuse of the clutch also causes problems in the pumping of refrigerants.
The compressor clutch does not engage due to faulty wiring harnesses and the problem with the control head unit.
You can fix it by checking the wiring connections and fixing the loose cables. In addition, you should also install a new fuse to replace the old one.