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If you find your car AC not working properly one day, it’s most often due to a refrigerant leak. Unfortunately, a leak isn’t something that’s easy to find and fix yourself. A technician at your local Ford dealer will need to use specialist tools and dyes to solve the problem. Let’s take a look at the four clearest warning signs that your AC is leaking refrigerant.
Your AC Is Blowing Warm Air
The refrigerant flows around a closed system inside your AC. As it moves between the condenser and the compressor, the refrigerant changes from gas to liquid and back again to gas. In the process, it becomes very cold, cooling the air blowing into your cabin.
If your AC starts blowing only warm air, then the air fans are still functioning but the cooling system has shut down. This usually means a refrigerant leak has dropped the internal pressure by enough to trigger a sensor that shuts the entire system down. When this happens, the AC shuts down to protect the compressor, which can become damaged if too little refrigerant is flowing through it.
You Find the Clutch of Your Car AC Not Working
Your AC has a little clutch inside which engages whenever you turn your AC on. You’ll often hear a little click when this happens. In most Ford vehicles, this clutch requires a steady refrigerant pressure to engage. If a leak causes pressure to fall too low, then the clutch won’t engage and your AC won’t turn on at all.
You Spot an Oily Colorless Substance On the Hoses
It’s often difficult to notice or find a refrigerant leak. Unlike most fluids in your car, the refrigerant has neither color nor odor. If you look closely, however, you might see a colorless oily substance accumulating around connections in the AC system or hoses under your hood.
How a Technician Locates a Leak
A qualified technician will open your AC and add a special UV dye to the refrigerant. They’ll then top up the refrigerant enough to allow the compressor to turn on. They’ll start up both the engine and the AC and inspect the entire AC system and all its lines and connections with a UV light. If there’s a leak, the dyed refrigerant will glow a bright color under the UV light, revealing the leak’s location.
Clicking Sounds When Your AC’s Running
The final sign of leaking refrigerant is an odd, loud clicking sound from under your hood. This clicking is the sound of your compressor short cycling. It usually means that your refrigerant levels are dropping because of a leak and the compressor is in danger of becoming damaged. So if you hear a clicking, turn your AC off at once and have it checked for leaks.
Visit Brinson Ford Lincoln today to have your AC inspected and repaired. We’re a well-established dealership that’s been serving the drivers of North Texas with top-notch cars and service since 1992.
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