So you got up this morning, drank your morning coffee, scanned your emails, showered and rushed out the door. So far so good. You noticed that today might be a little muggy. No problem – you’re only a few feet away from the sweet air conditioned comfort of your car. You slip into your car, buckle up, turn the key and switch the A/C fan on high. It‘s at that moment you realize your car has betrayed you. Your A/C is blowing warm air.

  • First rule: Don‘t panic. In most cases the problem can be solved for under $100.
  • If your car has got warm suddenly, starts making strange noises, or the compressor is not running – seek professional help.
  • Most small leaks can be cured with AC Pro or Super Seal

AC Pro Troubleshooting advice

Rule number one: Don’t panic. Yes, A/C repair can be expensive. But before you write off that summer vacation, there is some sleuthing to do. Once you analyze the facts, you can then determine how expensive solving the problem really is.

First things first. Ask yourself these questions:

  • How has your A/C has been acting over the last couple of weeks?
  • When was the last time that it was blowing cold air?
  • Did your A/C suddenly start blowing warm air, or has it built up gradually over a two week period?
  • Have there been any weird noises coming from the engine when you turn the A/C on?

Disclaimer: If your car is making really strange or unusual noises when you turn the A/C on, you should seek professional help immediately.

Don’t forget to check your compressor clutch - is it actually turning? Check out our video for a visual comparison.

If your compressor is not running, seek the advice of a professional. If everything seems fine (compressor is running with no strange noises) then you may have landed in that lucky under $100 problem we referred to earlier.

Common A/C problems

How to fix leaks in the A/C system?

The most common A/C problem is a small refrigerant leak in the system. If your system slowly loses refrigerant over a two-week period, then a leak additive will most likely fix your problem.

Typically, refrigerant leaks occur in cars that are over five years old because the rubber O-rings, that seal the different components of the system, become brittle and inelastic - allowing the refrigerant to leak past them.

In most cases this can be cured by adding a refrigerant with a proven stop leak additive and O-ring conditioner. A premium refrigerant such as AC Pro® contains these additives and could stop these leaks. It also contains special lubricants that help to extend the life of your compressor.

While you’ve got the hood open, check to make sure that there are dust caps on the service ports of your A/C. If there aren‘t any, pick some up from your local car parts store and put them on. Dust caps on service ports are an essential part of maintaining the refrigerant in your car’s A/C system.

In some cases pin-sized hole leaks occur in the metal components of the car’s A/C system.

Super Seal

Super Seal circulates within the A/C system of the car as a liquid, until it is exposed to a crack or pin-sized hole. When exposed to moisture and the outside air it forms a permanent seal in metal components to stop leaks.

Super Seal is completely safe and has been proven to work on over a million vehicles. Furthermore, Super Seal acts like added insurance for your system - if other leaks occur, Super Seal will still be in the system and will be able to fix them.

A sealant such as Super Seal is perfect for fixing components such as the dryer, evaporator, or condenser. Don’t worry - a sealant is easy and simple to use yourself.

Summary

So, in summary: If your car’s A/C is blowing warm air all of a sudden and/or there are weird noises coming from the under hood, or if you have determined that the clutch on your compressor is not cycling on, then you need to seek professional help.

If the car’s A/C has slowly gotten warm over a period of two weeks or longer and there are no other extenuating circumstances, then chances are you can add A/C Pro® or Super Seal to fix the problem.