Top News

Automobile Desk: While traveling by car in scorching heat, if the air conditioner (AC) does not provide proper cooling, then the entire fun of driving gets spoiled. As soon as most people feel less cooling of the AC, they assume that some big expense is going to be incurred or the compressor has broken down. However, every time the reason is not so big. Many times, the performance of AC decreases due to very minor reasons like dust accumulated in the filter, wrong driving habits or neglect of the condenser.

If your car's AC is also taking time to cool the cabin in the scorching heat, then by adopting some easy habits and basic maintenance, you can improve its cooling again.

Regular check and cleaning of cabin air filter

The cabin air filter is responsible for cleaning the air coming into the cabin of the car. Due to continuous driving of the vehicle, dust, soil and fine particles get accumulated in this filter. When the filter gets completely blocked, the air flow stops and very less amount of cool air comes out from the vent. If you feel the cooling is less, first try removing the cabin filter. If there is minor dust, it can be cleaned by dusting or using a blower, but if it is very dirty then it is wise to install a new filter.

Do not run the AC on full blast as soon as you sit in the car.

After standing in the sun, the cabin of the car starts heating up like an oven. In such a situation, it is a wrong way to turn on the AC at the highest speed by rolling up the windows as soon as you sit in the car. This suddenly puts a huge strain on the AC system and the cabin takes longer to cool down. The correct way is that after sitting in the car, first of all open all the doors or windows and only run the blower on high speed. Due to this, the extremely hot air filled inside will come out. After two-three minutes, when the cabin temperature starts becoming normal, then close the windows and turn on the AC.

Use of recirculation mode at the right time

The recirculation button given on the dashboard of the car is a very useful feature. When this mode is on, instead of drawing hot air from outside, the AC repeatedly rotates and cools the air inside the cabin. When the initial heat of the car goes out, activate this mode immediately. Due to this, the AC compressor has to work less hard and the cabin cools down much faster.

Pay attention to cleaning the condenser

The condenser is located at the front of the car, right near the radiator. Dust, dry leaves and small insects flying on the road get trapped in its fine nets. When a layer of dirt accumulates on the condenser, it is unable to expel the heat from the AC, due to which the coolness in the cabin starts decreasing. During every servicing, ask the mechanic to get the condenser washed. Keep in mind that never pour water on it with very high pressure, otherwise its delicate webs may get bent.

Protect from sunlight and keep vents clean

Try to always park the car under the shade of a tree or under a covered shed. If you are forced to park in an open space, use sunshades on the front and rear windshields. This prevents the temperature inside the cabin from increasing wildly. Apart from this, sometimes dust accumulation inside the vents also affects the flow of air. Keep cleaning the AC vents from time to time with the help of a dry cotton cloth or soft brush.

When is it necessary to consult a mechanic?

If even after trying all these measures, only warm or nominal air is coming from the vent, then without any delay get the vehicle checked by a skilled mechanic or an authorized service center. In such a situation, there could be reasons like leakage of AC gas, loosening of the compressor belt or fault in the cooling coil.