The HVAC is not cooling the air in the car. Fan works, but no cooling. Can this be fixed by YourMechanic?

The HVAC system is not cooling the air in the car. Fan works. Heat works. Cooling does not work. Can Your Mechanics fix this or must I take it to a dealership. I suspect it needs an injection of refrigerant.

My car has 285000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
This can happen for a number of reasons such as being low on refrigerant, a faulty AC thermostat switch or a failing AC compressor. We do currently offer services for repairs/inspections of air conditioning systems.

How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :

Some of the most common reasons a central air system stops working include: coolant has run too low, the air filters are blocked or dirty, the coils are frozen over, or there is an electrical issue.
Cooling fans can stop working properly for a number of different reasons; they might have blown fuses, an electrical short, or could have been cracked by debris from the road. Fortunately, this is fairly simple to fix; your mechanic should be able to replace it quickly and get you back on the road.
The most common reasons for a radiator fan not working can be a blown-out fuse, a bad relay, or a broken wire. The faulty coolant temp sensor might also be a reason behind it. Whatever the case, a dysfunctional radiator fan can be fatal.
You will want to have the unit examined to look for signs of a blown fuse, a tripped circuit breaker, a broken thermostat, or dirty air filters. Dirty or clogged filters commonly make AC compressors stop working.
If your air conditioner will turn on, and your thermostat is set properly, but your system is not cooling you may have a dirty or blocked air condenser. Your first step is to check the outside unit and clean around and remove any debris or weeds that are blocking air circulation.
If your ceiling fan isn`t blowing air, one potential reason is electrical issues. This can be caused by a variety of factors including a blown fuse, loose wiring, a problem with the dual or single capacitors, or a defective motor.
Change Your Air Filter

Your AC may not be cooling due to a clogged or dirty air filter. Locate your air filter and visually inspect it. If you notice it has a decent amount of dirt or debris, then change your air filter. A standard 1 inch air filter should be changed about once every month.

How To Check an AC Unit. To test your central air conditioning system, turn the AC unit on, place a thermometer on the supply register for five minutes, then check the temperature and compare it to the temperature from the return vent.
On most modern cars, the cooling fan is controlled by the Engine Control Unit (ECU) which gets a signal from the coolant temperature sensor. If it`s not working, the fan won`t turn on when it needs to, which means the engine might overheat.
If your electric furnace is running hard but it isn`t producing enough heat to chase off the cold, this could be caused by a number of different issues. The most common issues include a faulty thermostat but these issues could also be a sign of a clogged filter, dirty air ducts, or a serious problem with your furnace.
A dirty condenser coil with have a reduced ability to transfer heat to the outside air and this can lead to a less effective cooling system. A person that is using an air conditioner that has a dirty condenser coil may find that the unit no longer provides adequate cooling to the structure.
If you can hear the compressor running but the fridge isn`t cooling, the problem is most likely either frost-clogged evaporator coils or a stuck or broken evaporator fan. If you hear no sounds and the compressor isn`t running, or you hear a click, inspect the overload relay, start relay, and start capacitor.
When your HVAC system turns on – either from a manual thermostat adjustment or a change in indoor temperature – electricity will flow to the relays. Most relays use an electromagnetic method of operation. As electricity flows to them, they`ll generate a magnetic field that completes an electrical circuit.
HVAC relays open or close circuits to turn equipment on and off. Also known as control relays, these magnetically operated switches are commonly used in fan motor operations such as air conditioning, heating, and ventilation systems.
The air filter might be clogged, and you need to clean or change it. Another cause of an AC unit fan not spinning is a clogged air filter. If you can`t remember the last time you replaced the unit`s filter, it`s time for a replacement. This is an approachable solution for homeowners to tackle.
An HVAC diagnostic test should be part of the regular annual maintenance performed by certified technicians. This test identifies potential problems so you can avoid unwanted costs, and it can help keep your heating and cooling system running at optimum efficiency.
The most common cause is a dirty air filter. When the air filter is dirty your blower has to work harder to force air through the filter. This increases the blower`s energy consumption and can sometimes trip the circuit breaker. Check your filter and replace it with a clean one before resetting your circuit breaker.
The engine-ECU <M/T> or engine-A/T-ECU <A/T> controls the fan controller to activate the radiator fan motor and the condenser fan motor.
The capacitor helps the fan motor run. Delivering torque to the fan motor, if the capacitor is faulty, there won`t be enough power delivered and the blower wheel, fan belt, and other important components can cease to operate.
There can also be a secondary electric air conditioning fan that runs. It is activated by the body control computer that will signal the cooling fan to operate This provides extra cooling to your engine compartment.
Because the condenser fan cool such an important part of the AC system it is very important to pay attention to its operation if you find that your AC is not working. A failed fan will not only fail to produce cold air, but can even result in damage to the AC system due to overheating.
Look for it first around on the exterior of your machine, especially along the bottom edge near the ground. An AC`s reset button is typically red and visible, so it should be easy to spot. If you don`t see a reset button on the outside, it could be located inside the unit behind the service panel.
Too Little or Too Much Refrigerant

In the event that the amount of refrigerant in the system is not perfect, it could create too much pressure or strain and lead to compressor failure. Too little refrigerant is most likely caused by an insufficient charge from the last technician, or from a refrigerant leak.

Pressure and Flow Problems

Air compressors can either build-up too much air or none at all. Likewise, the pressure can only reach as far as a particular PSI and not much further. If you notice these issues, components like the intake valve, pressure valve, gasket, piston seal, or tank check valve may be compromised.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

The HVAC is not cooling the air in the car. Fan works, but no cooling. Can this be fixed by YourMechanic?
ANSWER : This can happen for a number of reasons such as being low on refrigerant, a faulty AC thermostat switch or a failing AC compressor. We do currently offer services for repairs/inspections of air conditioning systems.

When I turn on my AC the radiator fans do not turn on. The fans do come on when the car warms up so I know they are working and the fuses are good. The AC compressor does come on and the air blows ice cold when the car is moving. Car is a 2006 Chrysler Sebring Sedan 2.7l v6.
ANSWER : The control circuit for the fans needs to be checked. For example, there is usually a condenser fan relay in the A/C electrical controls. There could be a fault with that relay and/or wiring problems, perhaps even just a loose connection, blown or loose fuse, and so forth. To resolve something like this, the recommended service is an electrical component diagnostic. If you request that diagnostic service, the responding certified mechanic will get the problem pinpointed and resolved. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

My car cooling fan works for a few seconds when I turn the car off, not on when the car’s on. Is the temperature sensor bad?
ANSWER : If it doesn’t run for more than about a minute, that could be a normal situation. The fan is triggered by temperature at the cylinder head, and when the engine is off and the coolant isn’t circulating, the heat rises to the top of the engine. If the car is fully warmed up and it’s a hot day outside, the fan may come on for a short time when the car is off. If it runs on and on, it may be a different matter and you will want to have it checked out.
The leak, should concern you. Left to themselves, things always go from bad to worse and it could get worse at a very inconvenient time. If you contact Your Mechanic, they can send a technician to your home or office to check out your Honda and let you know what can be done for it.

Front A/C fan not blowing, but front seat cooling and rear A/C fans are working.
ANSWER : What you are describing sounds like a failure of the blower motor that circulates air in the HVAC system, however, there are certain faults that could occur in the electric circuit that powers the blower motor. If power is reaching the blower motor when the blower switch is in the on position and the blower motor is not functioning as intended then the blower motor is condemned and replaced. On the other hand, if there is no power, then the blower switch and the plug connection on the back of the switch, as well as the rest of the circuit should be inspected. If the circuit includes a blower motor resistor block, of course the resistor block has to be checked for continuity (i.e., specified resistance in ohms) at each position. If equipped with a relay in the circuit, that is easy to test and if the relay works consistently as commanded, you can assume there is no fault there. If you want these diagnostic steps performed by a certified Mechanic, dispatched by YourMechanic right to your location, please request a non functioning blower motor diagnostic/replacement and the responding mechanic will get this resolved for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic.

I put the wrong key in my car and a few weeks later my car just shut down and it will not start I believe it’s the computer but…
ANSWER : Hi there. What had happened is the wrong key set the security to the vehicle. This is to prevent the vehicle from starting with the wrong keys. Try removing the battery cables (+) and (-) for 13 minutes. During that time, put the original key in the ignition and turn it on. Activate everything in the car even though there is no power. Then remove the key and hook up the battery cables. The computer should have reset and reset the security. If the security is still being tripped, then I recommend seeking out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you

I had dual cooling fans, the replacement part was a single larger cooling fan. Now I get aengine light about my cooling system. Ho
ANSWER : Hello,
You should check with the person you bought the fan from. I show a listing of a single or a dual fan system. You should replace the fan with the same as what was removed. You should not use the single fan when you were equipped with a dual fan system. The wiring and programming is different depending on how it was made.

Honda CR-V 2004 fan belt as I was driving the fan belt split in half then I just got it fix the car keeps getting over heating smo
ANSWER : Hi there. Typically the fan, AC system and other components on your Honda is driven by the same belt, called a serpentine belt. When the belt brakes frequently, it’s typically due to the pulley’s that drive the belt being worn out, misaligned or not properly adjusted. Before you take your car to the same mechanic to attempt this repair again, I would highly recommend having one of our professional mechanics complete an inspection at your location to determine what needs to be fixed on your Honda.

2004 mercury mountaineer a/c works. No heat fan switch only works on 4 car not overheating Smell antifreeze inside car but no leak
ANSWER : The blower resistor in the blower housing for the a/c blower most likely has gone bad and open circuit in resistor. Replace the blower resistor. The smell of coolant in the dash vents may be from a leak in the heater core. It may still be a small leak that may not show up in a leak test or even cause the coolant to get very low except over a long period of time. Have the cooling system pressure tested and a mechanic like one from YourMechanic can determine if heater core is leaking and replace the blower resistor for you.