- 9/10/2024
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What is an AC compressor?
The compressor is an important part of the AC system in all cars, and it can be said that it is the most important part of the system, without it you will not get cold air at all, and the compressor is connected to the engine and derives its movement from it through the external engine belt, which means that the compressor will only work if the engine is running.
The function of the compressor is to draw refrigerant from the evaporator, and this works to lower the pressure in the evaporator, and the low pressure resulting from the intake process causes the refrigerant to vaporize at low temperatures, and then the cold gas is compressed by the AC compressor.
The refrigerant gas that has been warmed by compression is transported through pipes to the condenser, where it returns to its liquid state, lowering its temperature to become very cold in the process, then it is directed into the car through special hoses and passages to make the car cool.
If you want to buy a car free of AC problems, Motorgy offers you used cars for sale in Kuwait that are fully inspected, especially the AC system, so you can buy the car you like quickly, safely, and at the best price you can get.
Read also: How does the AC system work in a car?
What are the signs of a bad AC compressor?
The most important signs you may notice when your car's AC compressor is bad are:
Check engine light
There is a group of cars that have the feature of showing a check engine light in case of detecting a malfunction or damage to one of the components of the AC system, especially the compressor, if you feel that there is an issue with the AC system in your car and the check engine light appears in front of you in orange color, you should check the system to identify the issue and determine its cause.
Strange noises from under the hood
One of the most common signs of compressor damage is hearing strange sounds similar to the sound of grinding from the engine bay when the AC is turned on, once the compressor begins to wear and damage, it may make a grinding or whining sound when it is turned on, and these sounds are the result of damage to its internal components such as bearings, pistons and other rotating and moving parts, and if you turn off the AC and then restart it and this sound remains for a long time, it means that you must change the compressor so you enjoy cool air during the hot summer days.
Read more: Common engine problems
Reduced AC performance and cooling over time
The gradual decrease in the performance of the AC system and especially the rise in air temperature is a sign of an issue with the compressor. When the compressor wears out or loses its efficiency over time, it struggles to maintain the desired temperature inside the car, but the heat gets hotter and hotter over time, especially in hot weather.
The air is hot instead of cold
The exit of hot air from the vents when the AC system is turned on, indicates that the compressor of the AC is definitely damaged, or the system may not have refrigerant at all or its quantity is low and cannot cool the car, and if hot air starts to come out instead of cold, the cooling system is useless and you have to fix the issue, which may be due to the compressor.
Read more: How can I make my car's air conditioning cooler?
Increased fuel consumption
If the compressor in your car is damaged or a weakness in one of its internal parts leads to restricted movement, you will notice an increase in fuel consumption in your car, even if by a small amount; because the damaged compressor will cause additional effort on the engine to operate it, and this will increase fuel consumption in addition to the increased consumption that occurs when operating the AC system in the first place.
AC refrigerant leakage
The AC compressor in your car contains internal bearings and gaskets to prevent the leakage of coolant or AC refrigerant from the compressor, and since the compressor's function is to compress the refrigerant gas to cool the car, the process of pressure and constant movement will lead with the age of the car to damage these gaskets and bearings, and this of course will work to leak the coolant either in an amount that you cannot see, or perhaps significantly and immediately noticeable under the compressor.
Bad clutch
The AC compressor in the car contains a “clutch” like a manual transmission, and this clutch is connected to the car's engine to derive its movement from the engine and start the compressor when needed, but if the compressor clutch or its pulley fails, the compressor will not work; because it simply will not get any energy from the engine to run it, and here you must replace the entire compressor to fix this issue.
