The air conditioning system in a car is often the only thing that makes being in it bearable on hot or humid days. If you're worried that your vehicle has auto AC system repair issues, you probably want to know what's wrong and how to tell. A car AC repair technician will usually handle the diagnostic as follows.

Refrigerant Issues

One of the most common issues is that the refrigerant in the system stops doing its job. You can typically tell because the system will blow less and less cool air each time you drive until it eventually doesn't blow any. Condensation also sometimes appears, especially at the bottom of the windshield, because the air isn't being properly dehumidified. A technician usually can recharge the system, though, and then it will work well again.

This is generally one of the cheaper fixes because most refrigerant systems have access ports. Therefore, it's often one of the first things a mechanic will try at a car AC repair shop.

Compressor

Notably, a sudden failure of the air conditioning could be a mechanical issue. The AC system is powered by a compressor that's usually located in the motor. It is also connected to the motor with at least one belt.

A compressor failure may also get noisy or even stinky. Internal components can crunch or grind, and a full seizure may cause friction along the belt and produce smoke.

Electronics

Your car's AC system also has electronic controls. Fortunately, most of the electronics for the AC unit are located in the dash or nearby. A failure of the AC unit could boil down to something as simple as a blown fuse that prevents the command from going to the mechanical systems.

When there is an electronics issue, you'll most likely notice it because the AC will be non-responsive. Usually, nothing will blow at all. If the fans do blow, they will just circulate the air in the cabin. On some cars with integrated diagnostic systems, you may also get a notification through the infotainment dashboard.

Fans

Sometimes the fans fail. When this occurs, there's usually some evidence that it's going to happen at least for a few weeks if not a couple of months. Fans tend to make squealing noises before they give out. In fact, they often just keep making very irritating noises without failing, and that often forces folks to replace them even though the AC system is still operating well enough.

Contact an auto shop for more information about car AC repair.