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Home / Symptoms / AC Only Work Sometimes

Four common causes for a vehicle A/C working inconsistently and their related parts.

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Is Your Car's AC Inconsistently Working?

It’s only working sometimes because the cabin air filter is too dirty, the “mode” door motor is faulty, or the variable compressor is stuck. Alternatively, the following parts might intermittently malfunction: the AC control unit, the AC high-pressure switch, and the evaporator temperature sensor.

Are you experiencing an unpredictable AC system in your car? One moment, it's working fine, and the next, it's not cooling at all? Air conditioners that blow cold air at one time and warm air at another are probably going through electrical issues.

Watch out: Don't take this issue lightly! Ignoring it could put your safety at risk and lead to costly repairs. Instead, consider discussing with a professional to address the problem immediately.

Let's Get To The Bottom Of It!

Do you notice poor airflow from the AC vents?

The cabin air filter is responsible for cleaning the air that flows through the air conditioning system in your car. Unfortunately, this filter accumulates dirt, mold, and debris as time passes, building a blockage that restricts airflow. This blockage can cause your air conditioning system to cool less than usual and decreases the air from the vents. Therefore, regularly replacing your cabin air filter is essential to ensure that your AC system functions optimally and provides clean and cool air.

Is your AC working inconsistently while the "Check engine" light is on the dashboard?

Modern cars use computer-controlled air conditioning systems with a particular type of compressor called a variable vane compressor. This compressor is designed to reduce the electrical load on the engine. A swash plate inside the compressor adjusts itself to change the pressure needed to control the climate inside the vehicle. This means the compressor works efficiently, regardless of the outside temperature. However, since the system is computer-controlled, it can experience failures. If it fails, the check engine light activates, signaling an issue that needs attention.

Is the car's AC air coming from somewhere apart from the vents?

Your car's air conditioning system has several doors in its box that merges hot and cold air and direct it to where it must go. The Mode door motor is usually connected to a lever mechanism that controls multiple doors. However, if the Mode door motor gets miscalibrated, it causes air to come out of the wrong vent or not come out at all. This happens due to an intermittent connection that causes the motor to function only sometimes or stall, directing air to the wrong location.

Is the temperature coming differently from opposite sides of the car?

The AC control unit in your car is often built into the same panel as the fan and temperature knobs. Over time, the switch on this panel can wear out. When a switch wears out, it sends the wrong or no signal. This can cause problems for switch-controlled components, like the blower and air door control motors. For example, if one of the temperature switches is malfunctioning, it sends the wrong signal to the blend door on one side, causing the temperature on that side to be different.

Is the temperature from the air coming out of the vents erratic?

The AC high-pressure switch is essential to keep your car's air conditioning system running smoothly. It's responsible for monitoring the pressure on the "high" side of the system. If the high side pressure is out of range, the pressure switch signals to the climate control module about a problem with the AC system. If this happens, the compressor shuts off, meaning no cooling comes from the climate control system. Sometimes, however, the pressure switch can be erratic. This means it may shut the AC system off even if the pressure is within the normal range.

Does your air conditioner stops for a long while before working again?

The evaporative temperature sensor is a small but essential part of your car's air conditioning system. It's located in the airbox before the evaporator core, and it determines the core's temperature. This information is crucial for maintaining your AC system's efficiency. Another essential function of the temperature sensor is to alert the climate control module if the evaporator freezes over. If the sensor registers a temperature colder than the actual temperature of the evaporator, the climate control module thinks that the evaporator is frozen. This causes the AC system to shut down until the temperature rises.

The most common causes for a vehicle’s AC only working sometimes?

The most common causes for the car’s AC only working sometimes:

Dirty cabin air filter: The cabin air filter is a fabric screen inside the dashboard that catches debris and particles from the air flowing inside the AC system. It's safe to say that the cabin air filter needs regular changes since it can accumulate too much residue and become quite dirty, leading to AC issues.
Stuck variable compressor: The compressor pressurizes and circulates coolant inside the AC system, much like a pump. If the compressor is faulty, coolant might not effectively flow inside the system, resulting in bad cooling performance and AC issues.
Faulty mode door motor: When setting the AC's mode, as in, deciding if the vents will blow air to the windows, driver's feet, etc., the setting you select is used by a "mode door motor." This motor understands the mode you want and sends a signal so the AC system can work as you like. However, if this mode door is faulty, the AC might act wrongly.
Intermittent AC control unit: The AC control unit is the air conditioning's "brain," where most signals start and end. It's a big unit that has software that measures and monitors the AC performance so it works according to your specifications. However, if this unit fails, the AC won't operate properly.
Intermittent AC high-pressure switch: The high-pressure switch monitors and controls the refrigerant fluid pressure inside the AC system. The higher the refrigerant fluid's pressure, the colder it gets. So, this high-pressure switch is essential in setting temperatures cold or warm. However, if this switch fails, your AC won't deliver the appropriate temperature.
Intermittent evaporator temperature sensor: This sensor monitors the air passing through the evaporator, which is the component cooling the air before it enters the cabin. However, if this sensor is faulty, it might mistakenly report that the air coming from the vents is cold, when in fact it might be hot, leading to malfunctions in the AC.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do you notice poor airflow from the AC vents?

The cabin air filter is responsible for cleaning the air that flows through the air conditioning system in your car. Unfortunately, this filter accumulates dirt, mold, and debris as time passes, building a blockage that restricts airflow. This blockage can cause your air conditioning system to cool less than usual and decreases the air from the vents. Therefore, regularly replacing your cabin air filter is essential to ensure that your AC system functions optimally and provides clean and cool air.
Is your AC working inconsistently while the "Check engine" light is on the dashboard?

Modern cars use computer-controlled air conditioning systems with a particular type of compressor called a variable vane compressor. This compressor is designed to reduce the electrical load on the engine. A swash plate inside the compressor adjusts itself to change the pressure needed to control the climate inside the vehicle. This means the compressor works efficiently, regardless of the outside temperature. However, since the system is computer-controlled, it can experience failures. If it fails, the check engine light activates, signaling an issue that needs attention.
Is the car's AC air coming from somewhere apart from the vents?

Your car's air conditioning system has several doors in its box that merges hot and cold air and direct it to where it must go. The Mode door motor is usually connected to a lever mechanism that controls multiple doors. However, if the Mode door motor gets miscalibrated, it causes air to come out of the wrong vent or not come out at all. This happens due to an intermittent connection that causes the motor to function only sometimes or stall, directing air to the wrong location.
Is the temperature coming differently from opposite sides of the car?

The AC control unit in your car is often built into the same panel as the fan and temperature knobs. Over time, the switch on this panel can wear out. When a switch wears out, it sends the wrong or no signal. This can cause problems for switch-controlled components, like the blower and air door control motors. For example, if one of the temperature switches is malfunctioning, it sends the wrong signal to the blend door on one side, causing the temperature on that side to be different.
Is the temperature from the air coming out of the vents erratic?

The AC high-pressure switch is essential to keep your car's air conditioning system running smoothly. It's responsible for monitoring the pressure on the "high" side of the system. If the high side pressure is out of range, the pressure switch signals to the climate control module about a problem with the AC system. If this happens, the compressor shuts off, meaning no cooling comes from the climate control system. Sometimes, however, the pressure switch can be erratic. This means it may shut the AC system off even if the pressure is within the normal range.
Does your air conditioner stops for a long while before working again?

The evaporative temperature sensor is a small but essential part of your car's air conditioning system. It's located in the airbox before the evaporator core, and it determines the core's temperature. This information is crucial for maintaining your AC system's efficiency. Another essential function of the temperature sensor is to alert the climate control module if the evaporator freezes over. If the sensor registers a temperature colder than the actual temperature of the evaporator, the climate control module thinks that the evaporator is frozen. This causes the AC system to shut down until the temperature rises.

Typical fixes to address the cause(s)

These are typical processes and repair services that fix a check engine light issue

The most common cause: Faulty evaporator temperature sensor

The most common reason for a car’s AC working intermittently is due to a faulty evaporator temperature sensor. The evaporator is the component that cools the air before it enters the cabin; this component relies on a sensor to know the actual temperature of the air passing through so it can make its calculations to either heat up or cool down the air. Therefore, if the sensor is sending wrong information, the evaporator might mistakenly heat up the air coming from the AC, leading to malfunctions.

Symptoms it causes: Apart from the AC blowing hot air you might notice humming sounds, AC intermittently working, heating problems, etc.
Low risk of priority: A malfunctioning evaporator leaves you with a faulty AC. So, if you value comfort inside the car and chill temperatures, you might consider this a higher priority.

How exactly does the evaporator temperature sensor go faulty?

The temperature sensor is made to last for much of a vehicle’s lifetime. However, as with any other car component, it can wear out over time. Additionally, this component might also suffer from electrical issues related to the battery, alternator, drive belt, etc. Also, physical stress like driving through bumpy roads constantly or getting into an accident can result in enough impact to misplace or damage the sensor.

Go safe: Ask for a mechanic to inspect your vehicle’s HVAC system to investigate if the AC evaporator temperature sensor is faulty due to surrounding components and if there’s further damage to check out. Many shops do transparent vehicle inspections and lay out your options after investigating your vehicle’s conditions.

What’s a vehicle inspection? It’s “detective work” on your vehicle, checking its systems to see if anything prevents the car from working as expected. In this case, mechanics examine different parts of your vehicle to track if anything is causing the AC evaporator temperature sensor to wear out. They’ll also check the condition of components during their inspection, noting which are causing the problem and which got affected by it, recommending to replace them in order of priority.

Transparency example in a faulty AC evaporator service

An HVAC system inspection is the most transparent process to understand why your vehicle’s evaporator temperature sensor is worn. This is because many components surrounding the evaporator, compressor, and blend door motor can have a say in the issue, indicating the real culprits that caused it all.

Let’s read an example of how this kind of inspection helps to service a faulty evaporator temperature sensor.

A customer brought their car to the shop and said the air conditioner would work for a little while, then suddenly stop and restart after ten minutes.

During the test drive, the technician didn't notice anything wrong with the air conditioner. When checking the car during the vehicle health inspection, they saw nothing about the customer's complaint.

The technician then got authorization for additional diagnostics and hooked up the car to an air conditioning machine and a specific scanner for the vehicle. Next, they started the car and turned the air conditioner on high. Again, the pressures and temperature readings were expected, but the air from the center vent was only 48°, which is not as cold as it should be.

The technician compared the readings from the scanner and the air conditioning machine to the actual temperatures and pressures in the car and found that the evaporator core temperature was about 15° cooler than the thermometer reading.

They continued to run the car until the air conditioning compressor shut off, and at that point, the temperature sensor in the evaporator was reading 12°, while the air coming out of the center vent was still at 48°. This meant the evaporator temperature sensor was not working correctly and needed replacing.

Intermittent evaporator temperature sensor

In this case, the mechanic put the “Immediate Action” tag on the evaporator temperature sensor.

Similar Symptoms

Below are just a few examples of typical Symptoms and Fixes your car might be experiencing

Four common causes for an AC not cooling the vehicle and their related parts.