First appointment accepted at 8:00 a.m.
2 Years / 24,000 Miles Parts & Labor Warranty
FREE Wi-Fi
Your Neighborhood Full Service Repair Facility
Convenient Financing Options Available
All Major & Minor Repairs
May 14, 2023
There's nothing quite like getting in your vehicle on a hot day, switching on the air conditioning and having warm air blow out of the vents. You may have had no problem for months and then, one day, you are driving around in a sauna. You're hot stuff, but not in a good way!
So what goes wrong when the AC isn't working? It could be a lot of things because the system has many different components. One thing that's a common cause is the vehicle is low on refrigerant (it used to be called Freon). If that's the case, it's not as simple as simply adding more. Sure, it may fix it quickly for a short time, but it's more likely than not that the refrigerant will just leak out again.
The original Freon used in air conditioners was destroying the Earth's ozone layer, so that's not used much any more. But the one that's currently used also contributes to global warming, so it's important that as little of that escapes as possible. So a technician will determine if there's a leak in your system, where it is and fix that before adding new refrigerant.
Your vehicle also has an evaporator or two, and those can fail. Leaks are often the problem with them as well. The big component that can go bad is the compressor, often a victim of age, wear or neglect.
A technician will also check to see that the blower is working correctly. That's what blows that cool air into the cabin. Sometimes the motor will fail, a relay will go bad or a fuse will blow. As you can see, there are lots of different parts involved here!
The good news is that your vehicle's service facility has the special equipment to recover the refrigerant and check the system's pressure, both vital to properly servicing the air conditioning system.
As with many vehicle components, regular maintenance can go a long way to minimizing problems in the air conditioning system. It can reduce the chance of the compressor having to be replaced, too. Pretty cool, huh?
Tuffy TIre & Auto Service Center Orland Park
7900 W. 159th St.
Orland Park, Illinois 60462
708-444-2966
March 29, 2026
Heat is one thing that can damage a vehicle, especially if a problem isnt taken care of soon. Be on the lookout for signs that its getting too hot in some parts of your vehicle, starting with the most obvious one: the heat gauge/warning light on your instrument panel. When you see that heat gaug... More
March 22, 2026
Quick question. Which is tougher on a vehicle's battery, the heat or the cold? Believe it or not, it's the heat. Think about it. The battery often sits in the engine compartment next to that motor generating lots of heat. That can accelerate corrosion in the battery and may even cause water i... More
March 15, 2026
Its important for safe driving that two of the most important systems in your vehicle work right. One is the brakes. The other is the steering. Nearly all vehicles on the road have some sort of power steering that allows you to direct a very heavy machine with little effort. There are two ty... More
