Common Signs of a Failing Subaru AC Air Compressor

Subaru AC

 

The compressor of your Subaru’s air conditioning system is an important component of your vehicle. It works to pressurize the car’s air conditioning system and keep its refrigerant flowing in order to serve its purpose: to keep your car’s inner temperature cool and protect its passengers from excessive heat. Your car’s compressor works on and off continuously while its air conditioning system is on. This makes the compressor susceptible to wear and tear like any moving part of the vehicle – and eventually will stop working over time.

A failing car AC compressor won’t just “die” without letting you know that it needs help. It will certainly produce a few signs to warn you that it has a problem. The compressor is involved in all the processes of your car’s air conditioning system. If it has a problem, the other components of your car’s AC system will be affected.

Here are the most common symptoms of a failing AC compressor:

1. High Cabin Temperatures

One of the very first signs of a failing compressor is the failure of the air conditioner to blow cold air as it used to do. A defective compressor loses its ability to regulate the flow of its refrigerant in the AC system. This makes the air conditioner lose its capability to perform efficiently.

2. Loud Noise

Your car air conditioner is supposed to run quietly, but when it starts to produce noises, Your car’s AC compressor could be failing. The AC compressor of all cars is driven by the engine belt, and it has a lot of spinning internal components that use bearings to be able to function. If any of these moving components break, fail or seize, you will certainly hear lots of noises as a result.

When a bearing wears out or leaks, it will produce a high pitched grinding sound while a seized bearing will give off a grinding noise or a belt squeal. When a compressor breaks down, a total replacement is almost always the best solution because a compressor assembly is so complex the time spent repairing it does not justify the cost saved.

3. Compressor Clutch Not Moving

A car’s air conditioner compressor clutch is an electromagnetic component. It works to engage and disengage the air conditioner pulley from the compressor drive and transmit full power to the compressor. It keeps the compressor turning only when it needs to be.

If the compressor clutch is not moving, it means that the pulley is no longer engaged with the engine. This causes the compressor to stop working. An AC compressor clutch can also seize and keep the compressor activated especially if you are running low on refrigerant or your condenser is extremely dirty. On some occasions, the clutch can break which means that the compressor will no longer be able to receive power from the engine, making your car unbearably hot on the inside.

In both instances, having the car AC compressor replaced by a trustworthy Subaru air conditioning repair professional would be the most viable solution to the problem instead of replacing the clutch itself.

The compressor is the heart of every air conditioning system. If you think your car’s AC compressor is showing these common signs of failure, you should have your car’s air conditioning system checked at once by a proficient Subaru air conditioning repair facility.

For fast, efficient and guaranteed car AC repair, take your car to a Subaru AC repair shop. Call us at (720) 420-0656 now!