Your car’s air conditioning system works to expel heat from your cabin, letting you ride in a cool car. However, the AC does this with a special AC coolant called Freon. So technically, if your AC isn’t producing cool air as it should, the Freon should be part of the things to check for. On the other hand, engine coolant is used to cool your vehicle engine.
Our licensed mechanic quotes that low engine coolant can indeed affect air conditioning (AC) function. If the coolant levels are low, it can lead to increased engine temperatures, which may overload the AC, affecting airflow and cooling efficiency inside the car. Regular maintenance checks, including coolant and oil levels, are essential to prevent such car troubles.
However, some car owners have also reportedly opined that low engine coolant affects your AC. So, invariably berthing the question, can low coolant affect AC? We will answer this question as we move on, but first, let’s see what the engine coolant does.
Function of engine coolant in a car
The engine coolant, also called antifreeze, is a fluid that cools your engine as it runs. The coolant flows through your engine part, absorbing the heat generated by your engine as it works. This way, your engine doesn’t overheat and break down. With the help of antifreeze, the coolant also ensures your engine is free from corrosion.
During the summer months, the antifreeze in engine coolant ensures the coolant doesn’t boil excessively, and in cold months ensures the coolant does not freeze. But don’t get it twisted; your car AC also uses a special type of coolant called Freon. Its Job is to absorb heat from your cabin, keeping it cool. So, Freon vs. antifreeze, what’s the difference?
Both are coolants used in cooling. But while Freon is used in the air conditioning system, antifreeze is mixed with engine coolant to cool and help your engine run better. If this explanation is correct, this means the condition and level of your AC coolant should be what affects your cabin temperature. So what’s the connection between an engine coolant and AC?
Can low coolant affect AC?
The primary function of AC is to help regulate cabin temperature, and is really useful in the summer months to keep the car’s interior cool. But can low coolant affect air conditioning? The engine coolant does not flow through your AC components to help. Its job is to keep the engine cool and not the AC.
Generally, a different unit controls your AC system, so low coolant in the radiator will not stop the cabin AC from working. Instead, it won’t let the AC sensors function as they should, invariably compromising cabin temperature. How? Engine coolant, as explained, ensures your engine does not overheat by absorbing heat.
If, however, the engine coolant is low, it won’t be able to cool the engine properly. Hence, leading to an increasingly high temperature under the hood. In addition, because of the engine’s proximity to your cabin, cabin temperature will increase as your hood temperature increases.
Liken the AC to the cool water used to water your garden and the engine hotness to hot water. While the cool water will work, the presence of hot water will not let you see the impact of the cool water. So does low coolant affect AC? It affects how the AC works but not the AC itself.
If there is any fluid that can directly impact the AC, that will be the car air conditioner coolant, otherwise called Freon. The Freon is responsible for cooling the air your AC produces. So, if for any reason it gets low, it won’t be able to do its job properly.
Therefore, to ensure the hood’s temperature doesn’t affect your cabin’s temperature, fix whatever is causing low coolant, after which you top with the correct coolant.
So, does adding coolant help AC? It won’t help the AC directly but helps ensure only the AC controls the cabin’s temperature. Of course, this is assuming all components of your AC system are working fine. However, if topping the coolant doesn’t cool the engine, it may be that other things are responsible for engine overheating, invariably affecting cabin temperature.
Does coolant flush help AC
Aside from monitoring the level of your coolant, its condition is also paramount to how well it works. Coolant, while absorbing heat from the engine, also collects some tiny particles. While heat makes coolant lose its viscosity over time, dirt makes the oil dirty. The oil in this condition would not work properly to cool your engine, which invariably affects how your AC works.
Hence, the need to change or flush the coolant. Flushing is better because it cleans the coolant reservoir and all the transport routes. Thus, you have a clean, flowing coolant. So does coolant flush help AC? Yes, it does. A healthy coolant will work well to cool your engine, keeping the hood and not compromising cabin temperature.
Why is my coolant low but no leaks?
When coolant gets low too quickly, chances are your coolant hoses are leaking. Sometimes, the places connecting the hoses or the radiator might also leak. If the above are the causes, you should see coolant leaking from under your vehicle.
If, however, there are no visible coolant leaks and your coolant level is incredibly low, the coolant may be leaking internally due to a bad head gasket. For example, if your car has overheated lately, it could have affected the head gasket. A faulty head gasket would let coolant leak into the combustion chamber.
How often should engine coolant be changed?
Generally, engine coolant can be changed every 3000 – 5000 miles depending on your car’s make or how often you drive. Better still, stick to your manufacturer’s changing intervals; you should find this information in your owner’s manual.
Will coolant fix my AC?
Does coolant affect AC? Generally, low, incorrect, or dirty coolant will not function well to cool your engine. Hence, causing the hood to overheat, which invariably affects cabin temperature. So, topping or replacing it with the recommended engine coolant should fix your AC issue by letting it work as it should. If the issue is not coolant related, it won’t fix AC issues.
In this case, you may want to check if the AC is recharged. The thermostat stuck in the open position, improperly fitting the radiator, or a faulty water pump may cause AC problems. So, try having them checked. Thus, for those asking, will coolant fix AC issues? Yes, it will if its coolant related.
How often does car AC need to be recharged?
There aren’t any specific recommendations on how often to recharge your AC. This is true because AC usage is not uniform and how it works differs from car to car. Therefore, you should have your AC recharged If it no longer blows out cold air as it used to.
Conclusion
Understand that freon is different from normal engine coolant. While engine coolant helps keep the engine cool, coolant for car AC (freon) allows your AC produce cool air. So can low coolant affect AC? It doesn’t affect the AC directly but won’t let it function as it should. Low engine coolant will not let your engine cool properly, leading to high temperatures under the hood.
As the hood temperature rises, your cabin temperature will be compromised even with your AC functioning. If the engine coolant has been fixed, yet the AC still doesn’t work well, you try checking other things. For example, leaking AC coolant (Freon), faulty water pump, thermostat stuck in the open position, incorrectly fitted radiator, improperly charged AC, etc., can cause AC problems.