What does an air conditioning compressor do?
The AC compressor pumps and pressurises the refrigerant through the air conditioning system, feeding cold air into your car. The compressor is powered by your car’s engine.
How often should a compressor need replacing?
A well-maintained and properly serviced compressor could last as long as your car does. However, as with all vehicle components, they’re prone to wear and tear. Leakage and blockage can create irreparable damage.
The law, vehicle regulations and your MOT
A **faulty air compressor **won’t affect your car’s MOT, but it can affect the comfort of you and your passengers. It’s worth keeping your air conditioning running correctly as the impact it can have on your vehicle’s fuel efficiency could affect the day-to-day cost of your motoring.
What happens when we replace your AC compressor?
Our efficient and fully qualified mechanics will check for possible fault codes relating to your air conditioning that could lead them directly to a compressor fault.
The air conditioning system will be checked thoroughly, including electric and pressure components.
Wherever required your compressor will be replaced, and you’ll be advised of any other connected or associated problems arising from its malfunction. Important associated parts will also be removed and cleaned.
You will be advised of any other parts that may need to be replaced for the best operation and health of your vehicle. This includes replacement of refrigerant and possibly the orifice tube and receiver dryer.
Once the faulty compressor has been replaced, our mechanics will test it thoroughly to ensure the correct running of the new part and make any adjustments required for its premium operation.
What causes an AC compressor to stop working correctly?
Over time, the internal components of a compressor can wear or fail, including the seals that cannot be replaced independently.
In other cases, the valves, pistons, bearings or clutch may need replacing, and it could be a cheaper option to replace the complete unit rather than each of the individual parts.
Your compressor may have stopped working properly due to infiltration by dirt and debris, or from being affected by other faulty parts in the system.
Symptoms of a malfunctioning AC compressor
Your air con doesn’t work
If the air conditioning in your car doesn’t function as it normally would then it could be down to a faulty compressor.
There is no cool air
If your air vents aren’t producing cool air when your AC is operational, it could be your compressor that’s malfunctioning.
Your fuel consumption isn’t as good as normal
A malfunctioning compressor could also affect your fuel consumption, so if you notice that you’re not achieving your usual mpg, it could be time to have your compressor checked.
Unusual noises in the engine bay
If you hear a ticking noise coming from your engine, then this could be a sign that your compressor is damaged.
The AC unit is damp
If there are patches of fluid around the AC unit, this could also be a sign of a faulty compressor.
Citroën
Citroën is a French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën Group since 1976, established over 100 years ago in March 1919.
Citroën produced the world’s first mass-produced front-wheel drive car and one of the first to feature a unitary type body, with no chassis supporting its mechanical components.
How popular is Citroën in the United Kingdom?
Citroën is probably better known for its quirky design and fun fashion styled brand of cars. Offering something different from more traditional sporty looks, they are a brand that provides value without being cheap.
There were 1.3m Citroën cars on the roads at the close of 2018; a figure that peaked in the early part of 2015 and has maintained a very similar number ever since.
Good value vehicles for family driving
Citroën offers a range of fun-looking smaller city cars and family cars for every ilk. The smallest starts with their C1 city model, growing into the C3 mini-MPV and SUV models, then the C4 subcompact and compact featuring crossover and SUV styles, up to the C5 family saloon, that is also available as an SUV sporting Citroën’s Aircross moniker.
With models featuring up to 7 seats, Citroën doesn’t just create cars for everyday family motoring—they supply cars for the biggest of families.
Citroën’s reliability and reputation
You wouldn’t instantly think of Citroën as one of the technological leaders of the automotive industry, but as well as being the first to introduce front wheel drive and unitary body type vehicles, they were also responsible for producing the first hydropneumatic self-levelling suspensions system in 1954. Just one year later they introduced another milestone in motoring history, producing the first mass-produced car with modern disc brakes.
Citroën ranked 25th place out of 30 car brands in the What Car? Reliability Survey in 2018. Probably not a figure to earn them too much confidence and an increase in sales, but when you consider that they still featured higher than Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and Land Rover then maybe the competition is a little tougher throughout that survey than it first appears.
Recent Citroën recalls and reliability issues
Various recalls have been made on Citroën models throughout their motoring history. The following are a list of the most recent in the UK and Europe.
25/04/2019 – Citroën Berlingo
The handbrake mechanism may not be correct
27/02/2019 – Citroën C4 Aircross (2011–2015)
The battery charge program may not be to specification
12/02/2019 – Citroën C3 Aircross (2016–2018)
The wires of the seat position sensor may not be correct
01/02/2019 – Citroën Spacetourer and Dispatch IV (2015–2108)
The loosening of the front wishbone lower ball joints
01/02/2019 – Citroën Spacetourer and Dispatch IV (2016–2018)
The fixing bolt of the front suspension wishbone
01/02/2019 – Citroën Spacetourer and Dispatch IV (2015–2018)
The air conditioning compressor pulley could break
01/02/2019 – Citroën Spacetourer Dispatch IV (2016–2018)
Rear suspension wishbone mounting bolts
14/01/2019 – Citroën C3 (2018)
The steering column universal joint clamp may be incorrectly fitted
All recall information sourced from gov.co.uk data.
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