Why is my car AC making a hissing noise?

You drive your car every day and you know it better than anyone. When your car starts making a different noise it makes sense that it would grab your attention. Has your vehicle AC started making a hissing sound when in use? 

 

Here are 3 reasons that your car’s AC could be making a hissing sound:

Low Refrigerant Charge
In some vehicles an audible hiss or groan type noise can be heard from behind the glove box if the refrigerant is low. The noise is coming from not enough refrigerant passing through the expansion valve. The restricted flow causes a hiss or groan noise and can also cause the valve to freeze up.

 

Large Refrigerant Leak
If you can hear a hiss noise that gets louder when you use your a/c and you smell a chemical smell your car could have a large refrigerant leak. The hiss noise and smell could be coming from a leak from the pressurized refrigerant in your AC system.

 

Compressor Failure
If you can hear a hiss or grind/ groan noise from under your hood while using your a/c you could be experiencing a compressor failure. The bearings, pistons and valves in your compressor wear over time and can fail. A hiss noise only when the a/c button is pressed can be a sign that your compressor is failing.

 

If you notice a hiss noise from your car’s a/c we recommend that you make a reservation to have us check it as soon as possible. Many times early detection of a problem can help a small problem from turning into a much larger problem.

 

Let the Mechanics at Tim’s help keep your car Cool this summer!

If your vehicle’s AC is making a weird noise, let the mechanics at Tim’s take a look!

Make a reservation today!

 

You may also be interested in: Is my car A/C compressor bad?