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It's the first truly hot day of the year. You've skated by with your windows rolled down, but now it's HOT, and you're sweating through your clothing. No one likes it when you show up to work or a first date stinking. You turn on your vehicle's AC, but it's only blowing hot air. What should you do? Have it checked by a certified mechanic. There are steps you can take to narrow down the problem.

What to do when your vehicle's AC stops working.

If your vehicle's AC is blowing hot air, that is a definite sign that something is wrong. It's possible that it may only need to be charged. There are a few helpful signs that will allow you to tell if your AC needs to be charged with cold air, or if your compressor has gone bad.

Signs that your vehicle's AC compressor has gone bad.

• Do you find yourself angrily turning the temperature further and further down on your AC, only to find that it's still not cold?
• Is your AC taking too long to cool down? Even on hotter days, it should only take a few minutes to reach an optimal temperature.
• The AC is only blowing hot air. That's a big no, no. I don't know about you, but nothing makes me more angry on a hot day than an AC that's not working properly.

Let's look at some AC basics so that you can better understand how your vehicle's AC works.

In your vehicle's AC, Freon gas is used to charge the system. Your AC system is a sealed system. Think of it like a refrigerator unit. Your AC system takes that Freon gas and turns it into a liquid on the low pressure side, and back to a gas on the high pressure side (think hot vs. cold). The main components of the AC include a compressor, evaporator, condenser, and an accumulator/drier.

What are some basic steps you can take for AC maintenance?

Here at Aspen Hill Exxon, this is one of the most commonly overlooked forms of maintenance for an AC that we see. Your compressor needs a special oil that runs through the system. That oil should be changed every few seasons. The oil prevents seal leaks. Leaking seals between major components is the number one fix we see the most when it comes to AC repairs.

Here's what we would do at our shop to fix it:

• We would evacuate the AC system and hold a vacuum test.
• We would then recharge the Freon gas to specification and add new oil with the charge.
• The last step is to verify the correct pressure and output temperature at the vents.