If you were to ask ten people to name one of the parts located inside a car’s air conditioning system, there is a good chance that nine of them would respond by saying the compressor. There is a good reason for this. The AC compressor in a car is more than just one of the most important parts in its AC system. It’s also one of the most important parts in an entire car. With this in mind, you’re going to need to know what the AC compressor replacement cost is just in case something ever goes wrong with your vehicle’s AC compressor. Discover more about AC compressors below before finding out what the AC compressor replacement cost is going to set you back.
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What Is an AC Compressor?
Although most people have heard of an AC compressor before, they don’t always know exactly what it is. So before we get too deep into talking about how an AC compressor works and how you can tell if yours is doing its job, it’s good for you to have an understanding of what one is. Your car’s AC compressor is a part that’s responsible for keeping the refrigerant in your AC system moving. It’s also in charge of taking low-pressure refrigerant and compressing it to transform it into high-pressure refrigerant.
There are a lot of different parts in a car’s AC system that keep things moving along so that you’re able to cool your car off on hot days. But your AC compressor is, by far, the most essential part that you’ll find in your AC system. Without it, your AC system simply wouldn’t be able to keep your car as cool as you want it. It’s why you’re going to need to know the AC compressor replacement cost so that you can have your AC compressor fixed at the first sign of any trouble.
How Does an AC Compressor Work?
Now that you have a basic understanding of what the AC compressor in your car is, let’s move into discussing how it works. The process is pretty complicated when it comes right down to it, but we’ll try and lay out so that it’s easy for you to pick up on how things go.
There is a serpentine belt that runs through your car’s AC compressor that allows it to compress the refrigerant in your AC system and move it through the system. There are also a bunch of check valves located throughout your AC system that your AC compressor uses to keep the refrigerant in your car flowing in the direction that it’s supposed to go. As long as your car’s AC compressor is humming along, your system won’t have any issues getting the refrigerant to where it has to go so that you can bring the temperature in your car down.
How Often Will You Need to Replace an AC Compressor?
Since the AC compressor in a car is such an important part of it, it’s heavy-duty enough to stand up to almost anything. At least at first. You should be able to get a lot of life out of your car’s AC compressor and not have to worry about paying the AC compressor replacement cost. But at some time, moisture can start to build up in your AC compressor and causes issues with it. It’ll put too much stress on your AC compressor and cause it to break down on you.
This often happens sometime after an AC compressor reaches the 70,000-mile mark. Your AC compressor will often give out without a whole lot of warning and stop working. When this happens, you’ll need to get in touch with an AC specialist so that they can fix your AC compressor for you. You’ll also need to figure out the AC compressor replacement cost so that you can budget for AC repairs accordingly.
The fact that you’re probably going to have to do AC compressor replacement at some point down the line should always be on your radar. You should be especially tuned in to the well-being of your AC compressor if you live in a place that calls for you to use your car’s AC system early and often. The more you use your AC system, the sooner you’re going to need to pay the AC compressor replacement cost.
What Are the Most Common Signs of a Bad AC Compressor?
There are some instances in which you’re not going to notice when there is a problem with something inside your car. It could be weeks or even months before you start to suspect that there is an issue. But you’re not going to have to be concerned about that happening when it comes to your AC compressor. If your car’s AC compressor isn’t working, you will know about it.
The most common sign associated with a bad AC compressor is warm air blowing through all of the vents in a car when the AC system is turned on in it. No matter how low you try to turn the temperature when you have your AC on, you’re going to find that the air blowing out of your vents isn’t going to change much at all. This is the easiest way to tell that you likely have a problem with your AC compressor that is going to need to be dealt with.
But the signs don’t stop there. You might also have a bad AC compressor on your hands if you hear very loud squealing and/or grinding sounds coming from the area of your car in which your AC compressor is located. That could indicate that your compressor is trying to do its job and failing miserably.
In some situations, a bad AC compressor might also cause refrigerant to leak from your car. This doesn’t always happen, though, so you might not see it if you have issues with your AC compressor. But whatever the case, you should look out for all of these things and spring into action if you see any of them since they’ll usually indicate that there is an issue with your AC compressor that needs to be addressed.
Is It Safe to Drive Around in a Car With a Bad AC Compressor?
If your car’s AC compressor gives out on you, you might be wondering, “Can I still drive around in a car with a bad AC compressor?” The easy answer to this question is “yes.” You shouldn’t do too much harm to your car if you have a bad AC compressor. You might even be able to get away with ignoring the AC compressor replacement cost completely and continuing to drive your car without a working AC compressor in it.
That being said, there are some potential downsides to driving around in a car with a non-functioning AC compressor. For starters, your car is going to get uncomfortably hot on warm days when you don’t have an AC compressor that works. You can try to roll the windows down to alleviate this problem, but it’s not usually going to deliver the results you want.
Additionally, there are certain cases in which you could do additional damage to your car if you don’t pay the AC compressor replacement cost to fix your car’s AC compressor. A bad AC compressor can cause the serpentine belt in your car to come off, which will result in your battery warning light popping on and your engine stalling out thanks to a lack of electrical power.
If you ever find yourself in this situation, you’re going to have to be worried about more than just the AC compressor replacement cost. You’ll also need to have your serpentine belt replaced and other parts of your car inspected, tested, and possibly repaired and/or replaced. This should help explain why driving with a bad AC compressor is not usually recommended.
Who Should You Call On to Fix a Bad AC Compressor?
Are you in need of someone to replace a bad AC compressor for you? You shouldn’t have a ton of trouble tracking someone down who can help you. Just about any ASE-certified mechanic should be able to step in and offer AC compressor replacement for you at an affordable price. You can also think about reaching out to an AC specialist in your area for a helping hand.
But whatever you do, AC compressor replacement is not a job that you should try to tackle on your own if you don’t have a lot of experience working on cars. You might think that doing AC compressor replacement yourself will save you a bunch of money in the end—and it very well could if you get lucky. But replacing your own AC compressor could also be catastrophic if you make a mistake. You could injure yourself and/or others and do damage to your car in the process if your AC compressor replacement isn’t a success.
Your best bet is always going to be to have a professional work on any of the various components in your car’s AC system. They’ll know exactly what they’re doing so that they can get your AC system up and running again like it’s supposed to.
How Much Does AC Compressor Replacement Cost?
Hiring a licensed mechanic to set you up with AC compressor replacement sounds good and all. But how much will AC compressor replacement cost you? That’s probably the question that is still swirling around in your mind. You want to have a new AC compressor in your car so that you can cool it off, but you don’t want to pay an arm and a leg to get it installed.
Unfortunately, you are going to shell out a decent amount of money to have AC compressor replacement done. But it’s worth noting that the cost isn’t really that high when you consider what a key role your AC compressor plays in your car’s operation.
So, what’s the AC compressor replacement cost going to run you? It really all depends on what make and model car you have, how old your car is, and what kind of AC compressor a mechanic uses. But generally speaking, the average AC compressor replacement costs often falls somewhere between $750 and $1,050. That includes parts, which will set you back anywhere from $570 to $830, and labor, which is going to cost $160 to $210.
While a mechanic is digging around under your hood and replacing your AC compressor, they may also need to replace other smaller components in your AC system. This could send the AC compressor replacement cost skyrocketing in some cases. It’s good to be aware of this just in case your repair job ends up being bigger than expected.
Is It Worth Fixing a Bad AC Compressor?
After finding out how much AC compressor replacement costs, many people are left to wonder, “Is it worth it?” They sometimes struggle to wrap their heads around the idea of paying over $1,000 for a new AC compressor for their car. But more often than not, the AC compressor replacement cost will be well worth it in the end.
If you plan on keeping your car for a long time, you’re going to need to have a working AC compressor in it. And if you plan on trading it in or selling it one day, not having a working AC compressor is going to come back to bite you. It’s why it makes all the sense in the world for you to pay the AC compressor replacement cost.
The only time it might not make sense to pay the AC compressor replacement cost is when you know you’re not going to have a car for long or when you know the cost to replace an AC compressor is more than what your car is worth. In those cases, you might want to choose to leave your broken-down AC compressor as is.
Can You Sell a Car When It Has a Bad AC Compressor in It?
If you don’t think the AC compressor replacement cost is worth it but you also don’t want to keep a car with a bad AC compressor in it, you might not know what to do with your vehicle. How about selling it to local junk car buyers? Even with a bad AC compressor, Cash Cars Buyer will step in and pay cash for your car and tow it away for you.
You might not think that a car with a bad AC compressor is worth much, but that might not be the case. We’ll make you a strong offer for your car and help you avoid paying a fortune for AC compressor replacement. You won’t have to deal with the AC compressor replacement cost when you have us on your side. Call us today to find out how much money you might be able to pocket for your old car.