My car’s air conditioning is spitting out water when I have it on. Why is this happening and what should I do?
This may be a sign of a bigger issue with your HVAC system. Whenever you notice something different or unusual with your car, it is important to figure out why in order to prevent larger issues in the future. Look into each reason why your AC might be spitting out water and determine which one is the root cause for your particular case. This way you can fix the problem and not worry about it coming back anytime soon!
Faulty drain tube
When the condenser part of the HVAC unit gets clogged up, naturally there will be pressure buildup inside of it. In some cases, this pressure can be too much for the drain tube to escape and it will cause water to slowly back up in your AC unit.
Faulty evaporator
Another part of the HVAC unit that may need replacing is the evaporator, which could also lead to excess water build-up when it cannot release excess moisture as it should.
Faulty drain hose
The drain hose may not be routed in a way that does not interfere with other parts or features of your car; if this is the case, then over time this hose may malfunction and result in water drainage problems. Simply re-routing the drain hose around problematic areas could solve this problem immediately.
Although these are all possible explanations for why your air conditioning unit is spitting out water, the root cause will depend on your specific situation. However, it is important to get this problem resolved as soon as possible so that you can continue to use your AC unit without interruption.
How to fix Why is my car ac spitting out water
Leaking Heater Core
The reason you would see water coming from the vents of your air conditioner differs depending on whether or not you have a heater core. Without a heater core, coolant circulates between the compressor and the evaporator coils, which sit behind the outer cover of your air conditioner vents. When they’re both working properly, neither device has anything to do with each other. The compressor creates cold air by cooling the refrigerant, and the evaporator takes that cold air and warms it up.
This is where the problem comes in: if your heater core is leaking coolant, then some of that fluid will mix with the coolant that helps to create cold air. If there’s enough water mixed into the coolant, then you’ll start seeing it drip out of your vents and onto your floorboards. Combine this with a malfunctioning evaporator coil and you may find yourself trying to figure out how to stop the car air conditioners from spitting water all over the place.
If you don’t have a heater core or experience trouble with one, however, then chances are good that some other component has failed on your system. If this happens, you should bring your car to a mechanic or auto repair center as soon as possible. Any problem with the components could result in serious damage if left unattended.
Drain line becoming clogged
A common issue is that an air conditioner drain line becomes clogged. If the water cannot be properly drained away from your evaporator coils, then you’ll notice it starting to build up behind them and eventually spilling out onto the floorboards when it reaches capacity. Cleaning these lines can help prevent this buildup and keep your car’s air conditioning unit clear.
Conclusion
If you’re hearing a hissing sound coming from your vehicle’s AC system, it could be the compressor. A leaking seal or dirty condenser might also create this noise and need to be repaired by an auto mechanic. There are other problems that can cause water spitting out of the air conditioner like a faulty thermostat, but they would likely not make such a loud noise as well.
