Which sensors in the air conditioner tell the car whether the system is working or not?

The average car today contains a staggering number of sensors that feed information to various computers to control everything from air intake to emissions and valve timing. Your car's air conditioning system also contains a couple of sensors that control how it works. However, unlike the oxygen sensors, MAP sensors, and others on your vehicle, they do not transmit information to the computer. You cannot "decipher the code" of an air conditioner malfunction.

Air conditioner components

There are two main components that control your vehicle's air conditioning system. The first and most important is Air conditioning compressor. This component is responsible for creating pressure in the system during operation. It also adjusts based on your input - when you change the cabin temperature via the HVAC control panel. The clutch controls the compressor depending on your settings (but doesn't really "feel" if the system is working or not).

The second component is clutch shift switch. This is a safety switch designed to shut down the system if there is not enough refrigerant for safe operation. It's also designed to monitor the temperature inside your car's evaporator core to make sure it doesn't drop low enough to freeze the entire core (which would stop the AC from working).

Both of these components play a role in temperature monitoring and control, but neither relays this information to the car's computer. Diagnosing a car air conditioner problem will require a professional diagnosis of the symptoms (blowing hot air, no blowing at all, noise from the compressor, etc.) and then a complete check of the entire system, combined with a refrigerant level check, often with a special UV dye to detect leaks. .