How long should a cars A/C compressor last?
For many of us, as long as our car is running well, we may not think about the hundreds of parts working together under the hood to bring us our creature comforts. The air conditioning compressor is one of those parts that typically gets a lot of usage and provides that critical cool air on hot summer days. The air-conditioning compressor does exactly what its name says — it compresses refrigerant and sends it to your car’s air condenser. The entire process is powered by your engine’s drive belt (or belts). The highly pressurized liquid refrigerant converts to a gas and is circulated into tubes where the heat from the gas is quickly released, causing it to cool. The cooled gas then reverts back into liquid form as it returns to the compressor. The cooled gas is used to chill the car’s cabin air. As with any other part on a car, it’s difficult to determine exactly how long any one specific component will ultimately last, but there are some factors that help determine how long a compres
