Air conditioner problems in cars can be quite common with many possible things to blame. Sometimes the problems can be very easy to fix. You can potentially save yourself thousands of dollars by troubleshooting air conditioner problems in your Acura Integra.
Start the engine of the car and run it at a fast idle for 2 to 3 minutes in preparation for the troubleshooting. Set the air conditioner to the coolest setting and turn it to high. Keep the car doors closed.
Check the air temperature after a few moments by placing a candy thermometer in a vent. The coolest air coming from an Acura Integra should be around 45 degrees. If the air is not cool, analyze whether it is hot or just ambient, which indicates different problems.
Check the heater hoses if the air is hot. Lift the hood and find the firewall on the passenger side. Feel the hoses where they enter the firewall. If both hoses are hot to the touch versus just one, there is a valve problem.
Look at the compressor in front of the engine with the belt to make sure it is quiet. Find the compressor by going to the driver's side engine compartment. Find the two hoses, one small and one larger, coming from the firewall. Follow them back toward the car and you will find the compressor. Check the condenser which has the fan and sits directly in front of the radiator to see that it is clean.
Check the temperature switches. Often the problem is human error and the air-recirculation button is selected instead of the air conditioning. If the air control switches aren't turning properly or locking into the different settings, then the control panel needs looked at. If the switches are working perfectly, then it is a fuse.
Test the fuses next. The fuses in an Acura Integra are located under the dashboard on the driver's side. The under hood relay panel, which is the one that controls the air conditioning, is found on the right of the engine compartment next to the battery. Replace it with only another 10-amp fuse to avoid damaging the electrical system.
