Five signs your A/C needs a diagnostic

A guesswork top-up every couple of months costs more than one proper repair. These are the signals not to ignore.

In Phuket the A/C works harder than the engine: it is on from start-up to shutdown. Small problems show up fast.

1. Cooling fades in traffic

Cold on the move, warm in a jam. Usually the condenser fan or a clogged condenser, not "low gas".

The evaporator grows mould in a humid climate. Antibacterial cleaning and a fresh cabin filter fix it.

Compressor clutch or bearing. Leave it and the compressor can seize, making the repair many times more expensive.

Blocked evaporator drain. Half an hour to fix, but a wet floor quickly turns into rust and smell.

Refrigerant is not consumed. If it is leaving, there is a leak. Finding it with dye or a sniffer is cheaper than refilling again and again.

If any of this sounds familiar, book a diagnostic: pressure and temperature measurements take about half an hour.