If you turn your vehicle’s AC on and the car starts vibrating, your vehicle has a problem. Most people associate this type of problem with the AC compressor, but there can be many different reasons for this problem, and we will discuss the causes in this article.
The compressor is an essential part of the air conditioning system. It cools the air before sending it into the cabin for the passengers, so the temperature remains pleasant inside the cabin. Let’s look at the reasons and fixes for the problems that car shakes when AC is on.
What Causes Car Shakes When AC is on?
The air conditioner is a feature that is present in all new cars. The compressor has two primary functions: to change the coolant in the gas or liquid form as required by moving it between condenser coils and evaporator. This process keeps your vehicle’s cabin cool.
Here are some of the reasons that can make your car vibrate when the AC is on.
Load on Engine
Turning on the AC strains the engine as the conditioning system needs power. This strain can cause the engine to activate components like air control motor or idle speed. If the load crosses a specific limit, the car will start shaking. If the engine has to bear this load, continuously multiple components will wear down with time. Some blockage in the conditioning system or a broken fan or other parts can also cause this shaking. If any of these situations occur, you should visit a mechanic ASAP.
Defective Fuel Injector
A fuel injector is an integral part of the ignition system. It is an electronically controlled valve that controls the flow of fuel coming from the fuel pump. If there is a problem with the fuel injector, the engine will not receive a sufficient supply of fuel at a uniform speed, and this type of situation will increase the load on the engine, causing the car to vibrate.
Faulty AC Compressor
A broken AC compressor is another significant cause for this type of situation to occur. The compressor regulates the cooling agent and compresses it to provide you with cool air. Once there is some problem with the compressor, it directly increases strain on the engine. This extra load on the engine causes the car to shake.
How to Fix Shaking of Car When AC is ON?
We already know that car shakes when AC is on due to different reasons from the discussion above.
The fix will depend on what is causing the problem for you, but a prevalent cause for this shaking is a dirty throttle body, as it can make your car do rough idling. If this is also the case for you, then follow these steps.
- Pop the hood of your vehicle and prop it up.
- Examine the throttle body.
- Ask someone to turn the key to the ON position without turning the engine on.
- Tell them to press the accelerator slowly.
- Clean the throttle body with a cleaner.
- Wipe the body with a cloth.
- If dirty throttle body were the problem, these steps would solve your problem. But if the compressor is faulty, you might have to swap the compressor with a new one.