Front AC not working but back is! There are several things to blame when you encounter this issue. Failed blend door actuators, defective blower motor resistor, and bad blower motors are the main culprits that provide hot air on the driver side but cold air on the back or passenger side.
In this Car AC troubleshooting guide, we will break down each of the problems to let the front AC work properly. So, keep scrolling & reading till the end.
Table of Contents
Why Is My Front AC Not Working But Back Is [3 Easy Solutions]
This chapter will disclose every culprit that causes the front AC to not work properly.
1. Blend Door Actuators Get Failed
Your vehicle climate control system will provide hot or cold air as determined by the blend door actuators. The blend door actuators or HVAC actuators control the vent’s position.
If those HVAC actuators are at fault, either of these problems will occur- you will get hot air in the front but no cold air in the back, or you will get cold air but no hot air.
Actually, the HVAC actuators are small motors that work in harmony with sensors attached to the climate control system. They regulate the vent door and provide the desired temperature you need by mixing the hot air with the cold air.
There are two actuators- one on the driver’s side and the other one on the passenger side. If the front actuator not working properly, you will get no cold air from the front AC.
Solution:
You can easily detect whether the front AC is at fault or the back. Just turn on your car’s heater and air conditioner system. For example, cool air from the AC may flow properly to the passenger side while the front side gets hot air.
In this case, the driver-side actuator is to blame. To solve this issue, just replace the front side blend door actuator to fix this problem replace the HVAC actuator.
2. Faulty Blower Motor Resistor
A defective blower motor resistor can also be the culprit behind a non-functional front AC of your car. Generally, the resistor regulates the speed of the blower motor. When you turn the fan speed dial to the low or high position, the climate control module sends a signal to the resistor module to speed up or down the flow of electrical current to the motor.
If the resistor goes bad, you can only operate the blower motor at high speed or it will stick with one fan speed. As a result, you will get the cold air from the back AC- not from the front.
Solution:
The only way to solve this issue is to replace the resistor. Fortunately, it’s simple to change the blower motor resistor. The below tutorial will come in handy for replacing the resistor.
However, if you don’t feel comfortable doing this task, call a mechanic to do it for you. In this case, you should spend between $114 to $125 including the part and the labor cost.
3. Defective Blower Motor
AC blows cold in the back but not in the front! If this is the issue you encounter, we bet the blower motor for the front AC is at fault. A blower motor is a part, which blows cold or hot air through AC vents in your car. So, how do you expect the front AC to blow cold air when the central component of your AC gets faulty?
Whether the blower motor is at fault or not, you can identify it by inspecting it. Just turn on the ignition switch, set the blower speed to high, and check the blower motor with a handle of a screwdriver rap on the motor. If it starts, we bet the blower motor gets defective.
However, there is a more accurate way to test the blower motor. Just connect the blower motor to a 12V battery with the help of an alligator clip test cable. If the motor fails to spin, understand it’s time to replace the blower motor.
Solution:
It’s not rocket science to replace a blower motor, even a beginner can do it. Before starting this workflow, make sure you disconnect the battery to ensure safety. Then, locate the blower motor by checking out the manual. Generally, you can find the blower motor under the glovebox.
Next, go under the glovebox and remove the plastic panel to access the blower motor. Afterward, pull out the blower motor by unbolting the three bolts that hold it in place. Finally, install the new blower motor assembly and put everything back into its place.
FAQs:
Why is there no cold air coming out of my air conditioner?
Leaking refrigerant, a defective compressor, the cooling fan getting broken, and a clogged condenser are some culprits that prevent your car AC from blowing cold air.
Why is my rear AC not working?
A clogged rear vent, defective rear blower motor, and bad blower resistor are the culprits that cause your rear AC to not work properly.
Why is my central AC running but not blowing air?
Your central AC is running but not blower air because of a broken AC blower belt or the defective blower motor. Just address and solve these issues to let the AC function properly.
Why does my air conditioner work sometimes and not others?
Most cars these days have a computer control that disables the compressor clutch when you run the engine above the designated power level. Because of this, your air conditioner will not work unless it releases the extra load. Therefore, low on refrigerant, a bad thermostat, and a defective evaporator fan are the culprits that cause this air conditioner to work intermittently.
Why are my vents not blowing air?
A clogged air intake, blown-out fuse in the ventilation system, bad relay, and damaged blower motor are some caveats that prevent the AC from blowing air out of the vents.
Conclusion
We mentioned every potential reason that causes the front AC to not work but the back is. Plus, we gave the solution to those problems. So, we hope you can fix that issue by following those troubleshooting steps. But if you get no luck after trying those steps, don’t hesitate to call a professional mechanic.
About John M
John contributed as a technical head at an automobile company just 2 years after his post-graduation in Automobile Engineering. He loves to lead a free life, so he left his job & started blogging. Now, he does research on every automotive problem, part & product and seeks a better solution & best products & shares his findings with his readers to help them as well as to minimize their struggle.