How Car AC Evaporator Works & Identify the Causes of Leaks

The evaporator is a component that works in the car air conditioning cooling system. Generally, the evaporator is located in the expansion valve and the AC compressor. So, how does this evaporator work?

Basically, the freon in the AC that has passed through the expansion valve has low temperature and pressure. Thus, the evaporator will absorb the heat carried by the air, so after passing through the evaporator, the air will become cold. 

In order for the air to pass through the evaporator, the blower plays an important role, which is to blow air to this component. The cold air from this component is what we usually feel when inside the car.

Read Also: Don't Add Freon Immediately, Handling If AC Is Not Cold

How the Car AC Evaporator Works and Its Function

As we have mentioned, the task of the car AC evaporator is quite simple, which is to cool the car. In terms of its operation, the evaporator is generally made of aluminum. However, there are several types of evaporators that use other materials.

The construction of this evaporator may seem simple, but its role is very important in the AC cooling system. 

The amount of heat absorbed by the evaporator is equal to the amount of heat released into the air in the condenser. If the heat absorbed by the evaporator differs from the heat released into the air, the AC system will experience disturbances. 

Usually, the evaporator is placed in a low-temperature AC system. Therefore, freezing and ice formation often occur on the evaporator fins.

When warm air touches the evaporator fins and turns cold, the water vapor carried will condense until it eventually sticks to the evaporator fins. 

If the fins have cooled and reach a temperature of 0 degrees C, this will cause the dew on the evaporator fins to turn into ice.

Read Also: Why Can Car AC Break When Exposed to Hot Weather?

What Causes Evaporator Leaks?

After understanding how the evaporator works, another thing that should not be overlooked is the causes of leaks that this component often experiences.

Generally, the most common cause of car AC evaporator leaks is that the owner does not perform regular maintenance. 

Maintaining the car AC system, especially the evaporator, is important to ensure that the component works well. Usually, a leaking evaporator is caused by dirt that accumulates due to laziness in servicing or cleaning it themselves.

As a result, dust and dirt that stick to the evaporator make it become porous or corroded, ultimately causing leaks. Therefore, we need to clean the car AC evaporator at least once a year. 

Cleaning the evaporator can also be done every time the car has traveled up to 20,000 km. However, for the latest cars, you can clean it regularly and replace the cabin filter. 

The evaporator in newer cars has thinner materials, making it more prone to corrosion and leaks. To avoid evaporator leaks, owners should also regularly maintain the cleanliness of the car's interior, including the carpets.

This is because fine dust particles can burden the performance of the air filter. Additionally, since the evaporator is located in the dashboard, oil and freon leaking from the evaporator can be inhaled by passengers and the driver inside the car. 

After realizing the importance of regular maintenance of the evaporator component, are you still going to postpone its maintenance? Besides performing regular maintenance, make sure to service your car at an official Daihatsu workshop. 

Here, original spare parts for various types of cars you own are available, so you don't have to worry.

Don't want to wait long in the car service queue? Don't worry, Daihatsu has an online service booking service so you can schedule service without having to wait in line. 

In addition to how the evaporator works, there are various other interesting automotive-related information that you should know on our website.