Plenty of AC problems only affect comfort, but a few can affect the engine. We help you sort out which one you have and repair it where the car is parked.

Call 817-709-1357 Text us Request a work order

Call hours: Mon to Fri 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM · Sat 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Car AC in Southlake

Whether it is safe to keep driving with broken AC

In nearly every case, a car with a broken AC is safe to drive. You will be hot, but the engine, brakes and steering do not depend on the air conditioning.

There are exceptions. The compressor usually runs off the same belt as the alternator and often the water pump. If the compressor seizes or its pulley bearing fails, it can shred or throw that belt, and then the battery stops charging and the engine can overheat. The cooling fans that serve the AC also cool the radiator, so a fan failure can show up as warm AC first and an overheating engine next.

Not sure which one you have? Call before driving far. We can look the car over in your Southlake driveway or work lot and tell you how urgent it is.

Ready to get it looked at? Call or text 817-709-1357 and you will hear the price before any work starts.

Warning signs

AC symptoms that need attention soon

Grinding or growling when the AC engages

A compressor or pulley bearing that could fail and take the belt with it.

Squealing belt with the AC on

The belt may be slipping on a compressor that is dragging.

Temperature gauge rising along with weak AC

A cooling fan may be failing, and that affects the engine too.

Burning smell from the engine bay

A slipping belt or an overheating clutch that should be checked.

Warm air with no noises or warning lights

Uncomfortable, but generally safe to drive until it is repaired.

Around Southlake

When to stop using the AC and call

Turn the AC off and call if you hear grinding, see the temperature gauge climbing, or smell burning rubber. Driving with the AC switched off keeps the compressor clutch disengaged, which can buy some time. If the battery light comes on, the belt may already be damaged, so limit driving and let us know right away. Have the year, make and model handy.

We cover all of Southlake

Your driveway, your work lot or the roadside, anywhere in Southlake. Call or text with the year, make and model and what the vehicle is doing.

Call 817-709-1357

Engine work in progress under the hood of a truck

Why Day's

Shop-level work, where you park.

We bring dealer-level diagnostic tools, including a lab scope and a thermal camera, to wherever your vehicle is parked.

Fords are our specialty, built on years of maintaining a construction company's fleet, from cars and light trucks to heavy-duty work trucks.

About Day's

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How it works

Getting an answer on safety first

When you call or text, tell us about any noises, smells or gauge changes along with the warm air. If it sounds risky, we will tell you to stop running the AC and whether to drive the car before we get there.

At the car, we check the belt, the compressor clutch and pulley, and the cooling fans before anything else. Then we diagnose why the AC is not cooling and give you a price. Work starts only once you say yes. If the trouble is on the compressor side and the repair needs more time, we will explain how to use the car safely until the scheduled date.

Questions

Car AC questions from Southlake.

Can a bad AC compressor damage the rest of my engine?

It can affect the parts around it. A seizing compressor or failed pulley can break the drive belt, which may also run the alternator and water pump. Losing that belt can drain the battery and overheat the engine. If you hear grinding, turn the AC off and give us a call.

Is it safe to drive with the AC off if the compressor is noisy?

Often, yes, for a short time. With the AC off, the clutch disengages and the compressor stops loading the belt, though the pulley still spins. If the noise continues with the AC off, the pulley bearing may be the problem. Text us and describe what you hear.

Should I worry if my AC is warm and my engine is running hot?

Yes, that combination deserves a call. The cooling fans serve both the AC condenser and the radiator, so a fan failure can affect both at once. Driving a car that is overheating can damage the engine. Turn off the AC, watch the gauge, and call us to check it.

Can you check whether my car is safe to drive in Southlake?

We can come to the car, look at the belt, compressor and cooling fans, and tell you whether it is safe to keep using. We also diagnose the AC and quote the repair during the same visit. Request a work order or call to set it up.

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