I got into a finder bender yesterday, I ran into back of a guy's truck, it puncture a hole in my ac condenser

Question

Other than paying a arm and leg for another condensor, is there anything else I must worry about, besides having no ac for the rest of the summer. I wouldnt cause any other damage would it like make my car run hot, or mess with the radiator will it.. Please help must know

Answer 1

You should at least seal the condenser lines off. If you ever do want to fix it, it will be a lot easier if the system hasn't been open to air and moisture all year. And pull the clutch wire from the compressor so it won't try to start up.
You don't just need the AC for cooling but for dehumidifying. When you turn the defroster of defogger on the compressor automatically comes on to dry the air. Without a working AC you'll have a lot foggier windows in the morning and when it starts raining.

Answer 2

Although your car does not need the AC condenser to operate, there are a couple things to consider if you aren't planning on fixing it.

Obviously, you will have no AC to cool yourself with, but with the fall months coming, you may find yourself struggling to keep your windows clear and defogged on muggy or rainy nights. Air conditioning drastically helps with defogging your windows. Mechanically, leaving your AC system exposed to the environment with a hole in the condenser can cause problems if you should plan on fixing it at some point in the future. It can let contaminants inside the system and damage other components like the compressor.

Since condensers are a common replacement item on cars, there are many inexpensive aftermarket replacement parts available from places like Auto Zone or NAPA.

Answer 3

No you don't have to worry about the radiator ( unless it was damaged also). THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM has nothing to do with tyhe ac.
hope all your windows roll up and down.

Answer 4

You should be fine and can repair it next spring.