Will My AC Work If My Radiator Is Leaking?

The air conditioner and radiator both perform cooling functions in a vehicle. They are two separate systems with different fluids. The air conditioner will work if the radiator is leaking, but the leaking radiator could cause more severe problems.

Radiator

The radiator cools the vehicle's engine. Its function is to keep the engine at proper operating temperature. The radiator is mounted at the front of the car with a belt and hoses connected to the vehicle's motor. A leaking radiator will likely eventually result in a damaged engine. The coolant is toxic to the environment, people and pets.

Air Conditioner

The air conditioner cools the interior of the vehicle. Its primary function is passenger comfort. The air conditioner has a condenser that resembles the radiator and is mounted in front of the vehicle's radiator. A belt on the engine turns the air conditioner compressor.

Precautions

While the air conditioner will work if the radiator is leaking, the radiator leak will cause the engine to lose coolant. If the vehicle loses too much coolant, the engine could overheat and be damaged. Once the engine stops running altogether, the air conditioner will no longer run either.