An automotive a/c system is virtually no different than the refrigerator in your kitchen, or that swamp cooler sitting in your window. All of these contain the same basic parts: an compressor, a condenser and an evaporator. The a/c system uses a chemical coolant, or "refrigerant" in order to produce cold air.

This is a special kind of liquid that has a very low boiling point. In your car's a/c system, this refrigerant exists in your Subaru Legacy A/C Condenser as a liquid.

The a/c compressor pumps the liquid refrigerant our of the Subaru Legacy A/C Condenser under a great deal of pressure. In the a/c evaporator, the refrigerant's temperature is raised just enough for it to literally "evaporate." Just as the evaporation of after-shave lotion cools your face, so the evaporation of the refrigerant causes cooling action that lowers the temperature of air, which is blown into the passenger compartment by the A/C blower fan. The compressor continues to move the refrigerant gas along, returning it to the Subaru Legacy A/C Condenser. Here, the refrigerant gas temperature is allowed to come back down, and it literally "condenses" back into liquid form - and the cycle begins again. If any of these components fails, your a/c system not just simply blow hot air - it may actually explode! An a/c condenser has two openings, one on either end. Both of these openings are narrow; should one of them get clogged by a piece of debris, the a/c condenser will suffer major damage.If this happens, you'll find the lowest prices on a new unit, as well as free shipping!