Homeowner Guide
If the indoor blower is running but the outdoor fan is still, the AC may move air inside without actually rejecting heat outside. The useful first step is to note what the outdoor unit does when cooling starts.
A stopped outdoor fan can overlap with capacitor, contactor, motor, power, control, or compressor-start symptoms. It can also show up with a hum, click, buzz, breaker trip, hot smell, or a unit that starts for a few seconds and quits. Guessing at a part from the sidewalk is risky.
If the outdoor unit hums without the fan turning, smells hot, trips the breaker, or repeatedly tries to start, shut cooling off at the thermostat and request a diagnostic. Repeated start attempts can add stress to electrical parts and the compressor.
Read the breaker trip safety guideText whether the indoor blower runs, whether the outdoor fan blade moves at all, whether the outdoor unit hums or clicks, whether the breaker has tripped, and whether the thermostat is still calling for cooling.
If the outdoor fan is not spinning and the house is not cooling, start with the $95 Springfield Diagnostic. A tune-up fits a running system. A fan that will not run needs the failed circuit or part confirmed before repair pricing.
Read the diagnostic page