2017 Hyundai Creta: How a recurring AC issue has annoyed me for months

I have tried different modes when the issue happens but the volume of air blown is minimum at all modes.

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Air Conditioner Issue Continues.

So, the AC issue had resurfaced in January 2023 a couple of times and since February end its frequency have increased. The issue doesn't happen on short trips (less than 50 kms) but on longer trips its regular now. I have been studying the issue and the following are my observations;

At the start of trip (with ACC on):

• AC blows cold air at 23-24 deg Celsius at all fan speeds. Volume of air blown is directly proportional to fan speed and sound.
• All modes of AC works fine and volume of air flow is normal according to mode selected and fan speed selected.
• Some airflow detected through windshield defogger vents even if it is not selected from mode menu.

After driving for a while (with ACC on):

• The volume of air blown decreases to a bare minimum irrespective of the fan speed. Fan noise is maximum at the maximum speed but very minimal air flow.
• Whatever little air blown, seems to be just barely cool irrespective of the temp set (Lo to 25deg Celsius).
• The windshield gets fogged up on the outside around the thermistor/ sensor and also there will be air blowing out of the windshield defogger even if it is not selected from the mode.
• Switching off the AC for 15-30 mins and turning back on resolves the issue for the nest 50kms- 1 hr period and the same repeats again.

At start of the trip (without ACC/ AC on manual mode):

• Same as that with ACC ON.

After driving for a while (without ACC/ AC in Manual mode):

Same as that during ACC ON but with a notable difference that Windshield doesn't gets fogged up even if there is some air flow through the defogger vents.

I have tried different modes when the issue happens but the volume of air blown is minimum at all modes. The air blown is barely cool and spouts of warm air is also blown at times. The air recirculation mode was ON all the time. I tried taking fresh air for while with similar results.

I'm not sure whether this is Thermistor failure, ice build up, low refrigerant, compressor failing or leak in the system. I think I can cross off leak suspicion because if there was one I believe by this time all the refrigerant would have leaked out and the AC wouldn't even cool for 1 hr. I mean its bone chilling at Lo for the first hour.

Anybody have any idea as to what this might be and please suggest good ASS or FNG in and around Trivandrum where I can take my Panda for resolving this issue. Thanks in advance.

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