Regular car air conditioner maintenance will keep your car air conditioning running at it’s best for the life of your vehicle.
Many people don’t give much thought to the car’s air conditioning system until a sweltering day when the car can’t seem to keep up with the air temperatures outside. For us as residents of Temecula and Murrieta summer appears to start early and end late every year.
In Temecula with our desert climate, it is important to be even more proactive about the way we maintain our cars air conditioning.
5 things we consider when servicing your Car’s Air Conditioning
- Topping off your Freon. The Freon in your AC system is just as essential as oil is to your engine. But in this case having the system at the correct pressure will dramatically lower the time necessary to cool off your car. By fully charging the Freon you put much less wear and tear on the car’s air conditioning components and even improve gas mileage.
- You need to keep the correct oil level. The compressor and AC components require oil to run smoothly. When you have your Freon charged, we add synthetic oil if it is needed.
- Checking car air conditioning for leaks. If your system is low on Freon, we can check for leaks and repair them to prevent damage to both your car and the environment.
- Test the compressor for problems. The compressor is the most critical mechanical part of the system. If we find that it is not coming on, it is low on Freon, or it is going bad, the system will not function.
- Changing the Cabin Air Filter. The Cabin air filter just like the air filters in your home needs to be changed regularly to prevent dirt and grime from clogging the system. As a bonus, changing the cabin filter improves the air quality in your car.
So as a general rule it is important to have your mechanic perform a full check on the car’s air conditioning system each summer to keep everything running as efficient as possible. Replace your cabin filter every two years (or sooner if you drive dirt roads). And don’t hold off on coming in if your car air conditioning is not blowing cold.
Thank you for explaining that the oil level can impact the AC components. I’ve been wondering what may be wrong with our car’s AC lately. I’ll be sure to get this checked out and see if the oil was the problem or if it’s something else.
You got my attention when you said that the most critical mechanical part of the AC system is the compressor, so the system will not function if it is not working well. This is something that I will share with my husband because his car’s AC unit has been blowing hot air since this morning. I will ask him to have it checked and repaired by a professional auto AC repair company.