Car Air Con - How often should you really get it serviced?

Lee_Howden

Having run mine for the 1st time today since before winter, I was trying to decide whether it needed a service. How often should you actually get an Air Conditioner on a car serviced?

It seems an expensive service for to me, which I've not thought bout having done on mine in the past.

harveybobbles

Maybe get the ford dealer to fix it first Lee...!!

Lee_Howden

harveybobbles wrote: »

Maybe get the ford dealer to fix it first Lee...!!

This is on my car harveybobbles, not the wifes! Mine is five years old and not an Air Con regas as yet. I'm presuming that it's maybe overdue. The ford and big company websites (Halfords, Nationwide Autocentres) recommend a early check/service. How much of this is true and how much is there to try and make money?

Apples2

There are people who shout "it loses 15-20% efficiency every year"

The best idea as far as I am concerned is to see if the air con actually works okay. If it does, leave it alone.

I do agree with running the aircon frequently though. It needs to run to stop the seals becoming brittle causing early failure.

Mine is ON by default, even in Winter. It is an Air conditioner, not just a cooler.

cyclonebri1

Not advice just past experience.

I had a Vectra, 1998 model with air con. Had it for over 8 years from nearly new. Used the air con maybe once or twice a year during that period, (would have preferred the car didn't have it, considering it drinks about 5% to 8% of your fuel).:eek::eek::eek:

Anyway, little use, no maintenance and 8 years later still working perfectly when sold

photome

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Not advice just past experience.

I had a Vectra, 1998 model with air con. Had it for over 8 years from nearly new. Used the air con maybe once or twice a year during that period, (would have preferred the car didn't have it, considering it drinks about 5% to 8% of your fuel).:eek::eek::eek:

Anyway, little use, no maintenance and 8 years later still working perfectly when sold

How much extra fuel did it use in the summer with the windows open and the air con off, compared to air con off and windows shut? My understaning is the difference is negligeble.

OP I dont know the answer but have wondered the same thing.

cyclonebri1

photome wrote: »

How much extra fuel did it use in the summer with the windows open and the air con off, compared to air con off and windows shut? My understaning is the difference is negligeble.

OP I dont know the answer but have wondered the same thing.

Thats a valid point, but I don't think they would balance out;) Air con, plus the weight of the installation is an undesirable in my book;);)

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

Lee_Howden wrote: »

Having run mine for the 1st time today since before winter, I was trying to decide whether it needed a service. How often should you actually get an Air Conditioner on a car serviced?

It seems an expensive service for to me, which I've not thought bout having done on mine in the past.

If you're only running it when hot you'll be spending a lot on it, as the system will prematurely fail. You should use it at the very least, once a week.

vikingaero

photome wrote: »

How much extra fuel did it use in the summer with the windows open and the air con off, compared to air con off and windows shut? My understaning is the difference is negligeble.

OP I dont know the answer but have wondered the same thing.

Someone did a study on this and found that it was 5-8% increase in MPG with the air con on and only 3-4% increase in MPG caused by the extra drag.

Volcano

Apples2 wrote: »

It is an Air conditioner, not just a cooler.

I'm not sure what's the difference between these?

Air-con units tend to be low maintenance, (they're similar to your fridge in how they work) and the only things likely to fail are drivebelts, bearings or loss of gas. If it's quiet and blowing cold then I'd say it's fine, can't see what else a garage would do except top up the gas.

If the drivebelt also drives the alternator etc then this would be checked at service time anyway.

vikingaero

Much as we malign them - Kwik Fit do an a/c regas for £25. If there's less than 10% improvement in air temperature they don't charge. I took my mums Merc there and they told me there was a leak in the condenser, and true to form there was no charge - apart from recommendations on the tyres, brakes, wipers etc etc.