Air Conditioning service?

melbury

My car hasn't had the air con checked for a few years:o

Is it expensive to get it checked and sanitised?

chrisw

If it still blows cold air effectively and doesn't smell too bad I wouldn't bother.

Tiexen

£50 to £80 - look out for special offers - and yes it needs doing every 3 or so years or all the gas leaks out, the seals perish and and it won't work any more.

worried_jim

£30 at kwik fitt untill the weather warms up and then price increases to £50.

Tiexen

And you need to use the A/C every month (in winter with the heater on) or the seals dry out, you lose all the gas and it won't work any more

forgotmyname

Im sure they cant check it properly unless its above 10 degrees C.

So at the moment its a bot of a waste of time.

Use it in the winter. Puzzles me that one. On my car it doesnt work below 5 degrees. Otherwise its risks freezing parts.

Im sure a lot of cars are the same.

Tiexen

forgotmyname wrote: »

Use it in the winter. Puzzles me that one. On my car it doesnt work below 5 degrees. Otherwise its risks freezing parts.

Im sure a lot of cars are the same.

Even though car air conditioners work overtime during summer, they should also be switched on during winter, manufacturers recommend.


Even though car air conditioners (AC) work overtime during the summer, they should also be switched on during winter to remove damp air from the cockpit and prevent the windscreen from fogging-up, manufacturers recommend.

The air in the vehicle is not only heated up, but also dried as the defrost function helps clear the windscreen. Many car heating systems automatically engage the air conditioner in the defrost position. But if the car has no automatic climate control, the defrost position should be adjusted manually.

A car AC is basically designed to move heat from the car interior to the exterior similar to a refrigerator.

Experts at the German Hella manufacturer also point out that regular usage of the air conditioner prevents loss of refrigerant, normally a substance called R-134a, and expensive wear-and-tear costs. Running the air conditioner for several minutes every month also oils the compressor and seals.
The air conditioner should be serviced annually to keep it in good working order and increase its life span. Tubes and seals tend to become porous over time, causing the refrigerant to leak - it should be replaced every two years.

forgotmyname

But it doesnt work below 5 degrees. and upto 10 degrees does very little if anything.

So how does it help defrost/demist when its not working?

I read the same thing, Use in winter i dries the air.

I wonder if their winters are 25°C?

MX5huggy

My 14 year old Puma that's been in the family from new has never had the air con serviced or regassed etc.

It still makes the car uncomfortably cold. I run it most weeks.

Tiexen

forgotmyname wrote: »

But it doesnt work below 5 degrees. and upto 10 degrees does very little if anything.

So how does it help defrost/demist when its not working?

I read the same thing, Use in winter i dries the air.

I wonder if their winters are 25°C?

It needs to be run during the winter - even if it doesn't seem to do anything - circulating the gas keeps the seals working

Tiexen

MX5huggy wrote: »

My 14 year old Puma that's been in the family from new has never had the air con serviced or regassed etc.

It still makes the car uncomfortably cold. I run it most weeks.

That's why its still working - My Sister bought a 3 year old Fiesta the previously owner never used the a/c - it didn't work. She had it re-gassed and within a few week it didn't work again - lack of use had ruined all the seals.