You may have wondered when stuck in traffic on a particularly hot day and with a car full of visitors from the UK why your car air-con system has decided to play up or stop working altogether.
At this stage it is not just the car that gets hot.
Most people think that when they put their cars in for a service that their air-con systems will be serviced as well as their engine mechanicals.
Unfortunately this is not the case and as a result many a/c systems never get serviced at all. Most people press the a/c button on their dash-boards and are surprised when nothing happens and what they don´t realise is that if the system is not serviced it can lead to all sorts of problems. After all you would not consider running your car for ever without changing the engine oil and filter because sooner or later the engine stands a good chance of sustaining serious damage and will be very expensive to repair and exactly the same principle applies to the a/c system in your car.
Basically your air-con is run by a compressor that compresses the gas in your system and the gas is then circulated round the system and by changing state from a gas to a liquid the gas is cooled down, passes through a radiator inside your car and a fan then blows the cold air inside the car thus keeping you nice and cool.
The system has a number of components and if it is not regularly serviced it can give you problems, for example:- The filter/dryer filters the gas in the system and removes moisture and any small particles of debris that could accumulate and cause damage. If the system is not serviced regularly this filter can absorb too much moisture and then can break up inside. These large particles can then be pumped around the pipes until they find their way into the compressor.
The end result is a seized compressor, the most expensive part of the system to replace and can cost anything from 600 to 900 euros replacement cost. Approximately 90% of British cars are now produced with a/c as standard or Climate Control Systems (which is basically a more refined a/c system that automatically adjusts the temperature inside the car).
Unfortunately, the a/c system cannot be serviced by a D.I.Y person because the gas is contained under high pressure and specialised equipment is required to remove it, store it and to recharge the system, SAFELY. Most car manufacturers recommend that the system is serviced every 18 months or so to maintain its efficiency and if it is well maintained it will cost less to run than one that has not been neglected. A poor system could make your engine use 10% MORE FUEL than it should and at 1.15 euros a litre you can see that this costs you a lot of money.
Most of these problems can be prevented by having your system serviced and at a cost of from only 70 euros in the local area it must surely be a small price to pay.
My advice would be not to leave it too long and not to leave it until the last minute before the weather gets too hot because when it does everyone wants me at the same time and very urgently. Mike Jenkinson AUTOCOOL mobile auto air-con service and repair. Qualified to UK Standards with City and Guilds 2078 and 6048 Qualifications. Based in Vinuela Area and covers the coast from Rincon de la Victoria to Almunecar and inland to places like Mollina and Antequera.The good thing is that I come to your house whenever it suits you (including week-ends) and you are not without your car left in a garage for days waiting for it to be worked on. I can be contacted on 616 264067 or 951 321446 or look at the website www.autocoolspain.com
