Auto Air Conditioning Repair
We are a NAPA Auto Care Center.
Let's talk about air conditioning service and repair issues. Most of us don't give our air conditioning a second thought as long as it's making cold air. But it's a complex and expensive system that we should think about before it starts blowing hot air.
Components of your Air Conditioner System include:
- Compressor And Clutch
- Accumulator or Receiver Dryer
- Condenser
- Evaporator Core
- Orifice Tube or Expansion Valve
- Electrical Switches And Sensors
- Cooling Fans
- Blower Motor
- Control Panel
- Vent Control Actuators
- Temperature Actuators
- Cabin Filter
The refrigerant in the air conditioner contains special oil that lubricates and cools the A/C parts. When enough refrigerant leaks out, your air conditioner may still make cold air, but the parts don't have enough oil to protect them and they wear out faster than they should so it's important to service the air conditioner yearly.
Replacing old refrigerant has another benefit: refrigerant tends to gather moisture and become corrosive. That causes leaks in the system which can be expensive to repair. Fresh refrigerant protects the air conditioning components and keeps the system operating at peak efficiency so it doesn't have to work as hard to keep you cool.
Even with regular service A/C parts can just wear out. Normal wear and tear eventually gets to all moving parts. Addressing early problems can save on more extensive repairs down the road. And if you're hearing strange sounds when your air conditioning turns on, or if it just isn't as cold as it used to be, have us give it the once over see what it'll take to keep you cool.
The cabin air filter cleans out dust, pollen, spores and other pollutants. To give a point of comparison, a grain of sand is about 200 microns across. A cabin air filter can stop particles that are just 3 microns in size. It really does make the passenger cabin a much more pleasant environment.
When the cabin air filter gets dirty, you just need to replace it. Your owner's manual may have a recommended interval for changing it. If not we can inspect it. You know, it's ironic that many people who don't realize they even have a cabin air filter first find out they do when it starts to get smelly. When a cabin filter is restricted you may notice a loss of air volume coming from the dash vents and may need to turn your blower motor up just to keep cool.
Some cabin air filters are very easy to access when it's time to replace them, others, not so much. We may have to get behind the dashboard and it takes some time.
A clean cabin air filter keeps out smog, allergens and other harmful pollutants. If it's time, get it changed right away.