Ever had your legs stick to a leather seat on a hot summer’s day? You try to get out of the vehicle and then… OUCH! As the summer starts to heat up, make sure your vehicle stays cool. If your vehicle isn’t blowing cold air, it might be time for some maintenance on your air conditioning system.
HOW DOES YOUR VEHICLE A/C WORK?
Your vehicle air conditioner removes the humidity and heat from the passenger compartment. It uses three main components: the compressor, the condenser, and the evaporator. Powered by a belt, the A/C compressor compresses the refrigerant to pressurize it and pump it through the system. The refrigerant is pushed through a valve where pressure and temperature are reduced. The now-cool refrigerant travels through the evaporator in the passenger compartment. As a result, cool air is blown into your vehicle. This refrigerant returns to the compressor, where the cycle begins once again.
For a cool and comfortable ride, the air conditioning system must have the proper amount of refrigerant and be free of contaminants.
HOW CAN YOU IMPROVE YOUR VEHICLE’S A/C SYSTEM?
Stay cool this summer by getting a recharge to your air conditioning operating system. Jiffy Lube of Indiana technicians are certified through an EPA approved training program to perform this service. First, we check for any signs of leaks. Jiffy Lube® does not recommend servicing systems with detected leaks.
Next, we will:
- Visually evaluate the A/C compressor drive belt, serpentine belt, and all accessible components for leaks, cracks, and damage.
- Evacuate the refrigerant from the system
- Vacuum test and recharge the air conditioning system with the appropriate refrigerant according to your vehicles manufacturer’s specifications.
WHY IS RECHARGING YOUR A/C IMPORTANT?
Most importantly, you can enjoy a cool and comfortable ride. A recharge can also extend the life of your air conditioning system and provide assurance that it isn’t going to stop working in the dead of summer.
HOW OFTEN IS A RECHARGE NEEDED?
There is no right answer to this one. There isn’t a service or maintenance schedule that you can pencil in. The best indication that your A/C system could use some maintenance is that it begins to cool less than it used to. You might notice that your system’s performance worsens as the years pass. If that’s the case, have a Jiffy Lube certified technician check the system before it stops cooling completely.
We know that cool air on a hot day will make a big difference during drive time.
