What Happens with a Car Air Conditioning Service?

If your car's blowing lukewarm, stale air, air conditioning servicing will put it right. 

Using a special machine, your air conditioning technician will safely remove your car's spent refrigerant and replace it with fresh gas. This process is called re-gassing, and it is the bare minimum to keep your car's air conditioning performing.

That machine also measures pressure, and if your technician finds that the gas pressure is low, a leak test with an electronic leak indicator is necessary.

Periodically, every second or third service should drain and replace the compressor lubricant with a new lubricant. 

Beyond that, to ensure optimal cooling capacity, dirty or clogged filters, drains, and vents must be inspected and cleaned or replaced. 

Your air conditioning service centre should check these filters and pathways to ensure there are no blockages. The cabin filter is the big one, as it cleans the air that moves through your vehicle's HVAC system.

What Happens with a Car Air Conditioning Service?

 

Signs your car needs an air con service

  • It hasn't been serviced in over 3 years 
  • Weak airflow
  • Inconsistent cooling 
  • Inability to drop the interior temperature 
  • Unusual noises from the AC (rattling, squeaking)
  • Unpleasant odours from the vents (cheesy, musty)

Why get an aircon service?

Air conditioning keeps you cool in summer and demists your windscreen by stripping humidity from the air. 

Rapid demisting significantly improves visibility on the move, reducing the risk of accidents caused by obstructed views.

A working AC can be crucial in emergencies, such as being stuck in traffic during extreme weather conditions.

In hot weather, using the AC can also be more fuel-efficient than driving with windows down at higher speeds due to reduced drag.

How frequently to service car air con?

Car air conditioning systems ideally need servicing every three years, with most systems losing around 60% of their efficiency by year 3.

Air con refrigerant loses its chemical potency over time and can gradually escape from the system, leading to a loss in A/C performance. 

All air conditioning systems leak a small amount of refrigerant, which de-pressurises the system, and it only takes a small drop in pressure to stop your air con from doing its job. 

How does air con work?

Re-gassing arms your aircon to cool down warm air through a cycle of evaporation and condensation. It works like so:

  • The compressor pressurises the refrigerant, causing it to heat up. 
  • The hot, high-pressure refrigerant flows into the condenser, dissipating heat and condensing into a liquid. 
  • The liquid refrigerant then passes through an expansion valve or orifice tube, which causes it to rapidly expand and cool down. 
  • The cold, low-pressure refrigerant then flows into the evaporator, absorbing heat from the warm air being blown over it. 
  • The refrigerant evaporates back into a gas. 
  • The cycle then repeats, with the now warm, low-pressure refrigerant gas being drawn back into the compressor to start the process again.

How long does a car air conditioning service take? 

It takes up to 50 minutes, but most services are completed in around half an hour—that's what to expect from a standard service and re-gassing.

If your air conditioning system isn't blowing cold air, and re-gassing doesn't solve the issue, further diagnosis is necessary. 

Most additional problems are minor, such as a clogged filter, although older cars might have wear and tear on the air con system itself – the compressor, condenser, drive belts and hoses could be worn and need replacement. 

Find out more 

Call 01694 722626 or email service@longmyndservicestation.co.uk to book a car air conditioning service in Shropshire.