Air-conditioning systems

Hamish from Auto Super Shoppe Rangiora

Have you ever thought about the state of health or efficiency of your vehicle's air-conditioning system?

Auto Super Shoppe Rangiora always recommends having an A/C performance test done at least every 2 years. In today’s vehicles, the air conditioning system is used throughout the year, not just in the summer. Most defog modes involve using the air conditioner also.

Most vehicle air conditioning systems come with a refrigerant known as R134A. In about 1995, this product started replacing the former coolant used in cars known as R12 and commonly called Freon (DuPont Chemical Company’s brand name for their product). R134A phased out R12 because it is better for the environment. While R134 does a decent job of cooling, it can gradually leak out. What this means is a system that should hold less than 1 kg of refrigerant may only have 0.5 kg left. The mechanical components (compressor) in the system work harder, and as a result, may eventually fail. Up to 25% of an R134A system may leak out each year.

For this reason, we recommend having an A/C performance test done. Our technicians will not only check the ambient temperature coming out of the vents, but will also hook a machine up to the system to determine if the refrigerant level is adequate. This test is fairly inexpensive and having it done every so often will help ensure your air conditioning system is there for you on hot days, as well as help prevent repairs that can occur through a lack of maintenance.