Vehicle AC Maintenance Guide

Article Contents:

What should we do to extend the life of the vehicle’s air conditioning?
How Often Should Vehicle AC Maintenance Be Done?
How Is AC Maintenance Done?

Air conditioning systems are like many things in life that we take for granted until they stop working. And just like your phone that shuts off completely when its battery dies at the worst possible time, your AC also tends to break down right in the middle of the heat!

So keeping the system in good condition is quite important. You’ll definitely be grateful you did it, on those scorching summer days.

What Should We Do to Extend the Life of the Vehicle’s Air Conditioning?

First of all, there’s something you can do that costs nothing, to reduce the chance of early failure or the need to service your AC.

Just turn it on. That’s it.

Because the AC system is filled not just with gas, but also with oil. This oil helps keep the compressor and other moving parts lubricated, preventing leaks by keeping the seals and lines from drying out.

When you run the AC regularly, the parts stay in motion and well-lubricated.

And you should use your AC in every season, not just when it’s hot. Running the AC in winter will help keep it in perfect condition.

Gas Loss Rate

Since vehicle AC systems aren’t completely sealed, they can experience an average gas loss of 10-15% per year.

Cabin Filter Replacement

To maintain AC performance, it’s recommended to replace the cabin filter once a year, or every 15,000 km.

Compressor Lubrication

Even if the AC system is used infrequently, it’s recommended to run it for a few minutes once a month to keep the compressor lubricated.

How Often Should Vehicle AC Maintenance Be Done?

Besides running your AC all year round, it would be better to have it serviced once every 12 months.

Depending on the age of your vehicle, all that might be needed is a performance check — an inspection that includes a visual leak check, a pressure check, and a temperature check.

How Is AC Maintenance Done?

But in general, your service provider does the following for AC maintenance:

They remove the remaining gas from the system. They refill the system with newly approved gas, oil, and a dye that can help find the smallest leaks with the help of UV light.
They inspect the system with special equipment, using UV light while checking the pressures and seeing what temperature the system reaches. This final result will depend on the day’s ambient conditions.
Other checks and tests may include inspecting and replacing the cabin filter, and in other cases, replacing the receiver-dryer, which helps filter the system and remove moisture.

If your vehicle’s AC isn’t cooling as well as it used to, take it to a service center before the thermometer hits 40 degrees!

If there’s a smell coming from the AC, check out our article :

If it’s working well, great, but don’t forget to turn it on and run it even in winter.

In this article, we covered why vehicle AC needs maintenance, what should be done to extend the AC’s lifespan, and when and how vehicle AC maintenance is done. We hope to see you in new articles, and wish you enjoyable, trouble-free, and accident-free drives.