Air conditioning
The majority of modern vehicles have air conditioning and climate control installed as standard, however most drivers are unaware that air conditioning systems require servicing on a relatively frequent basis. Car manufacturers recommend that this be carried out every 2 years.
An air conditioning service is not something that's included in a standard service schedule so it is something that can be easily disregarded. It is advisable that you schedule an air conditioning service if your car is over 2 years old, it is also highly recommended that you exercise your air conditioning system routinely in order to facilitate optimal functioning.
There are a number of faults that commonly occur with air conditioning and climate control systems, these include:
- Natural loss of gas: This happens when the AC is neglected during cold periods or if is not regularly serviced.
- Loss of gas due to leakage: There are many naturally occurring, unavoidable circumstances that can cause leakages, for example the gritting salts used during the icy periods can cause corrosion in the pipe work and condensers.
- Electrical faults: Problems with fuses, pressure switches, cables and relays can cause systems to stop running.