Car Air Conditioning

Automotive cooling services can install, service, repair & supply parts for all makes & model of car / light commercial / & some HGV vehicles.

Because we started at the ground floor so to speak working on air conditioning systems our experience & expertise is well know among the trade, including dealers who send the vehicles even they can’t rectify to us.

We have also supplied advice to the Sunday times motoring problem page. Our technicians can carry out any work required to the air conditioning including:-

• Air conditioning service
• Degassing / Re-gassing
• Leak Testing
• Top ups
• Replacing parts
• Diagnostics (Including electrical problems)
• Climate control problems
• Heating and ventilation problems
• Bacterial treatments

we sell & fit quality products that we and you can have complete confidence in to do the job they were made for.

Automotive cooling services is a Diavia  & Eberspacher auto air conditioning installer plus a Hella air conditioning centre

Why do air conditioning systems need to be serviced?

• Because up to 10 % of the refrigerant is lost every year.
• Because, otherwise, the compressor oil supply is no longer guaranteed.
• Because humidity in the system can cause expensive repairs.

In contrast to what some vehicle manufacturers say, vehicle air conditioning systems must be serviced regularly. Every year, up to 10 % of the refrigerant is lost from the system naturally through hoses and connection elements. This means that the cooling capacity is noticeably reduced after only three years. In addition, the refrigerant that circulates through the air conditioning system serves as a carrier medium for the oil which is also in the system. The air conditioning compressor requires this oil as a lubricant. If there is not enough refrigerant in the system, the compressor may no longer be sufficiently lubricated. This can lead to complete compressor failure. The necessary repairs can quickly run up a bill of

£ 700 and more. This can be avoided if the air conditioning system is checked once a year. In addition, the refrigerant absorbs humidity from the outside via the hoses. Part of this humidity can be trapped by the dryer in the air conditioning system. The saturation point can be reached after 2 years of operation. If the dryer is not replaced regularly, the high water content in the system will lead to corrosion. Increased wear and mechanical damage to system components are likely to follow. The expansion valve could also ice up. This can lead to considerable problems, possibly to complete failure of the air conditioning system.

High repair costs can be avoided by replacing the dryer regularly

We can install, service, repair & supply parts for all makes & model of car / light commercial / & some HGV vehicles.

The Air Conditioning System components                                                             

A car's air conditioning system does not create cold air. Instead, it takes the heat out of air that is already in your car. Understanding how this works begins with understanding the various components of an automotive air conditioning system. The first component is called a compressor. Coming out from the compressor are high-pressure and low-pressure hose. These hoses run to the condenser, which looks like a small radiator toward the front of the engine, and an evaporator, which also looks like a small radiator. The system also has a dryer, which looks like a small canister. Finally, the system has a thermal expansion valve, which is responsible for controlling the flow of refrigerant through the system, thus regulating the temperature of the air. Coolant, which is a compressible gas, runs through this system.

The Air Conditioning System components                                                             

A car's air conditioning system does not create cold air. Instead, it takes the heat out of air that is already in your car. Understanding how this works begins with understanding the various components of an automotive air conditioning system. The first component is called a compressor. Coming out from the compressor are high-pressure and low-pressure hose. These hoses run to the condenser, which looks like a small radiator toward the front of the engine, and an evaporator, which also looks like a small radiator. The system also has a dryer, which looks like a small canister. Finally, the system has a thermal expansion valve, which is responsible for controlling the flow of refrigerant through the system, thus regulating the temperature of the air. Coolant, which is a compressible gas, runs through this system.

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Why do air conditioning systems need to be serviced?

In contrast to what some vehicle manufacturers say, vehicle air conditioning systems must be serviced regularly. Every year, up to 10 % of the refrigerant is lost from the system naturally through hoses and connection elements. This means that the cooling capacity is noticeably reduced after only three years. In addition, the refrigerant that circulates through the air conditioning system serves as a carrier medium for the oil which is also in the system. The air conditioning compressor requires this oil as a lubricant. If there is not enough refrigerant in the system, the compressor may no longer be sufficiently lubricated. This can lead to complete compressor failure. The necessary repairs can quickly run up a bill of £ 700 / 1.000 Euro. This can be avoided if the air conditioning system is checked once a year. In addition, the refrigerant absorbs humidity from the outside via the hoses. Part of this humidity can be trapped by the dryer in the air conditioning system. The saturation point can be reached after 2 years of operation. If the dryer is not replaced regularly, the high water content in the system will lead to corrosion. Increased wear and mechanical damage to system components are likely to follow. The expansion valve could also ice up. This can lead to considerable problems, possibly to complet failure of the air conditioning sy stem.High repair costs can be avoided by replacing the dryer regularly.

How long does an air conditioning service take?

Servicing an air conditioning system that has not revealed any faults and where the customer has no complaints will take approx. 1 hour.

How can I use my air conditioning system as effectively as possible?

If possible, park your vehicle in the shade on sunny days. Otherwise the temperature inside the vehicle can rise to up to 60 °C. To get rid of standing heat in the vehicle, open the doors briefly before starting your journey. To make things pleasantly cool as quickly as possible, we recommend switching the air conditioning to maximum cooling and the fan speed to maximum. The air stream does not have to be directed directly at the passengers. Brief use of the recirculation mode speeds up the cool-down. Opening the windows or the sunroof during the first few minutes has the effect of exchanging the air more rapidly, thus cooling the interior quicker. “Draughts” must be avoided. The interior temperature should not fall below 22 °C due to health considerations.

Is refrigerant leaking into the vehicle interior harmful?

Harmful effects of refrigerant leaking into the vehicle interior are extremely unlikely. Should a leak (e.g. in the evaporator) lead to refrigerant penetrating the interior, this usually happens very slowly. The constant replacement of the air by fresh air means that the concentration of refrigerant (Vol %) in the air inside the vehicle can be described as low. In certain situations, however, such as: the vehicle has been operated with recirculated air for a long time and refrigerant suddenly escapes, harmful effects cannot be completely excluded.

Why are there sometimes significant differences in price for an air conditioning service, depending on the garage?

The sometimes significant differences in price between different garages offering an air conditioning check-up or service result from the differing range of work carried out. There is currently no standard definition for the terms “check-up”, “service”, “maintenance” and “test” used in the market. This means that some garages do not carry out complete work procedures, for example, which in turn leads to a more favourable price, of course. Prices can only be compared if what is checked, the work carried out and the parts replaced as part of the check are identical.

Why do my windows mist-up? How can I prevent this?

In the cold, wet season, the air is generally damp, and we bring more humidity into the vehicle again and again on our clothes, wet shoes and jackets. Just take a good look at your floor mats! There is often a pool of water here encouraging even more misting of the windows. This effect is increased further by warm breath. The air conditioning system dries the air in the vehicle interior, clearing the windows quickly. They clear even quicker if the recirculation mode is selected first. (Switch recirculation mode off again after a short time and set the ventilation switch to medium level). Note: models from some manufacturers switch the air conditioning system off automatically when the outside temperature falls below approx. +4 °C.