Air conditioners are the inevitable accessory of a car in the Middle East as summer is very hot in this region. You cannot even think of driving a car without an air conditioner in Gulf regions. To get the exact cooling levels and trouble free running, you need to maintain your car AC in the perfect way.
Let us see some tips to maintain the air conditioner of your car.
Prolong the life of your air conditioner by running it at least once a week to assist in keeping the compressor seals lubricated, which will prevent refrigerant from leaking. Your air conditioning system not only cools your vehicle, one of its primary functions is to remove humidity from the cabin. In other words, use your air conditioner in winter to keep your windscreen free from fog. When driving on the open road it is always a good idea to have your car air conditioner set to flow through ventilation and not re-circulate. This is due to the fact that .5% by volume of CO2 is dangerous and may cause drowsiness and headaches.
It is good practice to get a full air conditioning service at least every two years. The best time to do this before the hotter month’s start, as this will ensure that you are not caught out by a sudden heat wave at the start of the season.
Switching on the car’s AC has become such a common action today; you almost do it as a reflex, just like you close your eyes when sneezing. All you need to do is press a button and set the temperature, the rest being done by the system, but there are some tricks to use the system more efficiently.
The first step to lessen the AC’s work is to park in a shaded spot. We know you won’t find one every time, especially in huge parking lots, but keep in mind to always try and park your car in shade. If you park in a wide open area, you can use windshield shades to cover your car’s windows. This will reduce the greenhouse effect inside.
Before switching on the AC you have to open all the windows and drive a bit. An effective maneuver is to drive at around 10-15 km/h and take 90 degree turns, as the inertia will push out the hot air through one side of the car and suck ‘fresh’ one from outside.
Always start the AC in low. In case you have an automatic air conditioning system, it will automatically start in Low mode and will gradually increase its speed. When you reached your destination, don’t just turn OFF the engine, because you’ll create a bit of a shock in the AC unit. First, turn OFF the AC while the engine is running. You can start doing this even before reaching your destination.
Don’t forget to follow your car’s periodic maintenance schedule, when the cabin air filter should be replaced. At least once a year, your service should spray some anti-bacterial substances into your AC’s ducts and vents. Also, at some point, the refrigerant in the system will need to be replaced. Do it on a certified dealership that only uses original replacements for your vehicle.
