How to Keep Your Automobile Air Conditioning System in Great Condition

No one wants to suffer through a hot day without air conditioning. It's uncomfortable in your home, but it can be even worse in your car. Traffic seems worse. The people almost crashing into you seem to be driving extra egregiously. The sun is shining directly through your windshield just to spite you. To avoid all of this, follow these tips for keeping the a/c in your car working in top condition.

Maintain Your Drive Belt

- The drive belt is what makes the air conditioning compressor turn. This keeps cooling refrigerant circulating.

- If your belt is cracked, stretched or worn the belt can slip or break. This makes the compressor stop which causes circulation and your cooling to also stop.

- The drive belt can be hard to find on your car so ask a technician to show you where it is located.

Air Conditioning Condenser

- This part is found in front of your car's radiator. It looks like the radiator as well.

- How this part works is that the refrigerant runs through it, air flows across the cooling fins and the heat from the refrigerant is removed.

- Heat won't be removed properly if the fins are damaged or clogged with debris. This can cause your vehicle to overheat.

- To keep fins in good condition, make sure they are clean.

Use Your Senses

- Touch: If the carpet is wet on hot, humid days the air conditioner's drain may be clogged. The water should be dripping to the pavement under the vehicle after it is parked. Also, check if the amount of air coming out of the vents feels the same. If not, especially if you've been driving for awhile, the evaporator could be freezing up.

- Hearing: If you hear an abnormal noise or if there is vibration, there may be debris in the blower fan.

- Smell: You may smell a musty or mildew smell when the fan is turned on (or it may even be apparent all the time). This may mean that mold or mildew is growing in the evaporator. To prevent this you should turn you're a/c switch away from max air when turning your car off. You should also turn the a/c recirculation switch off when parked. If mold or mildew has already built up on the evaporator, you can get it cleaned at a service center.

Additional Tips

- If your car has been sitting in the sun while parked, roll your windows down and leave the recirculation button off. When the hot air is gone, turn the recirculation button back on and roll the windows back up for more efficient cooling.

- During winter you can use your air conditioning on the windshield to get rid of internal fogging. This also keeps the oil that your drive shaft uses as a shield from drying out and releasing refrigerant.

- An important reason to keep your air conditioner in good condition is that if the compressor fails, the belt could break which can take your alternator and water pump out of commission as well.