Auto AC Repair vs AC Recharge

What Happens During Your Car’s A/C Recharge Service?

An A/C recharge service is similar to a transmission fluid flush or oil change service. The current refrigerant that may be too low to do the job necessary,   is vacuumed out before your A/C system is refilled completely with fresh refrigerant. Since an AC recharge is often necessary due to low refrigerant from a leak, a professional technician will also do specialized leak diagnostics using dyes and specialized equipment to find the source of the leak.

How Can You Tell You’re Due for an A/C Recharge?

There are a few ways you can tell you’re due for an A/C recharge. The most common is that the air circulating into the cabin of your vehicle just isn’t getting as cool as it should with the air conditioning on.  This is typically because of a leak that could be minor or major causing low refrigerant. Finally, you may not hear your A/C clutch engage when you turn on your car’s A/C, meaning either the switch is broken, you have a bad compressor or compressor clutch or the refrigerant level is too low to be able to activate your air conditioning.

If an AC Recharge Doesn’t Help, You May Need Another AC Repair

While low refrigerant is the most common issue with a car’s air conditioning system and is fixed with an AC recharge service, it’s not the only AC repair you may need over the life of your car. A couple other common AC repairs have to do with the cooling fans, compressor, and condenser.

A Failing Condenser Can Keep Your AC System from Cooling

Another common AC repair is a failing condenser, which means air can’t get into your air conditioning system to be cooled and cycled back through. You’re likely to feel warmer, humid air coming from your vents if this is a necessary repair for your car.