Car A/C repair – when should you do it and what does the repair include?

Your car's air conditioning matters because it improves the driving experience: we can control the climate inside the car and set it the way we like, regardless of what's happening outside, making every drive, winter or summer, more pleasant. But every so often we all need car A/C maintenance or repair, and it's worth learning a bit more before going in for a repair:

Why should the car's air-conditioning system be serviced every year?

Most of us only take the car in for an A/C repair once the A/C stops cooling.

Up to 10 percent of the refrigerant (oil/gas) is lost every year, especially after a few years, mainly through the hoses. An annual A/C service can keep us from ending up suffering in the car on a particularly hot day.

Another reason for an annual A/C service is that the refrigerant also carries the oil in the system, the oil that lubricates the compressor. When there isn't enough refrigerant in the system, the compressor won't get enough lubrication, leading to a system failure whose repair can run into hundreds of shekels. Servicing the A/C once a year can prevent all of this.

Not only that – moisture in the system can cause serious damage: water turns to ice in the expansion valve, which means a blockage and high pressures, until the compressor burns out from strain and lack of lubrication.

The receiver drier traps moisture particles and can fail completely as a result. Replacing the drier regularly lets you prevent this.

Even a small problem like leaves and dirt can raise the pressures in the system and then destroy the compressor – something that can be prevented by thoroughly cleaning the system once a year.

Finally, when the A/C system isn't serviced regularly, the moisture in it will, over time, cause corrosion, wear and mechanical damage.

The A/C isn't cooling – why do you need a professional inspection?

A professional inspection pinpoints the exact cause of the fault and so ensures a complete, lasting fix.

How much does car A/C repair cost?

The cost varies from case to case, because many different factors can stop a car's A/C from cooling. So when comparing prices, it's important to consider what is being replaced and how complex the A/C repair work was.

It's important to choose a professional, experienced A/C technician you can trust, and not necessarily the one with the cheapest quote. Cheap can sometimes turn out very expensive, and a poor-quality repair will quickly bring you back to the garage with exactly the same fault.