Back to all

Keep Your Cool In Grand Rapids: Air Conditioning Service

April 4, 2014

Most Kentwood motorists don't even think about their car air conditioning system unless it fails. That’s because many Kentwood and Wyoming motorists don't really understand that auto A/Cs need periodic service. Let me share some of the reasons why they fail.

First, like every machine, the SUV air conditioner parts need - you guessed it - lubrication. The lubricant is actually mixed in with the refrigerant (that’s the stuff that makes the air cool). Remember that even if the air conditioner is still blowing out cool air, the oil that lubricates the parts may be used up: and unlubricated parts can fail in all Michigan cars.

Keep Your Cool In Grand Rapids: Air Conditioning Service

Now here’s a tip for Kentwood drivers: Run your air conditioner every so often during Michigan winters. This circulates the lubricant to help keep the seals from drying out.

The air conditioner actually removes some of the moisture in the air. So if you have trouble with fogging on your SUV windshield during Michigan winters or during a rain storm, running the A/C on the defrost setting should help. Now on some Kentwood cars you can’t run the A/C at the same time as the defroster. Don’t ask me why, but I suspect lawyers were involved.

Also, air and water can get into the A/C system. That can reduce the efficiency of the system and also lead to corrosion that causes damage. Grand Rapids drivers should periodically purge the system and replace the refrigerant to remove the air and water.

Kentwood drivers would be wise to learn the essential early warning signs of A/C trouble: 1) The air’s not as cold as it used to be. 2) Unusual noises when the A/C cycles on. Those are signs to get your vehicle into Tuffy Kentwood (Kalamazoo Ave SE) in Kentwood before the damage gets worse.

By following the recommended service intervals in your SUV owner’s manual, you can help prevent mechanical failure of your air conditioning system. Your A/C system contains some expensive components like the compressor, condenser, dryer, etc. Anything Grand Ledge and Wyoming car owners can do to lengthen the life of their A/C is well worth it.

More articles from Tuffy Kentwood (Kalamazoo Ave. SE)

Getting Off to a Running Start (Starter Replacement)

November 17, 2024

When you start your vehicles engine, theres another motor that makes that whole process possible. Its called the starter, and its a small electric motor that gets your vehicle running. As you can imagine, its quite a chore for a little electric motor to turn over the big engine that powers you... More

What's in a Number? (What Tire Numbers Mean)

November 10, 2024

You've probably never paid much attention to the writing on the sides of your tires, but they contain a wealth of information. There's a long combination of letters and numbers that can tell you a whole lot about what tires your vehicle was designed to be riding on. Let's check out this example... More

U and your U-Joints (Lubricate U-Joints)

November 3, 2024

If your vehicles power goes to the rear wheels, then you have something called U-joints in the drivetrain. U-joints are connectors that allow the rotating power from your vehicles engine to deliver its power through a driveshaft to make the rear wheels rotate. You need U-joints because the surfa... More