Car air conditioning systems need servicing approximately every two years. The main reason for this is to change the receiver dryer (filter) which collects moisture in the system because this will eventually turn corrosive if not removed (very similar to the engine oil filter).
Some systems lose a small amount of refrigerant over time so servicing replaces this, tops up the lubricant and recycles the existing refrigerant to new specification.
The service involves discharging all refrigerant, recycling this and recharging the system with the correct amount of refrigerant and oil to lubricate all parts including the compressor pump.
We add dye to make any future leak detection easier to locate and pressure test the complete system.
Many car owners think they need to recharge or ‘top up’ their air-conditioning system with refrigerant on a regular basis, that’s not the case! An AC system is a closed system and if there are no problems, refrigerant is not consumed by the vehicle, nor does it escape.
If however, the air conditioning stops working or has a loss of performance, but the fan continues to blow warm air, a leak in a hose, connector or another part of the system is probably the culprit.
The system on most modern vehicles is designed to shut down once the refrigerant pressure drops to a certain level in order to prevent damage to the air-conditioning compressor.