All air conditioning systems and climate controls lose coolant over time. It loses about 8-10 % of coolant a year, and therefore it must be serviced at least once every two years.
Air Con service at record price
Your Volkswagen Aircondition (AC System) loses refrigerant over time. If refrigerant levels are too low, you run the risk of the Aircon system wearing out or breaking. Book your next Aircondition Service through Autobutler.
Air conditioning systems are available in several variants
Most modern cars today have some form of air conditioner or climate control. It can be a fully automatic climate control, a dual zone climate control or an air conditioning system.
The three cooling systems can perform different functions, but common to them all is that they should be maintained and serviced to work effectively and reliably.
The fully automatic climate control sets the temperature in the vehicle interior. For example, if the temperature is set to 22 degrees Celsius, the system will continuously adjust the temperature so that the desired temperature is maintained.
The Dual Zone climate control works like the fully automatic climate control, but has the added feature that the temperature can be independently set for both driver and passenger’s sides.
Finally, there is the air conditioning system (A/C). It is manually controlled. The system provides a certain temperature, and if you want to change the setting, you must adjust the fan or thermostat control up or down manually.
Both the fully automatic climate control and the dual zone climate control seem more attractive for most people, but may be a more expensive option at the time of purchase.
Volkswagen has its own air conditioning system
Volkswagen has developed its own cooling and climate control, which is called Climatic and Climatronic.
Climatic is a semi-automatic climate control in which a dial indicates the temperature and where there are manual functions for the fan and demisting of windshields and windows.
Climatronic is a fully automatic climate control with a digital temperature display and where everything is set electronically. The system helps maintain the desired temperature.
An air conditioning system or a climate control must be serviced
An air conditioning system or a climate control is a convenient invention that not only is used in the summer when it is hot, but also can and should preferably be used year round.
The car’s air conditioning system operates by using compressor to pump coolant (refrigerant gas) that cools and dehumidifies the air that is subsequently circulated around inside the car.
It consists of a closed system with hoses and gaskets. A coolant and oil flow within the system. In time, the coolant will evaporate and the system will therefore lose fluid. If one does not ensure to fill the coolant, the system will slowly dry out, and the gaskets and the filter will be destroyed.
It is therefore important that you get the climate control in your Volkswagen serviced regularly. When servicing the vehicle’s climate control/air conditioner, the system is emptied of liquids and dried via a vacuum. Afterwards, new coolant is filled into the system.
Overview: Air conditioning service
If you are having an air conditioning service done on your Volkswagen, the work will include the following points:
- The garage empties the system of coolant and then fills new coolant.
- At the same time, the oil (that acts as a lubricant and prevents the gaskets in the compressor from drying out and deteriorating unnecessarily) is changed.
- The dryer that extracts moisture and dirt from the circulating coolant is checked.
- The car’s pollen filter is changed.
- The air ducts are also cleaned, so that any bad odors are removed.
How to avoid bacteria in the system
On hot summer days, an air conditioner helps by cooling the air inside the vehicle. When the car stops, all tubes in the air conditioner will be cold, and the summer heat will quickly make the air condense in the tube.
The condensed moisture collects in small pools in the system, where bacteria and microorganisms arise. It is these small ‘ponds’ that give a musty and unpleasant smell in the car.
Odors from your air conditioning system is one thing, but the bacteria in the system can also cause respiratory problems, eye irritations, fatigue and headaches. Therefore, you should periodically get the air conditioner serviced and cleaned to prevent bacteria forming.
Use air conditioning year round
Many believe that an air conditioner is only used in the summer. But this is far from true, and actually both manufacturers and garages discourage that the air conditioner is switched off permanently during Winter.
When the air conditioner or the climate control in your Volkswagen does not run, the lubricant remains still. At worst, you risk the systems gaskets drying out. This can create leaks that will cause the system to not function properly.
If you on the other hand use the system year round, you ensure that the system is well lubricated and gives a pleasant and dry environment in the car.
3 good tips on air conditioning
If your Volkswagen’s air conditioning does not cool when it is activated, you should immediately contact a garage. By connecting an a/c machine they can quickly identify the error.
You can reduce the risk of bacteria formation in the a/c system by switching off the system 10-15 minutes before you park the car. When the system is turned off, heat from both the engine and the air will dry out the channels so there is no air in the system that can condense.
The coolant that is used in the air conditioning system is generally not cheap and new environmentally friendly gasses used in late model vehicles are also more expensive. When you need to have an air conditioner serviced, it is a good idea to check whether the offered price includes replacement of coolant or whether there is a surcharge for this.
Also, anytime that the air conditioning system is opened for repairs or emptied of gas, the receiver/dryer will need to be replaced. Make sure this is included in the quote for your systems regas.
