A/C Tips & Tricks

The dog days of summer are here, which means you are probably using the air conditioner in your vehicle more. We want you to keep your vehicle’s A/C system working as efficiently as possible this summer.

Here are some tips and tricks to keep in mind when out and about this summer:

1. Park in the shade, if you can
   1. Parking in the shade will help keep your vehicle cooler and reduce your A/C system’s workload when getting it going. If there is no shade available, consider getting a windshield cover to help.
2. Vent your vehicle out before turning on the A/C
   1. Before turning on the A/C, open the windows for a little bit to let as much of the hot air as possible. Ultimately this will cool your vehicle down quicker and not put as much strain on your A/C.
3. Start the A/C at a low speed
   1. Max A/C recirculates the air in your vehicle, cooling down the air already in your car. If you max A/C right away, you are trying to cool down the extremely hot air in your vehicle. Use standard A/C first to pull in outside air that is relatively cooler, then switch to max A/C for a real cool down.
4. Always use air recirculation
   1. Just like using max A/C, this will keep cooling the air already in your vehicle, instead of drawing outside air.
5. Don’t have your windows open
   1. You will get better mileage out of your vehicle if you use A/C instead of having your windows open.
6. Have moisture on your windows? Run the A/C!
   1. Your A/C cools the air down, but it also takes moisture out of the air, pulling it off of your windows and helping with visibility.
7. When you reach your destination, don’t just stop you’re A/C system.
   1. Before shutting the engine off, turn off the A/C and run only the fan for a short time. This will help dry the system and help prevent bacteria and mold from building up in the system.

If your vehicle’s A/C system is just not cooling down, then it might be time to add refrigerant. We carry a full line of refrigerant, and with a little know-how, you can do it yourself!

If adding refrigerant doesn’t work or are not comfortable doing it yourself, take your vehicle to a mechanic, and let the professionals fix it.

If you are worried that the refrigerant will be harmful to the environment, don’t be! Here is a video from The Counterman explaining how refrigerant has evolved over the years:

If you have any questions, stop by your local Smyth Auto Parts and talk to one of our knowledgeable countermen. They will be happy to assist you!