A/C Maintenance ?

Joined
Sep 10, 2010
Messages
3,806
Location
PNW
What (if any) A/C maintenance do you recommend as preventative maintenance for vehicle A/C systems ? ... The Hyundai Tech just said : "Just wait until your Sonata A/C stops blowing cold air - then bring it in to the service center" ... I believe that advice will cost me more $$ in the long run - what is your planned A/C maintenance ?
 
Chevrolet seems to think the AC desiccant should be replaced at 7 years. Here is a screen shot of a 2022 Silverado owners manual.

06E5DF70-DE76-402F-8D42-933F0A595B8A.jpg
 
I was always told to run the compressor to keep things lubricated. Since my climate-control system is automatic and there's a lot of moisture in the air for most of the year I just let it run.

I suppose you could clean the coils but I really question of how effective that is outside of removing musty smells if you have them. You CAF is supposed to keep the evap coil clean. anyways.
 
My Ranger is 17 years old and I've done nothing to it and it still blows cold. It might be a little low on Freon just because...
 
Run the AC from time and/or the defroster in the winter. Make sure the condenser is kept clean and you're GTG. In extreme cold the AC compressor is not going to run even in the defrost mode, so all bets are off then.
 
My next door neighbor drives some kind of GM van with a fiberglass raised roof and whatnot. It's probably an 05. Early in the summer he told me on hot days the AC blows hot but at night when it's less hot, it blows cooler but not cold. I checked his pressures and they were all within spec.
I suggested that maybe his filter/ dryer could be restricted. He took it in somewhere and came back with it blowing ice cold. I said what did they do? He said they evacuated the system and replaced the refrigerant. I was pretty surprised. I guess it wears out?
I never kept a car long enough to have that happen.
 
This is a funny post.
Somebody asking about a Hyundai and somebody posted the manual from 2020 Silverado???

It convolute the issue. LOL!!!
In my experience, GM seems to have AC problem more often than other brand, not sure why.
It is probably needs some fixing around 7 years.

As for me, I agree with the tech and as stated above.
Keep the condenser, that is the part usually in the area of the radiator.
Spray them with soap and rinse them with water once a year.
Clean the space in between the radiator and condenser if there are leaves.
Turn on the AC in the winter once in a while unless you are in a freezing area.
Not too difficult to do if you are in the south, we have days above 60F even in the winter.

Change the Cabin Air Filter if it is there.
Otherwise, clean the evaporator also (mostly for 90s car).

Another one, make sure the condensate line usually under the passenger side is not clogged.
 
Last edited:
The evaporator has a temperature sensor (aka thermistor) to tell the climate control module the temperature of the evaporator. Typically, the climate control module won't energize the compressor is the evaporator temperature is much below 40*F. When it's hot outside and the AC is running the climate control module will allow hot coolant into the heater core when the evaporator temperature gets to about 37*F. This prevents freeze up in the evaporator.
 
Back
Top