Is your car’s Air Conditioner not cooling properly?
Cooling problems can result from one or more of the following:
-Low refrigerant
-Blockage in the system filter
-Faulty pressure switch
-Cooling fan problems
-Debris in front of or between the radiator and the air conditioner’s condenser coil.
Does your Air Conditioner cause a strong musty odor?
Musty odors present a respiratory health risk because they indicate the presence of mould. The following measures should be taken promptly.
-The Air Conditioner’s drain hose should be checked to ensure that it is not blocked causing stagnant water build up in the drain pan.
-Once it is cleared to achieve proper drainage, the drain pan should be disinfected to eliminate any biological contaminants.
-The evaporator coil should be disinfected as well.
Does your defroster not clear your windshield of fog completely?
If your car has a control lever that allows you to select “Fresh Air” or “Re-circulate” it should be set to “Fresh Air”. Recirculating the air results in a build up of moisture from the breath of the vehicles occupants. This reduces the defroster’s capacity to dry the windshield. Fresh air brought in from outside is far less humid and its relative humidity drops even lower when it is heated making the defroster much more effective at clearing the windshield and other windows in the car.
Does your vehicle not heat adequately in the winter?
Below is a list of possible causes of inadequate heating of the passenger compartment:
The most common cause is low engine coolant and/or low engine temperature.
If the year of your vehicle is 1997-98 or newer the most common cause of poor heating is a faulty engine thermostat.
If your vehicle is older one likely cause may be a plugged or leaky heater core.
Another possible cause may be a malfunctioning temperature control leaver on your dashboard.
In our cold Canadian winters inadequate heating is common in vehicles with oversized passenger compartments like mini-vans and sport utility vehicles. Moving the “Fresh Air / Recirculate” lever to “Recirculate” will keep more warm air in the vehicle. Do not use this solution if it causes the windows to fog up. For safety reasons, visibility is more important than comfort when driving.