Oakville Auto Repair

How did we ever get along without air conditioning in our cars? It's a feature we take for granted until, suddenly, it's blowing hot air. In the past few years, many owners have discovered that fixing an inoperative air conditioner can cost a few hundred dollars or more, depending upon the make and model of vehicle. The reason is that the old standby R-12 refrigerant, trade named DuPont Freon, has been replaced by R-134a. Touted as being environmentally safer than its predecessor, R-134a has been standard since '94. If your older vehicle needs major repairs to the air conditioning system you can expect to replace refrigerant and the oil in the compressor in addition to the old components. You also may need to install a retrofit conversion. Do not allow anyone to mix refrigerants. They're not inter-changeable. You cannot add R-134a to your older air conditioner without first flushing the system. Further, according to Car Care Canada, some substitutes ... read more

Expires

Ahhh it's summer...finally!! You're just about to head to the cottage, and you turn on the A/C and it's sort of cool. Hey, wasn't it colder last year when you used it? YES, wonder why? The refrigerant gas that is used to operate the system depletes over time, on average about 10% per year. There is no published maintenance schedule for your A/C system. So we recommend that a system check up every 2 years is a good idea. A little peace of mind goes a long way. Keep cool, Cheers Mark

Air Conditioning, which was once considered a luxury, is now a common feature on most cars and vehicles today. While the servicing of modern car air conditioning systems is best left to professionals, you can get the most enjoyment from your A/C system if you know a bit about how it works and what malfunctions you should be on the lookout for. 1. Odd smells coming from the air conditioning may be caused by bacterial build-ups in the A/C system. As your car becomes older, or when the air conditioning system is used infrequently, bacteria, micro-organisms, mold and fungi may start growing, just behind the dash panel on the evaporator causing some very unpleasant odors. Some even claim this can result in headaches and flu like symptom sometimes referred to as "sick car syndrome." This problem can be solved by using an anti-bacterial treatment that destroys the bacteria growth and leaves your car smelling fresh again. 2. If your automobile does ... read more