Aircon servicing, how often do you do it?

[Boyboy]

Hi.. My ride is a year old, abt 40k mileage and I'm wondering about whether my aircon needs servicing other than the usual change of filter (every 15-20k).

 

Aircon is still cold and no funny smells that my $2 activated carbon block from Daiso can't take care of. Of course, if drive after exercise or carrying odor-releasing foods, that is temporary stink

 

I checked out a few older threads and there are 3 broad recommendations

 

1. Regular servicing, aka preventive maintenance

2. Dun touch if it ain't broke, and it seems to work out well too for those who mentioned it

3. Chemical products to clean out the internal parts of the aircon (DIY), e.g. lysol spray and cleanair air con disinfectant spray.

 

My main concern is cost and aircon reliability.

[Hiphiphoray]

Wah...u are quite a traveller...1 year clock 40k milage. mine just past 40k milage. I only change the air-con filters @ 25k milage. Wash/clean air con filters @ 40k servicing recently.

[Chickenfarm]

Hi,

 

My car is 8 mths old and I used to use an essential oil diffuser in my ciggy socket to freshen up my car. This is not the container with spinning water type but a small diffuser where you drop a few drops of essential oil onto a pad and the heat of the diffuser will dispense the aroma inside your cabin.

 

It works to freshen up my car but the problem is my aircon starts to have a stench when you turn it on. I believe the oil particles went inside and becomes stale due to the mixture with moist and so on.

 

I've tried air ioniser. Seems to work but the smell is still there when you turn on the aircon initially.

 

Then I bought a can of chemical dispenser (your method 3) and used it on my car on wednesday (costs only 16 plus a can with orange aroma). The smell of the air blown out from the vent is fresher now. Don't know how long this will last though.

 

Moral is...nvr nvr use an essential oil diffuser in your car. It is expensive (got to buy essential oil quite regularly if you use it everyday) and it smears your aircon unit.

 

I think the best is still to dismantle the unit and clean the interior once and for all or service it (such as change aircon filter) at regular interval.

Edited October 12, 2007 by Chickenfarm

[Boyboy]

hmm.. so far i only use $2 air fresheners from daiso.

 

sometimes i get a bit of stale smell when i off the a/c compressor. before parking my car on a cooler day (cloudy or at night), i will off the compressor to "dry off" the condensation on it. i read this somewhere in Eurovan Club forums. apparently, this reduces mould growth

 

recently, i changed from $2 air freshener to $2 charcoal block that i mentioned earlier. i prefer the smell of the lavender, but hoping the charcoal can eliminate odors better

 

bought a cairefresh aircon filter but waiting til my current 3M aircon filter is due for change

 

Current poll suggests don't fix unless it's broke. so i shall ignore the A/C until sth happens

[Yuan]

I just service mine at the workshop at my 20k servicing.

 

A bit kiasu but must take care of things....Aircon very important if the weather is hot and humid....

[Kelpie]

Hence, I don't believe in using any sorts and forms of air-fresher. All b.u.l.l.s.h.i.t, trying to musk foul smell with some scents.

 

Regards,

Edited October 14, 2007 by Kelpie

[Guest Julio369]

better don touch it, unless you know a very reliable & honest workshop who is willing to help you save money...but that's very rare.

 

maintenance & service air-con/ engine is never a value-added job, most workshop would prefer changing new parts, more $$$$, more profitable.

 

 

if you service, your original parts (cooling coil, maybe compressor etc. )will be dismantled,serviced and reinstalled, no longer "virgin", chance of leakage or improper installation are very high.

 

if they service, e.g cooling coil and found that it is going to be corroded or damage (may not even have any problem!!!), the "practice" is to punch a hole to make it leak, so they ask you change a new cooling coil. Why they want to do that? because if workshop keep quiet and if the aircon not cold after a month later, the customer will blame the workshop for poor servicing. So they will try to replace as many new parts as possible.

 

You'll will never know what dishonest workshops can do to aggravate your part's life span.

 

Always look at how they service, if permits.

 

so...are you scared now???

 

[Jchuacl]

Once a year or around 30-40K, just do regular maintenance will do. For my previous car, I replaced my original aircon compressor at 40K and with regular maintenance, the replacement lasted me till 180K which was still working when I traded in the car.

 

 

Hi.. My ride is a year old, abt 40k mileage and I'm wondering about whether my aircon needs servicing other than the usual change of filter (every 15-20k).

 

Aircon is still cold and no funny smells that my $2 activated carbon block from Daiso can't take care of. Of course, if drive after exercise or carrying odor-releasing foods, that is temporary stink

 

I checked out a few older threads and there are 3 broad recommendations

 

1. Regular servicing, aka preventive maintenance

2. Dun touch if it ain't broke, and it seems to work out well too for those who mentioned it

3. Chemical products to clean out the internal parts of the aircon (DIY), e.g. lysol spray and cleanair air con disinfectant spray.

 

My main concern is cost and aircon reliability.

[Boyboy]

no i not scared.

 

i decided not to let them touch it

 

car still under warranty period, but dunno whether AD will honor, considering i dun send my car there for servicing, and never do their periodic A/C maintenance. they offer A/C maintenance service but it cost 200 a pop, recommended every 10 or 20k (not sure which)

 

if i dun bother with it until 100k kms, i'll save $1k (assuming i do it at AD every 20k).

 

my dad ignored his A/C completely for abt 170k with his prev ride (camry, mine's a getz so maybe u could say, toyota can tahan )

 

so far so good, hit 40k and keeping my fingers crossed!

[Boyboy]

bro, why replace ur compressor so early?

 

actually, mine was replaced before 20k. warranty claim . from early on the compressor would give off faint knocking sound so KMC replaced it FOC. but it still worked fine

[Guest Julio369]

the 1K saved can buy you a new cooling coil & other a/c spare parts + labour.

 

in fact, not going the AD for normal oil svs can buy you free road tax, insurance & petrol.

 

AD really think we're stupid carrot head...but some of us are... held hostage by their silly warranty clause.

 

[Genie47]

Aircon is one of those things in the car that you can't do preventive maintenance on. It is a closed system. Completely separated from the rest of the car sans blower system.

 

Leave it alone until it goes to hell then replace.

 

Changing cabin filters is not the same as A/C maintenance but it helps to keep cabin air fresh.

Edited October 15, 2007 by Genie47

[Jchuacl]

Because I didn't take good care of it. I like to start my engine with the aircon on, and hence it died on me. But I learnt my lesson and it's ok after that

[Raining]

Interesting point genie, but I've seen some bros do some air-con flush or something... From Autobacs brochure I rem ...They attached a machine and "flushed" out the old oil and pump in "fresh" new aircon oil. Will that help in air-con maintenence ?

[Marcng]

i dont even change my aircon filter till now and no servcing for the past 2yr plus and start engine when aircon on but so far still no funny smell and still cold..........

[Boyboy]

pwah.. u power la bro

 

the filter is damn black and disgusting, even at regular change intervals. but as bro genie mentioned, aircon "closed system". i guess this explaination is enuff for me

[Sfrtuscani]

the cabin aircon filter is used to prevent ur cooling coil from getting too dusty and hence lead to inefficient cooling.... just my 2 cents worth

Edited October 15, 2007 by Sfrtuscani

[Mzrmazda3]

I have actually requested the agent to service my air con but their Service Advisor told me not to touch it until it give way

 

They told me changing the cabin filter is good enough

 

Wa Lau