I guess this is the time of year we all start thinking about our AC systems again eh?

I run my AC a fair bit through the winter to try to keep things oiled up inside....

Is there any advice for keeping AC system working in terms of preventative maintenance?

I think I remember reading somewhere that the refrigerant gets corrosive after being in the system for a long time and it can be beneficial to get it replaced, along with new oil?

Any truth to that?


What about those "oil at home" recharge kits?

By exercising it occasionally, you are already doing one of the best practices to preserve the AC system. The second big item, as Klaus wrote, is replace the cabin air filter and clean out any leaves, smutz, or sludge you find under the cowl. Spring cleaning!!

The AC system is supposed to be completely sealed, so as long as there is no r143a lost to the atmosphere the system does not need to be "maintained". It is good to run the AC once in a while in the winter, but leaving the AC switched on and having electronic climate control means that the compressor moves every time the engine is started as part of the ECC check out procedure.

The best thing to do is to change the cabin filter annually and keep the engine cowl area free from leaves and other dirt. Depending on the year, 1993-2000 specifically, it is a good practice to turn off a running AC about 1 mile from home to allow the evaporator to dry off before engine shut down.
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My name is Klaus and I am a V ♂ lv ♂ holic.