Only reason I know this stuff is because I was a "backyard mechanic" for my own vehicle, years ago. Most of my vehicles were so old, none had a computer in them. We've never had the coolant changed in either our 2005 Durango or our 1997 RAM truck, that I know of and I keep spreadsheets and all receipts from repairs/maintenance of our vehicles and boat.
The Freon gas in your air-conditioning does not have to be replaced but without it you will loose the 'chill' effect. The same stuff is in fridges and freezers. You can still use your car fan and set it to cold but if it is hot outside the car there's no point. To get the luxury of chilled air you need to get the Freon gas topped up. Freon is moderately toxic so don't mess with it. It does not mean you have a leak when it needs topping up, it deteriorates with age (ouch) and eventually always needs replacing.
@Patsy Faye "Runs out" may mean either if two things: it's consumed during operation, like gasoline, or it "leaks" out and disappears. The latter is the case, though it is NOT supposed to leak out. Leakage is the result of defects in the system. It's no different than your refrigerator, freezer, room air conditioner, or central A/C unit. Is leakage harmful? Only indirectly, in that it adds to depletion of the Ozone Layer in the Earth's atmosphere. The stuff used to obtain "cooling" is largely harmless and inert. Having a bit in the air inhaled is harmless. It's tasteless, odorless, non-toxic, non-staining, colorless. This stuff is most often called "Freon", though that name originally was reserved for use by it's discoverer, DuPont Co. They developed many types, all called Freon, and designated by numbers: Freon 12, F-13, 22, etc. All were synthetically produced chemicals starting with Methane gas, Natural Gas, as a baseline substance. Methane may also be used as a refrigerant, as these stuffs are known, but obviously we don't want possible leaks to consist of combustible gas! So, the Carbon and Hydrogen atoms of Methane, CH4, which has one Carbon, and 4 Hydrogen atoms, are jostled about by substituting other elemental gases for the Hydrogen atoms. Chlorine and Fluorine were most frequently used. Thus, we could have a C, one H, and say, 3 CLs (Chlorine), write it C H CL3, which turns out to be Tri (3) Chloro (Chlorine) Methane, old name was CHLOROFORM! Yes, the anesthetic, but no, not used as a refrigerant, too dangerous. Given as an example. Your refrigerator, if an older one, used F-22, Chloro-DiFluoro-Methane, C H Cl Fl2, one Carbon, one Hydrogen, one Chlorine, and 2 Fluorines. Your car before "Global Warming" used F-12, Di-Chloro Di-Fluoro-Methane, no H at all, C Cl2 Fl2. This seems complicated, but it really just substituted atoms for Hydrogens. All have very low boiling points, in liquid form, and must exist in both liquid and gaseous forms while enclosed in your A/C system, fridge, freezer, etc. Got some rubbing alcohol? Pour a bit on your finger, and blow on it. As it evaporates, you will experience the sensation of "cold". There you have in a nutshell how your A/C works: by evaporation of a liquid. That takers heat away, the remaining trick being to catch that evaporated vapor and turn it back into liquid, to be used over again. All enclosed within a sealed leakproof system. Frank
In all honesty, don't even know why so-called "recharge" cans of auto refrigerant are sold in stores. Because, if the system needs more refrigerant, a leak in the system has had to happen. How do people notice a possible leak or malfunctioning A/C compressor? The A/C isn't working the way, or as good, as it did. This all can be determined by having an A/C check done.
Why do garages re-gas Cody ? This is all new to me and I thank everyone for educating me but still a little confused. Maybe all will become clear next week
Well, from what I've read, the "re-gas" (it's not "gas", it's refrigerant) is due to low refrigerant in the system, which means a leak. The system MUST be checked BEFORE adding more refrigerant. The shop should do this. How is the A/C in your vehicle? Have you used it? There is such a thing as "old refrigerant" in the system. In this case, if the A/C is running fine, the "old refrigerant" will be flushed out (taken out) and all new put in.
It was fine when we got the car lasted 3 months, only now its a problem When we tried a couple of garages, they were set up to re-gas, but not for our model as the system has been changed As we are going to the dealer of this model, they should be more clued up on this car
We have made it this summer with no ac in car. It does have a leak. Cost $900-1500 to repair. Anyone wanna grant me a loan
Yep, just like us. The "motor" is the compressor. It wasn't cheap at all, but we got it. Nice to have A/C back in the vehicle.
My Chevrolet S-10 was a nice little pickup truck, but the air conditioning sucked. Although I bought it new, the AC never worked long. While it was still under warranty, I had it repaired but it didn't last long. After that, I had it repaired a few times but it never lasted more than a month or two.
@Ken Anderson Easily tolerated, if in Maine. Here, not so good. My wife this afternoon spotted the unusual in the Edgewater parking garage: a Maine license plate! Fairly unusual in Fall, less so in Winter, almost never in summer. Long road driven. Frank
@Ken Anderson Understand! Just the other day, my wife remarked about the fact that both she and I had driven to work daily in the Phoenix area without air; she to the air-conditioned workplace, me back and forth across the desert wasteland between East Mesa and West Phoenix. How we sweated! Frank